Dear colleagues! Can anyone recommend theoretical books or articles (in English, French, German, Dutch - no matter) on the nature of kingship and polity in Islamic "medieval" world (from the beginning of Islam to, say, the seventeenth century A.D.)? Apart from A.K.S. Lambton, A. al-Azmeh and M. Hodgson.
Thanks for the question. There is no kingship in Islam but they were rightly guided caliphs (elected by the people). Unfortunately later days a large number of Muslim ruling dynasties grab the power and ruled as a king or emperor. However, they were not legitimate rulers but to make their rule lawful some of them tried their best to implement Shariah. You may read the following books:
Al-Mardi’s Al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah (The Laws of Islamic Governance)
Ziauddin Barani, Fatawa-i-Jahandari
These books define the duties of a good ruler. I hope you may get some benefit about the duties of the Muslim kings.
Thanks for the question. There is no kingship in Islam but they were rightly guided caliphs (elected by the people). Unfortunately later days a large number of Muslim ruling dynasties grab the power and ruled as a king or emperor. However, they were not legitimate rulers but to make their rule lawful some of them tried their best to implement Shariah. You may read the following books:
Al-Mardi’s Al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah (The Laws of Islamic Governance)
Ziauddin Barani, Fatawa-i-Jahandari
These books define the duties of a good ruler. I hope you may get some benefit about the duties of the Muslim kings.
Yes, Al-Ahkam al-Sultaniyyah is one of the good books. Authored by al-Mawardi.
Also, refer to 'Freedom, Equality and Justice in Islam' by M. Hashim Kamali.
As Dr Arshad Islam stated above, the concept of 'kingship' is culturally influenced in the later years of Islam. Having said that, if you refer to the Qur'an, you will find one example of pious 'kingship' that is in the story of the Prophet Solomon.
Besides, there is also another version of leadership - albeit not a king - that was the leadership of the Prophet Joseph as a minister of economy in Egypt.
All the best in your research. :)
Thank you both indeed! It is al-Mawardi surely, though my question was on research studies and not on sources. The problem is not so much with sources such as mirrors for rulers or chronicles (there are plenty from, say, Ghazali's "Nasihatu-l-muluk" to Allami's "Akbarnama"), but with good works in contemporary research. Tetapi terima kasih sekali lagi. :) I shall try to use Md. Hashim Kamali's work all right...
Nature of kingship and history on the theory of kingship, see Aziz al-Azmeh's work on Kingship in Islam.
Thank you, Dr Nasir! Though I made a reservation in my question: works APART FROM Lambton, al-Azmeh and Hodgson. :) Namun begitu terima kasih. :)
So how is it going so far? Have you tried searching using these terms: good governance? Perhaps they will lead you to a more contemporary work.
Dear Mrs Ghazali, so far I have been reading sources (the most difficult for me has proved to be the Melaka chronicle "Sulalatu-s-Salatin"). As to the term "good governance", I have searched it, yes, but my task is somewhat different: the focus of my present study is the very usage of the terms "sultanate", "emirate" and some others.
Dear,
You can check, Bernard Lewis " Arabs in history".
Actually, in Islam, the first thirty year after the prophet death, we called :Caliphate. The caliphs are considered like old fathers in Catholicism and common Muslim consider it as a holy history.
But after 30 years, they started kingship but under the formal name of Caliphate.
The only difference between kingship and Claiphate is the reference. Caliphate has Quaran and Sunna as constitution with Faqeeh as supreme judges ,while kingship is a little bit secularized.
You can check: "Noah Fredman" , the rise and fall of Islamic state
Dear Mr Azmy, thank you for the books you have named! I shall certainly try to find them. The second author's name is Feldman. By "kingship" I meant both the Khilafat and the Sultanat. And as to the Khilafat, I am interested in its whole period from al-Khulafa' ar-Rashidun right to 1924.
Dear Dr Abbas, thank you, Arabic would do, I hope. I can read it (not fluently, though). :)
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