Islam and politics: a comparative analysis of the theological positions of the Egyptian ‘Alī Abd al-Rāziq (d.1966) and the Senegalese Cheikh Moussa Kamara (d.1945)

Abstract

The mid-20th century saw the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the last Muslim caliphate, and at the same time, European imperialism continued to develop in Muslim-majority societies. The clash between Europe and the Muslim world also led to the emergence of reformist ideas, sparking intense debate on democracy, women’s rights, the relationship between religion and power, and so on. Added to this, colonization also dismantled well-established systems, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, and imposed its hegemony. In this context, the relationship that Muslims had to maintain with colonial power was also the subject of debate. The aim of our contribution is to analyze the theological thinking of one of the first to question the political nature of Islam, namely the Egyptian ‘Alī ‘Abd al-Rāziq, author of the now famous book Al-Islām wa uṣūl al-ḥukm (Islam and the Foundations of Power). His reflections will be analyzed in comparison with those of a sub-Saharan author, Cheikh Moussa Kamara, author of Akṯar al-rāġibīn, a reflection on the use of religion for power purposes in colonial Africa. The aim will be to highlight how both think about the relationship between spiritual authority and temporal power.