While most of the recent movements in the Muslim world have been spearheaded by Islamic parties and leaders, the Arab uprising is surprisingly led by civil society, especially the youth, writes Mohammad Hashim Kamali ........ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

This article was published in The New Straits Times on 04 June 2011

Classical Islamic political thought contains ideas and principles comparable to modern day tenets of democracy and pluralism. Islamic thought is derived mainly from the guidelines of the Qur’an and Sunnah on consultation, equality, justice, human dignity and so forth, which bear substantive harmony with the principles of democracy and human rights. Modern writers have further developed the democratic substance of these guidelines and have to some extent adjusted the medievalist overtones of the earlier interpretations. We submit that Islamic political order remains open to development and reform without negating its own religious and ideological heritage.

Al-Shajarah 9 (2004), 125-145.