Islamic activists : the anti-enlightenment democrats / Deina Ali Abdelkader.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 143-150) and index.

Introduction: orientalism, Islamic activism and rational thought? -- The rudiments of an Islamic just society: the contributions of Abu-Ishaq al-Shatibi -- Yusuf al-Qaradawi: modernization is key -- Rachid al-Ghannouchi: minorities and equality -- Abdessalam Yassine: the just ruler -- Conclusion: reason and faith: the Islamists versus the "stillborn God".

In the hysteria surrounding Political Islam, it is difficult to find analysis that doesn't feel the need to justify the existence of Islamic leaders or react to the West's fear of "extremists." In Islamic Activists, Deina Ali Abdelkader shows us what Islamic leaders and activists believe and what they think about just governance. Explaining and comparing Islamist ideas, including those about leadership, justice and minority rights, Abdelkader explains how these have been represented in the writings of important historical and contemporary Islamists. In doing so, Abdelkader reveals that democracy is not the sole preserve of those who support Enlightenment values, offering the reader a chance to understand the populist non-violent side of Islamic activism. This includes an examination of the ideas of the leaders of the populist Islamist movements in Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco. Islamic Activists is essential reading for serious students and scholars of Islamic political theory and action.