ABSTRACT
The following two pieces, published in Shari'a Law ana the Modern Nation State (Kuala lumpur: Sisters in Islam, 1994), consider several challenges facing Islam. In this essay, I argue that many programs for the ‘Islamisation ’ of governments and societies have stressed symbol over substance. A superficial appeal to Islam—the ‘car sticker approach’ to religion—prevails instead of a commitment to the Quranic ideal of social justice. A return to that ideal, however, would depend upon challenging not only the conservatism of certain religious authorities and the vested political interests of many Muslim governments, but also the hegemonic interests of the Unites States and its allies. Standing up to the dominance of the West and North is essential for true ‘Islamisation.’
