Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics

The paper is an attempt to identify the continuities and discontinuities between the religious Islamic notion and practice of 

The Oxford Handbook of

There has been a tendency to portray Muḥammad Rashid Rida (1865-1935) as a mere transmitter of the ideas of Muhammad Abduh (1849-1905) and loyal defender of his thought. Albert Hourani described Ridá as "Abduh's liege man: the mouthpiece of his ideas, the guardian of his good name, and his biographer." Rida's ideas were treated as an extension of ' Abduh's thought and in line with the framework which the latter designed for reforming and reinvigorating

The past few years have carried both great hopes and deep frustrations for the future of democratization in Egypt. The country witnessed a significant national referendum; two major elections, presidential and parliamentary, in September and November–December 2005 respectively; the formation of a pro-reform movement; and a remarkable political vitality. It is uncertain, however, whether these developments will place Egypt on the threshold of a sustainable democratic transformation.

Islamic movements in North Africa have historically been distinguished from their counterparts in other parts of the Arab world because they have demonstrated a marked willingness to work within the political system and have at times even been officially recognized and allowed to participate in local and national elections. As a result, Islamic thinkers from the Maghrib have produced important writing about the role of

When Western influences began to pervade the

The Oxford Encyclopedia of

Many residents of the Middle East - and more recently, Western powers - have placed great hope in democratization in the region. Yet authoritarianism remains the norm and movement towards democracy is both slow and uneven. The Struggle over Democracy in the Middle East examines democracy and democratization in the light of regional realities rather than the wishful thinking of outsiders.