Islam and Politics: Interfaith Relations (ISLM90008)

What is the intersection of Islam, politics and interfaith relations? This is a common theme in explorations of Islam and its role in the modern world. This subject explores how different Muslim communities and states, both in the past and present, have developed concepts, rules and understandings to engage with people of other faiths, and created societies that had a high degree of tolerance, if not acceptance, of the religious ‘Other’. It achieves this with a focus on the study of primary texts of Islam, agreements and charters as well as specific laws relevant to the regulation of inter-religious matters. 

The subject surveys several historical periods and Muslim communities from the time of early Islam to the present day, with a particular focus on the Middle East. It considers how Muslim states responded to other religious traditions and communities in the past—during the early days of Islam and in the classical period—before exploring how Muslim-majority states engage with religious minorities today, including the rights and freedoms of religious minorities and contested notions of citizenship. It also considers religious diversity within Muslim communities and how different trends in Islamic thought respond to that.