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The Danger of a Single Narrative | Adding Dimension To Islamism’s Story

In the time of fake news and alternative facts, Professor Mbaye Lo’s “Political Islam, Justice, and Governance” serves as an essential reminder to fact-check the information received from media, or at the very least, do some outside research. In the wake of 9/11, the media has made it seem as though Islamism was an ideology that spontaneously generated after the fall of the Twin Towers, but this is not the case. Lo recounts the rise of Islamism through a series of scholarly exchange between prominent figures. There’s a single story often told of Islamist movements in the West, and “Political Islam, Justice, and Governance” does an exceptional job of adding dimension to that singular narrative.

“Political Islam, Justice, and Governance” links the ineffectiveness of political Islam to justice. The books primary argument centers on the idea that political Islam’s literal conceptualization of justice is incompatible with the current neo-liberalist agenda of freedom. The tension between these opposing forces has lead to a failure of political Islam’s ability to govern. Adding credibility to his claim, author Mbaye Lo constructs a methodological approach based on pre-existing literature. Due to the shortage of scholarly resources analyzing the selected Islamic states he chose to study in this book, he conducts a great deal of his own research. He further establishes credibility, demonstrating how his argument can be applied to analyze the failure of political Islam in Egypt and Sudan as well as within the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. He combines interviews and observations, like slogans, political chants, and newspapers, as well as exhaustive case studies in various countries to illustrate his point.

I particularly enjoyed reading this book because every page evoked a new set of questions to ask myself, challenging my previous conceptions of life. As a young American girl, I’ve learned to value one thing — freedom. Throughout childhood, I considered myself blessed to be living in the “Land of The Free” and the “Home of the Brave.” Freedom to me was like water to a flower; it was something essential to living. After reading this work, I now realize having your entire value system rooted in the greatness of freedom truly limits your perspective on global events, especially in the context of the Arab World where justice takes precedence over freedom.

Lo dedicates the opening chapters of the book to an exploration of Islamic justice and in turn, the origins of the age-old feud with the West. He constructs Islamic justice as living in collective equality by serving Allah. To live in this equality, one must adhere to rules that may infringe on one’s individual liberties, as this justice is rooted in “conformity, conservatism, obedience, and respect of political and religious authority.” He contrasts these ideals with those of neoliberalism which promote individual freedom, autonomy, and the pursuit of happiness. Lo highlights explicitly the paradox that neoliberalism has been hailed as this positive, liberating force in the West. And yet it has been the root cause of numerous structural inequalities in the Arab World and around the globe. Lo’s “Political Islam, Justice, and Governance” has truly changed my perspective on Islamism by showing it as post-colonial expression of political grievances.

Another critical point Lo establishes is the connection between terrorism and Islam. The media often tries to divorce the two terms when there is a significant connection. Sloppy, overly simplistic journalism often fixates on Islam’s religious motivations, overlooking the central role that Islamist political ideology plays. Lo kills the widespread argument that terrorists are not real Muslims. He delves into the classification of various types of Islamism, explicitly focusing on the divide been political Islam and militant Islam. As it turns out, Islam and terrorism aren’t mutually exclusive. Lo does a phenomenal job showing the origins of groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS and why they would be attracted to the jihadist movements. Citing prominent figures, like Osama bin Laden and Muhammad Faraj, and their eloquent writing abilities, logic, and desire to administrate justice, one can understand the appeal.

I would recommend this book to people interested in learning about Political Islam and its foundations, as well as the history of governance in the Arab World. I’d also recommend the chapters to anyone just looking to learn more about political Islam, specifically militant Islam and terrorism, beyond the 7 o’clock evening news. The straightforward writing style, leading questions, and extremely descriptive sub-headings makes Lo’s complex points, relatively easy to follow and accessible to most audiences. “Political Islam, Justice, and Governance” is especially an essential read in time like this, when Islamophobia is on the rise.

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