The Islamic Secular and The Impossible State

Abstract

Abstract Here I engage with the thesis of Wael Hallaq in his provocative book, The Impossible State. I argue, on the one hand, that Hallaq’s definition of the state, with which he argues that Islam-cum-sharī‘ah is incompatible, could not be successfully applied to any number of non-Islamic states across the globe. As such, even on his criterion, there should be nothing unique about Islam’s alleged incompatibility with the modern state. More importantly, however, I argue that by ignoring the Islamic Secular, Hallaq cannot successfully analyze the relationship between Islam cum-sharī‘ah and the state. For, neither Islam nor Islamic law can be adequately understood in the absence of the Islamic Secular. I engage with Hallaq’s definition of the state, his limiting Islam to morality, and his understanding of the relationship between Islamic law and reason. Ultimately, I argue that the Islamic State would be far less “impossible” were Hallaq to consider the Islamic Secular and rethink other arguments of his that I find to be overstated.