Islam Rediscovered
12. Islamic Fundamentalism
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personal obligations to the utmost extent.
Afterwards, if circumstances are conducive, and
they receive political power purely by the grace of
God, the responsibility of moral governance will fall
upon them, as is mentioned in the above-quoted
verse.
It must be conceded that the establishment of an
Islamic State is the responsibility not of individuals
but of the society to which they belong. In Islam
there are certain injunctions of an individual and
personal nature, such as ritual fasting, which
depend solely upon the will of the individual for
their accomplishment. But the establishment of a
political system on the basis of Islam depends upon
the will of society as a whole. Only if there is a
Muslim society possessed of the collective will to
accept and institute Islamic government, can a
political system based on Islam with all its social
caveats, be established.
THE CHALLENGE OF FUNDAMENTALISM
With reference to the Muslims of the present day,
the news most highlighted in the media relates to
Muslim fundamentalism. Experience has shown
