Contrasting Political Theory in the East and West: Ibn Khaldun versus Hobbes and Locke

Abstract

Recent developments in our globalized world are beginning the scholarly world to answer the question pertaining to the relationship between Islam-a "faith"-and politics and governance. In order to understand the Islamic worldview from the perspective of Ibn Khaldun, with whom many modern Islamists would agree with, a comparison is made with early progenitors of liberalism and the social contract, John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. By understanding the fundamental differences between the theorists, and how Ibn Khaldun's is completely separate from the western tradition, it becomes easier to understand exactly why Islamic models of governance are at direct odds with the west. The main difference between the two models of governance is the use of a fundamental criteria determining right from wrong, as opposed to Hobbes' and Locke's theories being based purely on assumption that the validity of their respective arguments is based upon the theory's acceptance among the people. In other words, western political theorists lack the consistency and justification for their theories, at least from the Islamist point of view.

Applying Ibn Khaldun’s Theory Into The Islamic Preaching’s Movement in The Period of Demak Empire: Reflection for the Contemporary Muslim Society

“…24 No. 1 April 2021 (Garrison, 2012;Malešević, 2015;Hashemi, 2019;Shihade, 2020), politics (Okene, 2011;Ardiç, 2012;Halim, Mohd Nor, Ibrahim, & Hamid, 2012;Islam, 2016;), and economics (Mohammad, 2010;Al-Leheabi, Mustafa Bahjat, & Ahmadi Ramchahi, 2013;Amirabedini, 2014;Ead & Eid, 2014;Mc Caffrey, 2014;Islahi, 2015). The various studies imply that: first, even though his thoughts have stretched far back (the Middle Ages), the interest of Western and Islamic scientists towards Ibn Khaldun is still widely available in various disciplines.…”

A Theory of Humanity: Part 2—Conditions for True Universalism

“…For instance, Atheism, Capitalism, and Communism all have just one premise, making the cognition process equivalent to cognitive schizophrenia. In theological terms, this is the effect Qura'nists (those who reject 21 the authority of Hadiths) use. They can pick up any verse of the Quran and extrapolate it based 22 on another premise that is their invention (befitting their desired conclusions).…”