The political systems of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran : a comparative study /
Comparative research was conducted on two Islāmic republics – Pakistan and Iran – which represent models, albeit imperfect, closest to „ideal‟ modern Islāmic political systems. Their constitutions, and political systems have been assessed to identify strengths, shortcomings and obstacles to becoming...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Kuala Lumpur :
International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization, International Islamic University Malaysia,
2011
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Click here to view 1st 24 pages of the thesis. Members can view fulltext at the specified PCs in the library. |
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| Summary: | Comparative research was conducted on two Islāmic republics – Pakistan and Iran – which represent models, albeit imperfect, closest to „ideal‟ modern Islāmic political systems. Their constitutions, and political systems have been assessed to identify strengths, shortcomings and obstacles to becoming true Islāmic states. Both constitutions contain admirable Islāmic provisions but suffer abuse in implementation by elites - feudal landlords and the military in Pakistan, and the conservative 'Ulamā' in Iran. To rectify this, Islāmic principles that emphasis social rights of the citizenry to basic housing, food, health, education and justice as well as freedom to “call for the good and forbid the bad” and participate in free elections, termed in the West „democratic rights‟. In uplifting the “oppressed”, Iran has achieved greater success than in Pakistan although Iran is deficient in civic freedoms. Compared with Iran‟s popular revolutionary movement, Zia ul-×aq‟s 1980s‟ Islāmisation program suffered from a „top-down‟ approach without alleviating conditions of the oppressed peasants (mustaḍ'afīn). Urgent actions in Pakistan are land reforms and reforming corrupt courts and police in rural areas, ensuring allegiance of the military to civilian rule, and greater efforts on the part of Ulamā' in building Muslim unity, and enhancing ijtihād skills. The 1973 Pakistan Constitution is now improved through the 18th Amendment 2010 with a parliamentary-style system. With some changes it would represent a good template for many Muslim countries. One proposed amendment would facilitate help to parliamentarians by fuqahā' in drafting new laws. In Iran the Wilayāt-i Faqīh (Guardianship of the Jurist) system of Ayatullāh Khumaynī, with Supreme Leadership of the State (Faqīh) and its powerful Councils filled by fuqahā', has considerable merit but transgresses Islāmic principles in the low level of consultation with parliamentary members, lack of accountability, non-acceptance of criticism, and unfair elections. Khumaynī‟s original designate to succeed him, Ayatullāh Montazerī, highlighted Khumaynī‟s errors, his absolutist view of the Faqīh‟s role and the 1989 extra-judicial killings, while calling for constitutional reforms: reducing the Faqīh‟s role, while fuqahā' leaders, he argued, should be publicly elected from candidates vetted by the marāj'-i-taqlīd scholars council. |
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| Item Description: | Abstracts in English and Arabic. "A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts (Islamic and Other Civilizations)."--On t.p. |
| Physical Description: | xviii, 212 leaves : ill. ; 30cm. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 193-207). |