This book compares Islamic and Western political formulations, highlighting areas of agreement and disparity. Building on this analysis, the author goes on to show that political Islam offers a serious alternative to the dominant political system and ideology of the West.

Sabet argues that rather than leading to a "Clash of Civlizations" or the assimilation of Islam into the Western system, a positive process of interactive self-reflection between Islam and liberal democracy is the best way forward.

Beginning this process, Sabet highlights key concepts of Islamic political thought and brings them into dialogue with Western modernity. The resulting synthesis is essential reading for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of Islamic and Middle Eastern politics, political theory, comparative politics and international relations.

Amr G. E. Sabet is Docent in the Department of Political Science, University of Helsinki, Finland. He is also currently visiting scholar in the Department of Public Management, Vaasa University, Finland.

Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Religion, Politics and Social Change: A Theoretical Framework
2. Islam and the Appropriation of Modernity
3. Welayat al-Faqih: an Islamic Theory of Elite Hegemony or, Assabiyyat Al-khawass
4. The Islamic Paradigm of Nations: Toward a Neo-Classical Approach
5. Islam, Iran and Western Discourse: Behind the Democratic Veil
6. Liberalism and the Contestation of Islamic Sovereignty
7. Human Rights: A Double Discourse of Power
8. Interview
Bibliography
Index