Work

Overcoming Violence in Islamic Ethics: Ṭāhā ʿAbd Al-Raḥmān’s Dialogism and Moral Responsibility

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Ṭāhā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān’s Suʼāl al-ʻunf (The Question of Violence) is perhaps the most extensive philosophical-religious critique of violence in Islamic ethics in the last decade. He distinguishes between the notions of violence, force, and struggle, rejecting violence based on Islamic sources and critical ethics. He also suggests dialogism and ethics of trusteeship as viable forms of intellectual confrontation along with a toolkit for engagement with Islamist violent groups. This paper offers first an overview of the current perspectives on non-violence in Islamic ethics. Then, I will explore Ṭāhā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān’s background and trajectory in order to contextualize his contribution to the ongoing debates on ethics in the Moroccan context. Subsequently, I will discuss his main theses and arguments on Islamist violence as well as the toolkit he offers to overcome it.

Source: Religions

DOI: 10.3390/rel16070896

Author: Abdessamad Belhaj

Institution: Ludovika University of Public Service

Language: English

Topic: Islamic Thought and Society Studies

Subfield: Religious studies

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172