I enjoyed the different perspectives offered in this collection; and while they stress different understands of how Islam fits into society and what the Qur’an says about such a mix, they all operate from a respect towards the individual person.
It seems that advancements in psychology, sociology, anthropology, and political science, achieved by progress in various cultures over time have informed many of these viewpoints. I was particularly struck by the acknowledgement that divorcing one’s religion from governance is a somewhat difficult task. In such an attempt, one is asserting that all ethics are entirely separated from one’s religion. The author recognizes that this is a foolish assertion. Religion, ethics, and political science are so closely intertwined, such a task is impossible. This is particularly true if one understands that religion is not a practice but an approach to life which undergirds all that one does.
The next step then is to consider what happens when one encounters another who does not hold those same beliefs. Do they then look for overlap? I’d have a hard time believing that these authors would believe human rights to be sourced in sharing one’s religion. How do we find common ground? Are we open to allowing other perspectives to illuminate our own?
Islam & Christian-Muslim Relations, Hamaty 
Thanks for these questions, Andrew. I wonder if one resource towards an answer doesn’t lie in the reality that people belong to multiple traditions — religious, cultural, political, etc — which are related and yet distinct. And, in addition to that, whether we might consider different degrees of separation between religion, government, and ethics. Obviously it’s a bigger discussion than can be had in blog comments — I look forward to discussing in class.
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Thank you for raising these great questions. And thanks, Claude, for offering your thought on one of the questions. See you soon.
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