Interpretations in Islamic Political Thought: Preliminary Questions and Other Considerations

This paper offers an analysis of many of the presuppositions in interpretations of Islamic political thought. After an initial investigation of some general issues several methodological alternatives will be offered. First and foremost, a general methodology borrowed by Quentin Skinner regarding ‘intentions’ will be employed for our purposes here. Secondly, to supplement Skinner's methods, a method of preliminary questions is offered by which to address Muslim theorists' bodies of works and compel comparative theorists to be more grounded in the overall logic of a particular theorist's worldview.