|
|
Abstract
Palwasha L. Kakar addressed the decline of participatory governance across Muslim-majority states. She argued that authoritarian regimes have systematically eroded rights, dismantled institutions, and suppressed civic engagement, often with the implicit or explicit support of Western powers.
Kakar pointed to the co-optation of religion, particularly the role of “scholars of the sultan,” who legitimize autocratic rule while betraying Islam’s ethical commitments to justice and accountability. She traced this political regression as a departure from classical Islamic governance models, raising urgent concerns about the role of religious authority and foreign influence in perpetuating authoritarianism.
