Is constitutionalism compatible with Islam?

Abstract

The object of this chapter is to discuss the meaning that “constitutionalism” has (or may come to have) in the context of Arab-Islamic political thought. Other terms which have sometimes been used as equivalents of “constitutionalism” in Western languages include “rule of law”, Rechtsstaat, and état de droit. Some of these terms have natural sounding equivalents in Arabic: thus dawlat al-qanun will do very nicely for Rechtsstaat, and hukm al-qanun for rule of law. “Constitutionalism”, however, has no readily identifiable Arabic equivalent.