Political Thinking of Fouad Zakariyya

Fouad Zakariyya, an Arab contemporary philosopher, pays attention to the existing intellectual and political problems and challenges faced by the Muslim World from a scientific and philosophical perspective. Zakariyya’s ideal is to reduce the presence of religion in the political realm, but since he regards it as unlikely to occur, he tries to present a dynamic, rational and updated narrative of Islam. In this way, he seeks, by relying on traditions –not acting directly accordingly- to offer updated solutions, replacing extremism and violence with flexibility and interaction with the world. In his outlooks, Zakariyya pays further attention to the realities of Muslim societies and the international system rather than to doctrinal and ideological discussions.