Malaysia’s caning on Monday of two women convicted of having a sexual relationship reflects the continuing crisis in political Islam.
Too often, Islamic political thought remains focused on punishing select crimes of morality rather than advancing the causes of good governance and economic empowerment. After all, the public caning reflects a familiar image of justice in too many Islamic systems. At the most grotesque end of this warped application of Sharia — or Islamic — law is the activity of groups like the Islamic State and the Taliban. ISIS holds public stoning trials for young women, the Taliban keeps women in a condition of servitude. And those women who agitate for their natural rights of freedom face assassination. But more broadly, women continue to face formal and informal structural prejudices in many Islam-governed nations.
Sadly, Islamic political movements continue to subordinate basic human rights to other concerns such as the misguided protection of Islamic sacraments. And the consequence of this disdain for defeating prejudice is felt beyond the plight of women. Because it also fuels the fostering of political cultures which accept political cronyism. From Malaysia to Qatar, Islam-centered governments continue to ignore the basic tenets of good government. And in that absence of good government, young people in particular are left without social mobility and extremist, Islamic movements find new recruits to their nihilistic world view.
There are a few causes for hope. Under Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia is advancing greater female emancipation. This action will make Saudi society better, wealthier, and happier. It’s also true that Islamic political culture is capable of moderation and reformation. And it is manifestly true that the vast majority of Muslims are moral humans deserving of immediate respect.
Nevertheless, Malaysia’s penchant for caning women does explain why we should be skeptical of those bearing Islamic political identity as a means of better societies. Even in 2018, Islamic political thought too often remains warped or poorly directed.
