SRINAGAR: A college professor from Jammu and Kashmir’s Higher Education Department (JK-HED) has achieved a remarkable milestone by publishing a book with the Oxford University Press.
Dr Tauseef Ahmad Parray, an Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at JK-HED, has authored the book titled “Islam and Democracy in the 21st Century.”
Dr Parray, who has been serving in this capacity since 2016 and hails from Tral, Pulwama in South Kashmir, completed his Masters and PhD from the University of Kashmir and Aligarh Muslim University, respectively. With a substantial body of work, including numerous journal articles, book chapters, essays, and reviews, as well as seven books to his name, he specialises in Islamic political thought, Islam and modernity, Islamic intellectual tradition, and Quranic studies.
The book, spanning over 400 pages, engages in discussions about contemporary debates on Islam and democracy. Dr Parray explores diverse theoretical Islamic texts, such as the Qur’an and Sunnah, alongside contemporary works by eminent scholars, analysts, and activists from the Arab world, Subcontinent, and Western Muslim scholars spanning the last two and a half centuries.
The book, consisting of seven chapters, delves into democracy and democratisation in the Muslim world, democratic notions in Islam, and the discourse surrounding Islam and democracy from the mid-19th to the 21st century. Ultimately, it addresses the crucial question: Is Islam compatible with democracy?
Oxford University Press officially announced the book on September 13, 2023, and it is now available on the OUP website, Amazon, and other online platforms.
Dr. Tauseef’s achievement is significant, as he becomes one of the youngest academicians from Jammu and Kashmir to be published by Oxford University Press, a remarkable feat for a college professor. Colleagues have hailed this accomplishment as “a huge achievement at such a young age.”
The book has garnered endorsements and praise from internationally acclaimed scholars and specialists in Islamic Studies and Islamic political thought from various corners of the world, including the USA, Australia, Qatar, and Bosnia. Dr M. A. Muqtedar Khan, an Indian-American Professor and expert on Islam and global affairs at the University of Delaware, USA, has provided a Foreword for the book, describing it as “central to Islam and democracy, and any future research on the topic can and should begin with this book.”
“Islam and Democracy in the 21st Century” serves as a valuable resource for students and scholars of Comparative Politics and Islamic Studies. It also piques the interest of readers seeking insight into the contemporary political dynamics of the Muslim world.
The book is available on the Oxford University Press website here.