Massimo Campanini and Justice in Islam: Legal and Political Issues in Comparative Perspective

Juridical dimension is essential to fully understand the past as well as the contemporary Islamic societies by the historical and the political point of view. The historical method has been used by Campanini to ascertain how the fundamental concepts of Islamic legal thought have evolved over time, adapting to ever-changing political conditions. This is the case, among others, of the concept of justice. The latter represents, indeed, the epitome of Islam, well suited to be approached by multiple points of view. Campanini traces the intimate connection of the concept of justice with the multifaceted dimension of the life of the Muslim believer (muʾmin) in his daily action as a homo politicus through al-Ġazālī’s and Sayyid Quṭb’s works. The interpretation of the concept of justice and its relationship with religion has passed, throughout the history of Islam, from an original quiet and spiritual dimension to a very intense political activism in contemporary times, capable of encroaching on revolutionary forms, even if not yet terrorist ones.