Is Tolerance Liberal? Javed Ahmad Ghamidi and the Non-Muslim Minority

Area of Science:

• Political Philosophy
• Islamic Studies
• Sociology of Religion

Background:

• Tolerance is increasingly equated with liberalism, positioning it as exclusive to liberal orders.
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, a Pakistani intellectual, is often mislabeled as a liberal thinker despite his self-identification.
• This mislabeling creates an opportunity to examine alternative conceptions of tolerance within Islamic thought.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically analyze the assumed link between liberalism and tolerance.
• To explore Javed Ahmad Ghamidi's political thought and his unique vision of tolerance.
• To understand non-liberal conceptions of tolerance and their implications for political theory.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of Javed Ahmad Ghamidi's political philosophy.
• Contextualization of Ghamidi's ideas within the broader tradition of Islamic thought.
• Comparative examination of Ghamidi's concept of tolerance against liberal frameworks.

Main Results:

• Ghamidi proposes a concept of non-liberal tolerance.
• This tolerance is based on individual responsibility, humility, and shari'a-inspired state minimalism.
• Ghamidi's ideas challenge the notion that tolerance is solely a liberal construct.

Conclusions:

• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi's thought offers a distinct model of tolerance rooted in Islamic principles.
• Understanding non-liberal tolerance can broaden perspectives on the relationship between tolerance and political orders.
• This research encourages a re-evaluation of tolerance beyond its association with liberalism.