Rasul Bakhsh Rais. 2017. Imagining Pakistan: Modernism, State, and the Politics of Islamic Revival
| Published date | 01 December 2018 |
| Date | 01 December 2018 |
| DOI | 10.1177/2347797018799862 |
| Subject Matter | Book Reviews |
Book Reviews 321
Rasul Bakhsh Rais. 2017. Imagining Pakistan: Modernism, State, and
the Politics of Islamic Revival. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books,
221 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4985-5395-7
DOI: 10.1177/2347797018799862
In Imagining Pakistan: Modernism, State, and the Politics of Islamic Revival,
Rasul Bakhsh Rais ponders over the ideological foundations of Pakistan’s genesis
examining the defining elements of its political trajectory—democracy, military
rule and Islam—over the course of seventy years since independence from British
India. Importantly, the book contemplates how Pakistan has wavered from moder-
nity and societal progress and how its identity and destiny have become chal-
lenged by religious influences of varying shades. While it offers a candid appraisal
of the frailties the Pakistani state is afflicted with, the author is optimistic that the
country has the capacity to retrace the progressive and inclusive ideals enunciated
by its founding fathers, many of whom drew inspiration from post-Renaissance
European modernity. It is in this vein that the author explores the rise of political
Islam, particularly its radical fringe, arguing that their place in Pakistani society is
not intrinsic but an outcome of faulty national security policies and political mis-
use of religion. Further, he posits that the balance of the modernist political tradi-
tion in Pakistani society is significantly greater than that of radical Islam and is
quite capable of subduing it, offering policy recommendations going forward.
In substantiating his claims and explaining the complexities faced by the
Pakistani state, the author unfolds the competing narratives on national identity,
weaving together the actors and circumstances shaping it. Among these, Rais dis-
cusses multiple factors impacting Pakistan ranging from societal polarization on
the place of Islam in politics and state affairs; feudalism; a democratic institu-
tional framework oft-disrupted by prolonged periods of military rule; politically
expedient alliances between the mullahs, the military and politicians; geopolitical
factors; and regional security dilemmas. His reflections on the two-nation theory
offer a thought-provoking contribution to the debate on Pakistan’s raison d’être,
the basis for India’s division in 1947, and the cast for the former’s national iden-
tity. The theory has remained deeply contested in Pakistan by two rival Muslim
movements in particular, described by Rais as ‘modernists’ and ‘traditionalists’.
The modernist Muslims believe that Pakistan was established to represent and
protect the interests of Muslims and all other communities regardless of caste and
creed, as articulated by its founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah. They consider Islam
compatible with the modern ideals and progressive currents of Western civiliza-
tion including liberalism, democracy, modern education, and advancements in
science and technology. The traditionalist Muslims subscribe to the view that
Pakistan was created primarily as a theocratic state, to preserve and promote
Islamic culture, thought and practices. This group, however, is not monolithic in
its views and strategic orientations ranging in varying degrees from those who
utilize political means to those who have embraced militancy and violence to
propagate their vision. The sources and drivers of these divergent perspectives,
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