The historico-political developments following September 11 2001 have raised the profile of Islam and its political relevance. From a secular and liberal perspective, religious/transcendental struggles should be confined to the private domain and should concern individual consciences. However, the forceful entry of Islam as a topic into the public domain post-9/11 represents a questioning of the secular/liberal world. This raises broader questions about the links between religion and politics and the relevance of religious interpretations for our life in common and in the commons, that is, in the public domain. At stake here are the common elements and bonds necessary for socio-political and public life. These issues as specifically applied to Islam are confounded by the inability of dominant constructions to understand it adequately without falling into the trap of essentialism. The closures imposed by modes of approaching Islam must, therefore, be outlined before any attempt is made to understand the role of Islam and, more broadly, of religion in political life. Three dominant modes of theorizing Islam will be critically reviewed here: the theological mode, exemplified by the Quran and other sacred texts of Islam; the social scientific mode, exemplified by the work of Max Weber; and the cultural mode, exemplified by the work of Edward Said.

The closure and other problems involved in these modes of presenting Islam prohibit a dynamic understanding of the religion and its role in politics.