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political islam 393violence to impose their ideas of ‘what is right and what iswrong’.3. confederation of states: their task is to investigate accusationsof crimes against humanity, violations of human rights andbreaches of international law in a member state; the othermembers apply international sanctions and diplomatic pressurein order to ‘prescribe what is right’ (i.e., widely accepted andrecognised as international norms).4. politics as social contract, not God’s rule on earth: individualfreedom is constrained by a social contract that exists betweena state and its citizens. The individual citizen gives up parts ofhis personal freedom by observing the existing laws. But thelaws of a society (limits) should not be confused with the politicalrules of the state authorities. There are God’s limits in humanlegislation, but there is no God’s rule in politics. Political ruleis exercised by humans who exercise it within the parametersof a social contract. The concept of God’s rule on earth has noevidence in the Book and, if applied to politics, is a recipe fordespotism and religious authoritarianism.5. separation between isl§m and politics: Isl§m means rituals, legislationbetween God’s limits, and moral guidance. No politicalparty must therefore carry the adjective ‘Islamic’ in its title,because isl§m is (not politics but rather) a ÈanÊf religion. Politicalslogans that carry the name isl§m (e.g., ‘Islam is the solution’)are nonsense because religion cannot solve the economic, social,and political problems of a society, but only the people themselves.More prayers, more fasting, and more pilgrimages willnever solve the ills of the community, but rather good, sensible,and moral legislation within the limits that God has set. Theselimits and the moral ideals of the Book are not addressed only tothe followers of MuÈammad (ß) but to all humankind.6. synthesis between isl§m and society: isl§m as a universal religionand is as valid for the Peoples Republic of China as it is for theKingdom of Monaco, provided it is kept out of politics. But wesay politics, not society. Isl§m must not and cannot be separatedfrom society.Sadly, after centuries of political misuse and abuse, isl§m has lost itsuniversality. It has been carelessly sacrificed for the ills of power