Membina Semula Tadbir Urus Islam: Sintesis Falsafah Ketuhanan, Institusi dan Sejarah

(Reconstructing Islamic Governance: Synthesizing Divine Philosophy, Institutional Legacy, and Historical Reflection)

Abstract

This paper examines the philosophical foundations of Islamic governance as a value system integrates divine principles, institutional structures, and historical trajectories. It aims to reconstruct a conceptual framework that synthesizes tawhid with institutional design, offering a normative basis for reform rather than evaluating any specific polity’s empirical performance. Using a qualitative and reflective approach, the study combines philosophical analysis with institutional–historical inquiry, drawing on three primary sources: an articulation of Islamic Good Corporate Governance (IGCG), scholarship on religion corruption dynamics, and an edited volume on colonial and post-colonial governance of Islam. Data were analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke, with reflexivity and cross-source triangulation enhancing trustworthiness. Findings reveal four interrelated themes: first, tawhid as the ontological and epistemological anchor of authority, responsibility (amānah), justice (ʿadl), and welfare (maṣlaḥah), positioning governance as a moral and spiritual mandate. Second, structural blind spots in secular-utilitarian paradigms that prioritize technical efficiency while neglecting ethical coherence. Third, the path-dependent transformation of Syariah courts, zakat administration, and religious education under colonial rule, which narrowed Islam’s institutional autonomy and moral scope and fourth, the operationalization of ethics through IGCG principles which are transparency, accountability, responsibility, independence, and fairness bridging normative ideals with institutional practice. The paper concludes that reconstructing Islamic governance requires a critical philosophical approach and a historically informed institutional reform strategy that embeds maqāṣid al-sharīʿah within governance mechanisms. Recommendations include phased reforms through value–practice audits, revitalization of religious institutions as moral guardians, and restoring bounded autonomy to key governance structures. Future research should test this framework across diverse contexts and develop measurable indicators of value congruence to ensure governance systems are effective, ethical, and spiritually grounded.