Ḥākimiyya as a philosophy of history: Divine sovereignty and the marginalization of human agency
Abstract
This research investigates the hypothesis that the concept of ḥākimiyya (“sovereignty”) offers a distinct interpretation of human history, framing it as subject to divine intervention. This interpretation constructs a narrative that challenges multiple currents within Islamism as well as 20th-century political theories and philosophies of history. In this context, ḥākimiyya is articulated as a theory positing divine will as the exclusive force shaping history, thereby subordinating human life to an invisible, supernatural authority. Proponents of this belief regard themselves as executors of God’s will in history. Such a perspective alienates humanity by reducing history to a singular vision that marginalizes human agency. The ascendancy of this conception of ḥākimiyya suppresses pluralism and human rights in favor of what is asserted to be divine authority. This study examines the discourses of two principal theorists of Islamism—Abu Al-A'la Al-Maududi and Sayyid Qutb—to analyze their interpretations of history, statehood, and intergroup relations. Their ideas form the intellectual foundations frequently cited by Islamist activists, providing ideological depth to these movements.