Abstract
The concept of the Islamic state, which is one of the main debates of Islamism, was an important source of motivation for Islamist movements, especially during the cold war. The debates in this context mostly focus on how to establish a relationship between the secular character of the modern state and Islam. In this study, Wael B. Hallaq's book titled The Impossible State: Islam, Politics, and Modernity's Moral Predicament will be reviewed. The book keeps this discussion current and offers a different perspective. Hallaq's main thesis reveals why an Islamic state is not possible within the modern paradigm. Hallaq bases his thesis on the paradigm difference between modern law and Islamic law.