Hizb ut Tahrir: Islam's Ideological Vanguard

Hizb ut Tahrir (HT) or the Liberation Party, established in 1952, has continued to challenge the widespread conception that political Islam has so far failed in the contemporary era to provide a systematic philosophical, political and social alternative to global capitalism and the nation state. Yet HT's ideological and political construct has been largely unexplored. Academic discourse on the movement seemed to be moving in the right direction until the events of 9/11, when the focus radically changed and HT was increasingly considered through the lens of international terrorism. This article critically assesses the validity of these more recent perspectives from the standpoint of the pre-9/11 established academic discourse on the movement. It argues that HT remains unique amongst all contemporary movements in its ability to develop Islam as a modern but distinct ideological force, positioning it effectively in the global vanguard.