Some prominent discussions of contemporary Islam focus on the tradition of Shari’a reasoning. This is not without reason. Not only is this tradition important in understanding militancy; it has re-emerged in connection with the Arab Spring. The present article, however, seeks to revive an alternative tradition—namely, Islamic humanism. The importance of distinguishing this alternative is not only a matter of clarifying the intellectual heritage of Islam. Reviving Islamic humanism has social-political consequences. It makes possible a view of the modern state that is more democratic and pluralistic than the Shari’a state envisioned by Islamists.