Re-thinking Contemporary International Relations (IR) in Islam (original) (raw)
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Kardan Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 2018
Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations is the first book in the Islamization of Knowledge series initiated by the US-based International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). The Institute undertakes and promotes research focused on reconciling traditional Islam with the modern world and its realities. The book mentioned above was originally submitted to the University of Pennsylvania as a doctoral dissertation. IIIT first published it in 1987 as The Islamic Theory of International Relations1. They however published it again under the new title in 1993 after a series of editing and subsequent modifications. This paper presents a review of the mentioned book.
Islamic View towards International Relations
Indonesian Journal of Islamization Studies, 2024
Islam emphasizes the protection of human dignity and respect for each individual as a result of true humanity. In the Islamic view, society is united under one legal system from the Koran and Sunnah. Islamic legal experts agree that Muslims are united, regardless of differences in territory or position. Islamic law embraces all humanity without discrimination. This research highlights the study of Islam in international relations, emphasizing that Islam is not a collection of separate ideas but a cohesive system rooted in profound principles. The research methodology includes historical and comparative approaches with critical analysis. The theory of realism dominates international relations, viewing it as an arena of unstable conflict, emphasizing national interests, power and war. Islam provides an alternative perspective by affirming justice, peace and cooperation regardless of belief.
Islam and international relations
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My most sincere thanks and gratitude should be given to Almighty God, who gave me the good health and the patience to accomplish this thesis. I must also express my sincere appreciation and thanks to Professor D. P. Davies for his valuable comments, and Dr.
Islam and International Relations (IR): why is there no Islamic IR theory
Third World Quarterly, 2022
International Relations (IR) as an academic discipline is relatively new and almost entirely dominated by Western sources of knowledge. Its biased nature undermines its capacity to understand, explain and predict events in the non-Western part of the world. With the increasing effort to explore non-Western IR and diversify the sources of knowledge of the discipline, Islam has emerged as an essential source of interest, not necessarily as a reflection of the East-West dichotomy or non-Western versus Western discourse, but rather as an approach that has its own rules, concepts and perspectives on IR. In this sense, the article contributes to the increasing discussions on the interaction between Islam and IR. It critically engages with three levels of discourse: first, IR in Islam; second, Islam in contemporary IR; and, third, Islam as an IR theory or as a paradigm. The paper attempts to address the question of why there are no modern Islamic IR theories by exploring reasons related to Muslims as well as to the nature of the current system and Western hegemony. It concludes by introducing an initial model and two paths (traditional and revolutionary) that might help mitigate this situation in the future.
Jihad and International Relations
This work argues that Islamic law is not simply a collection of religious precepts and rules, but a comprehensive legal system styled to preserve the interests of Muslims and to regulate their relations with the rest of the world in times of peace and war. In the light of Qur’anic injunctions, Prophetic tradition, and the doctrine of jihād, Muslim jurists unanimously agree on the permissibility of concluding peace treaties with the enemy. They also consent to diplomatic, commercial, and political ties with non-Muslim States, in order to protect the public interest of Muslims, whether they live in dār al-Islām, under Islamic dominion, or in other territories. These relations could be classified under so-called Islamic theory of international relations, in the modern sense of the term, namely: (a) al-mu‘āhadāt (treaties), which include al-amān (safe-conduct); al-hudna (armistice); and al-dhimma (pact, security); (b) al-mu‘āmala bil-mithl (reciprocity); (c) al-tahkīm (arbitration); (d) al-hiyād (neutrality); (e) tabādul al-wufūd wal-safārāt (diplomatic exchange); and (f) al-tijāra al-Khārijiyya (foreign trade). The implication of this theory will be the object of analysis in this work.
Reimagining Islamic Ethics In Contemporary International Relations
The deplorable plight of Rohingya Muslim boat refugees who have been refused entry by their neighboring Muslim countries was a disheartening episode for the ummah. The subsequent involvement of the Turkish government in dispatching ships of the Turkish Armed Forces to rescue the refugees has reopened the discourse on the necessity for a confederation of Muslim nation-states acting in concert within the global context as an operative framework of Islamic ethics in international relations. The episode invites Muslims to rethink the role of their own religious tradition in providing relevant ethical guidelines for international affairs that simultaneously address the reality of the modern nation-state.
Rethinking International Order According to Islamic International Relations Principles
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The world today needs to recognise the differences and varieties of religions, cultures., societies and economies among countries. It is necessary for states and nations to uphold the law towards a common purpose, i.e. to regulate life in peace and harmony. Similarly, an international order will establish an allied world government or a coalition of allies with the executive machinery that is necessary for its implementation. This government will be supported by the international law in place that can be utilised by all, regardless of governments, institutions, communities or individuals. Therefore, the world today needs to re-establish an international order that would result in a peaceful and rational in fulfilling human needs. Thus, this article elaborates on the international order from anIslamic perspective and notes that Islam has introduced effective principles which are suitable and acceptable to all communities.
Western and Islamic International Theories: A Comparative Analysis
Islamic theories of international relations have been traditionally dominated by debates between two distinct approaches – traditionalism and modernism. A third perspective, often labelled the 'jihadist perspective', has emerged following the 11 September 2001 attacks and this radical perspective principally embodies the worldview of al-Qaeda and its offshoot the Islamic State. The jihadist perspective directly challenges the Western concepts, methods and theories of international relations. This article examines how the Islamic and Western international theories clash in terms of ontological foundations, epistemological approaches and modes of inquiry. It argues that Islamic discourse on IR has contributed to the development of a set of theories to analyze and interpret relations between the Islamic and the non-Islamic world; and secondly, it implicitly presents arguments in favor of opening up IR for rather more global perspectives.