The Relations of an Islamic Emirate with Other Countries in the Light of Islamic Sharia

Abstract

In this article, first of all, the importance and necessity of foreign relations are discussed in the light of Islamic Sharia, and it is made clear that it should be studied based on the rule of Maslahah-Mafsadah (Securing benefits or interests and preventing harms), and it is not the matter of Al-wala wa-l-bara ("loyalty and disavowal", which signifies loving and hating for the sake of Allah), on the basis of which the theological views of Takfir (excommunication from Islam of one Muslim by another) are boosted. In the current circumstances, there are two types of countries that an Islamic country can establish ties with: non-Islamic countries and Islamic countries. Relations with non-Islamic countries have been discussed in the previous Jurisprudential books because at that time there were not several Islamic countries, and all Muslims were living under the flag of one caliphate. In this article, it is discussed that the plurality of Islamic countries should be accepted as a reality so that people in each territory create an administration to organize their affairs because Islam does not accept disorder and chaos, but none of the leaders of these countries has the status of Muslims’ caliph, and relations with these Islamic countries should be established according to the same principles based on which Islamic countries establish relations with non-Islamic countries. However, there are only two additional principles for relations between Islamic countries, which are Islamic brotherhood, and the principle of love and friendship between Muslims.