The Foreign Policy of the Islamic State

The foreign policy of the Islamic State covers the external policies of the State and its relationship with other nations and countries. The foreign policy in Islam serves three objectives:

1. 1. To protect the entity of the State and the Ummah.
2. 2. To facilitate the da‘wah to other people and nations.
3. 3. To organise the relationship of the Islamic State with other states.

When one considers these aims it becomes clearly apparent that the foreign policy of the Islamic State is not merely a fard (obligation) upon the Muslims to implement, but with the existing bloodshed, rape and destruction of Muslims around the world, like Bosnia, Kashmir, Palestine etc., it is a practical necessity.

It is an utmost duty upon the Muslim Ummah to convey the message of Islam to humanity. On His arrival from Khaybar, the Messenger of Allah (saw), addressing his companions (ra), said, “Oh people, Allah has sent me as a mercy to all mankind; do not dispute with me like the disciples disputed with Isa (as) son of Maryam. The companions exclaimed : And how did the disciples dispute, O Prophet of Allah? He (saw) answered : He (Isa) called them to that which I called you; he who was sent to a near place was pleased and satisfied, but he who was sent to a far place became displeased and heavy footed.” This is an indication of the importance of carrying the da‘wah.

And Allah (swt) says,

“It is He who has sent the Messenger with the guidance and the deen of truth, that it may prevail over all other deens.” [TMQ 9:33]

The duty to spread Islam necessitates that the Muslims be in contact with what is happening all over the world. This contact requires an awareness of the many differing states, peoples and thoughts, because all of them are essential to the goal, i.e. the spreading of Islam.

Our goal as an Islamic Ummah is to spread Islam to all corners of the globe and this means we are compelled to work on an international level. In other words we must know the situation and major problems of the world, understand the motives and public opinion of the people, the various political actions and manoeuvres and above all, we must be aware of what is happening in the international arena. This political awareness is of primary importance to the major states and is what politicians all over the world mainly concern themselves with.

The people of the Islamic State should have political awareness as one of their characteristics. If it is their duty to spread the Islamic call (da‘wah), then this awareness must be made commonplace. We cannot begin to organise our relationships with the other states unless we achieve this awareness.

Hence, conveying the Islamic call is the axis around which the Foreign Policy of the Islamic State revolves, and is the basis upon which relationships with other states are built.

The Relationship of the Islamic State with Other States

The relationship of the Islamic State with other states should be built upon four approaches:

1. 1. Firstly, the countries of the Muslim world are to be considered as being part of one country. Hence, these countries are not considered in the sphere of foreign policy. Instead the procedure will be to unify them all into one state. For example, if the State was established in Egypt, then all the other Muslim countries would be considered - not as foreign states - but as part of the Muslim Ummah. We would not recognise them as separate states. Therefore, we would not establish our embassies in them or vice versa. Instead we should call the Muslims in those countries to their duty which is to unite themselves to the Islamic State.
2. 2. Those states with whom the Islamic State has economic, commercial, good neighbouring and/or cultural treaties; they are treated in accordance to the terms of the treaties. However, the economic and commercial relations with them must be confined to certain items that benefit the Ummah. It must not lead to the strengthening of those states on our account.
3. 3. Those states with whom we do not have treaties; the actual Imperialist states like America, France and Britain; and those states that have ambitions in the Islamic State, such as Russia. All these states are considered as potential enemies of war and possible invaders. All precautions should be taken with them.
4. 4. Finally, those states that are actual enemies of war, such as Israel. These states must be treated as in a state of war and this must be the basis of all transactions.

The Basis and the Method for the Foreign Policy

The root of interaction between the Islamic State and the other states is the duty to propagate the call of Islam (da‘wah). The method by which to achieve this is the declaration of Jihad. This was the method of Muhammad (saw) as soon as the Islamic State was established in Madinah. It must be stressed that the Muslims are not permitted to start fighting with the enemy without first presenting them with the opportunity to accept and embrace Islam, thereby becoming part of the Islamic State. This is the first process of the three stage method of delivering the call of Islam through Jihad.

If this offer is turned down, they are asked to pay jizyah (head tax) and to be part of the State. They would be treated as dhimma (non- Muslim citizen of the State), i.e. the State would be responsible for their security and protection. They would be ruled by the Islamic Shari‘ah and their land would become Muslim land and part of the Islamic State.

If the enemy on the other hand refused both of these options, namely to reject the Islamic Belief and System or reject the System and the payment of jizyah, the Muslims would proceed to the third stage and declare war upon them. Muslim narrated on the authority of Sulaiman ibn Buraid that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “If they refuse to accept Islam, demand from them the jizyah. If they agree to pay, accept it from them and hold off your hands. If they refuse to pay the jizyah, seek Allah’s help and fight them.”

Allah (swt) says,

“And fight them (on) until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevails justice and faith in Allah, altogether and everywhere.”” [TMQ 8:39]

This third and final stage of Jihad has various implications that should expose many of the misconceptions held about Jihad :

1. Jihad, contrary to the slander propagated by the West, is not barbaric. In fact, when the Muslims declare war, as offensive Jihad, the purpose is to remove any obstacle in the way of implementing Allah’s (swt) deen, and the fighting is regulated by the rules of the Shari‘ah. Therefore, in the third stage of Jihad after the first two options have failed, the Islamic army, when they enter and fight, are not allowed to kill women, children or the elderly. Nor will they fight civilians who are not supporting or participating in the fighting. Indeed, Islam defines a specific code of conduct for the Muslim army, that ensures justice even in the battle field. These rules include : no destruction of trees or buildings unnecessarily, no ‘civilian targets’, no mutilation of dead bodies, no raping of women, no torturing prisoners of war, etc. This lies in stark contrast with the practices of the kuffar in war, where every conceivable act of barbarity and transgression is perpetrated against the people.
2. By principle, Jihad is offensive, i.e. the Muslims initiate it to spread the boundary and domain of Islam, and offensive Jihad is the responsibility of the State. The foreign policies of all the existing Muslim regimes, such as Sudan, Iran or Saudi Arabia are clearly in contradiction to this fundamental principle of Islam, for they recognise and accept the national borders and their integrity, as laid down by the ‘International Law.’
3. Jihad linguistically means to exert oneself to the utmost. Therefore, the word ‘jihad’ can be used to describe the effort put into studying, working or looking after children etc., but the Shari‘ah definition of Jihad is very specific and is defined by the classical scholars as, “To fight the disbelievers (kuffar) to the utmost, to make the word of Allah (swt) the highest in all the lands (i.e. sovereign).” Therefore, Jihad is linked by the Islamic Shari‘ah to the physical fighting.
4. Since Jihad by principle is offensive and requires the State, that which is associated with it, i.e. defensive Jihad, is also integral to Islam. However, defensive Jihad, i.e. the repelling of kuffar who fight the Ummah or take her land, is not part of the foreign policy. Thus it is a duty that must be performed by the Ummah, whether they have a state or not.