Internationalism and Divine Law: A Baha'i Perspective

Abstract

This article introduces the internationalism motif in Baha’i political and legal thought and Baha’i; arguments concerning the place of divine legal claims in contemporary debates about models of world order. In contrast to theories such as the clash of civilizations thesis of world politics—which view divine legal and political claims as a likely source of conflict and violence—the relative and progressive concept of revelation in the Baha’i Faith argues for religion as a potentially unifying and foundational force in the evolution of a universal civilization. Baha’i perspectives on internationalism also illustrate a distinct concept of divine law articulated within the Persianate and Muslim traditions of nineteenth century political and legal thought.