War, Peace or Neutrality: An Overview of Islamic Polity's Basis of Inter-State Relations

Abstract

There is an increased interest in Islam in the field of international relations. This paper seeks to offer an overview to the basis of inter-state relations between a Muslim polity and other Muslim or non-Muslim polities. It presents three possible options that can be the basis of international relations for an Islamic polity: war, peace and neutrality. Three important sciences, known as popularly Usul Fiqh, Usul Tafsir and Usul Hadith, which make up the core of Islamic hermeneutic, are used. The paper goes on to argue that peace is the original basis and rejects the idea of perpetual war between Islamic and non-Islamic polity as espoused by jihadist groups. ********************* Muhammad Haniff Bin Hassan is a PhD Research Student at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). He holds MSc in Strategic Studies at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, Nanyang Technological University. He received his early education from Aljunied Islamic School. He then continued his tertiary education at the Faculty of Islamic Studies, National University of Malaysia with honours in Syariah and Civil law. Mr. Haniff is also active in social activities as a member of the Islamic Religious Council Appeal Board, HSBC Insurance Islamic Advisory Board, Council for Association of Islamic Religious Teachers and Scholars of Singapore (PERGAS) and Management Committee of Al-Irsyad Islamic School. He writes extensively in Berita Harian (local Malay newspaper) and has also published articles in the Straits Times. He has published five books in his name and helped to publish two books on behalf of PERGAS and Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. His latest book is Unlicensed to Kill: Countering Imam Samudra’s Justification For the Bali Bombing (2006).