Abdul Hamid Abu Sulayman. Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations: New Directions for Methodology and Thought. Virginia, US: International Institute of Islamic Thought, 1993. Pp. 192. Paperback.
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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 Penn- The learned author, Abdul Hamid A. Abu Sulayman (b. 1936) is a Saudi born prominent Muslim scholar who studied and resides in the United States of Amer-Ikhwan al-Muslimin) Movement in his young age, the Ikhwani approach is evident in his writings. Perhaps the present book is one best academic example of this approach.
The book contains a detailed and scholarly introduction by Professor Ismail Raji al-Faruqi (1921-1986). He wrote this introduction before his assassination at his home in the USA2. Prof. Faruqi pinpoints failure of the modern World Order and asserts that the very existence of our world is under threat from this World Order. He exposes dire need for an Islamic World Order. Prof. Faruqi responds to the question of what is Islamic World Order by providing details about various aspects of the same.
The current work of Abu Sulayman is an attempt to reconcile the traditional Islamic thought with requirements of the modern world. In doing so, he commences his analysis with re-defining and re-interpreting some fundamental concepts of Islam and Islamic law and jurisprudence. He declares at the very outset that taqlid (following a particular school of thought) and talfiq3 are the two factors for caused all this trouble and retreat of backwardness in the Muslim world.4 This is perhaps the rationale for authoring this book and he keeps on repeating this notion as a motto.
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- 1. As described by the publisher on backside of the book. 2. Biography of Ismail Faruqi. Available online at: <http://www.ismailfaruqi.com/biography/> (Last accessed on: 05.04.2018). 3. This paragraph on p. 94 of the book better explains his repeated refutation of the methods of taqlid and talfiq: "The imitation of historical systems is just as wrong as the imitation of foreign ones, because both reflect a lack of comprehensive understanding of the existing realities of contemporary Muslim peoples and the Muslim world." Abdul Hamid Abu Sulayman, Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations (Virginia: International Institute of Islamic Though, 1993). 4. Abu Sulayman, Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations, 04. 5. Even title of the book closely relates to the abovementioned issue. The author titled his book as "Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations", to avoid use of the term "International law" when his discussion in the book relates to issues that are dealt with by international law. He holds that what Muslim jurists categorized under the title of siyar is not a law proper, instead, it is a strategy which Muslim jurists presented for the State to pursue for welfare of Muslims. 6. Hamidullah defines siyar as: "that part of the law and custom of the land and treaty obligation which a Muslim de facto or de jure State observes in its dealings with other de facto or de jure States." [emphasis added] See; Muhammad Hamidullah, The Muslim Conduct of State (Lahore: Shaikh Muhammad Ashraf, 2011), 03. 7. Ibid., 08. 8. Following a single Madhab is discussed by the early and contemporary fuqaha. Ibn Abidin's, also called "'Allama Shami", Sharh Uqud Rasm al-Mufti is one of the best sources to consult. Also Professor Imran Ahsan Khan Nyazee, a contemporary scholar of and authority on Islamic law and jurisprudence, has discussed this issue in details in his Secrets of Usul al-Fiqh under the chapter "Following a Madhab". The chapter is available online at: <http://www.nyazee.org/islaw/theory/madhab.pdf > (Last accessed: 20.08.2018). 9. Abu Sulayman, Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations, 10. 10. This verse, which is called by some as the Verse of Sword (Aayat alSayf), provides: "Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful" The Qur'an, 09:05) 11. For details see; Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad, Jihad Muzahimat aur Baghawat ( Gujranwala: al-Sharia Academy, 2012), 211-228. 12. Muhammad bin abi Sahl al-Sarakhsi, Al-Mabsut, Kitab al-Siyar. Imam Marghinani, another prominent Hanafi jurist, clarifies it further when he says: "Mere disbelieve [in Islam] does not of itself legalize killing [a non-Muslim]. Rather, it is muharabah that makes it permissible to kill the muharib (aggressor or the combatant). That is why it is not allowed to kill women, children, people of old age, the handicapped and others who do not have the capability to fight." Burhan al-Din Ali b. Abi Bakr al-Marghinani, al-Hidaya fi Sharh Bidayat al-Mubtadi (Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-Arabi, n.d.) 02: 380. 13. Abu Sulayman, Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations, 14. 14. Ibid., 18. 15. It is also evident in the relationship of Shaybani with the Caliph. Once when the Caliph overlooked the law, Shaybani objected to it and rejected his action which lead to his termination as justice by the Caliph. For details of the biography of Shaybani: See; Majid Khadduri, The Islamic Law of Nations: Shaybani's Siyar (Maryland: The John Hopkins Press, 1966). 16. Majid Khadduri is of the view that the division of the world into Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb discloses that the relations between two Dar should be based on perpetual war. He says that at least in the theory, Dar al-Islam is in war with Dar al-Harb and it will continue till the former dominates the later. For a detailed evaluation of this issue: See; Introduction to; Khadduri, The Islamic Law of Nations. Muslim Scholars generally refuted this understanding of Khadduri. For details: See; Muhammad Mushtaq Ahmad, "The Notions of Dar al-Harb and Dar al-Islam in Islamic Jurisprudence with Special Reference to the Hanafi School" Islamic Studies, 47: 1 (2008). 17. Abu Sulayman, Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations, 25. 18. Al-Sarakhsi, Sharh al-Siyar al-Kabir (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-Ilmiyah, n.d.), 05: 01-10. 19. He first quotes Sharabi who holds that: "The movement of reform in nineteenth century Islam's awakening was not an intellectual awakening, but a reaction to the military and political threat of Europe. Even after the European impact had been transformed into a cultural challenge, response to it remained largely defensive and negative." He also quotes Bennabi who says: "The modern [Muslim cultural] movement in face has no precise understanding of its goals nor of its means. The whole affair is just a passion for new things. Its only way of [generating reform] is to make Muslim imitators and customers of foreign civilization, thus lacking in originality." Abu Sulayman, Towards an Islamic Theory of International Relations, 63. 20. He is referring to the verse that forbids compulsion in religion. 21. Ibid., 67. 22. Orientalists generally do not consider Sunnah a source of Islamic Law and raise doubts regarding its authenticity. 23. Ibid., 94. 24. Ibid., 99-114 25. Ibid., 117. 26. Ibid., 128-138. 27. Ibid., 147.