An Analysis of the Status of the Three Components of Nation, Nationality, and Identity in the Islamic Governance Structure Based on Fundamental Geographic Attitudes

پژوهش ‎های جغرافیای سیاسی

Article 3, Volume 3, Issue 1 - Serial Number 11, April 2018, Pages 67-89   

Document Type: مقالات علمی -پژوهشی

DOI: 10.22067/pg.v3i11.79029

Author

Qiuomarss Yazdanpanah Dero^*

University of Tehran

Abstract

Extended Abstract

Introduction

Political geography is a science that offers a different and realistic view of the political structures of governments, combining political insights and determinants of geographic environment. It deals with the geographical structure of countries. Although the establishment of territorial governments and the formation of strong governments became the dominant global paradigm with the conclusion of the Treaty of Westphalia since the seventeenth century, it didn't take long that the sovereignty of the monarchs was vested in the nations. Nations became responsible for forming the government and they gained national sovereignty. This phenomenon has taken place all around the world in different quality and any government claim to have been ruled by its nation and they are trying to consolidate the foundations of its government even more by strengthening the intellectual foundation of nation. But this approach faces with many challenges in the West Asian region which is the cradle of Islamic civilization. Therefore, this paper aims to analysis those challenges by using descriptive-analytical approach. It seems that the political thought of Islam rejects them by taking indicators which can lead the foundation of the nation-state and offers different basics and characteristics. Indicators taken from the explicit text of the Quran, the prophetic manner of the Prophet (peace is upon him) and the teachings of the Imams (AS) signify God's direct role in absolute sovereignty over the world and in the establishment of a state based on religious and religious beliefs. Therefore, due of the inherent difference between the political thought of Islam and the humanist political thought of the West, the most important set of challenges of Islam in the government debate are the components which form the base of Nation-based government. This paper analysis the issues by challenging views based on foundational Arguments and the adaptation of it with New Attitudes of Political Geography on Government – Nation.
 
 

Method

The present paper deals with understanding the dimensions and components of government and the practices of sovereignty in Islam. It has used a model and typology appropriate to the structure of governments and its executive models. The qualitative part of this research is to investigate and discuss these challenges in both the theoretical and practical aspects. This research is a descriptive-analytical one. Data collection was carried out using library studies, document and content examinations.

Review of Literature

The nation-state is a political system composed of a population of people that all united on a single model (Barzeghar, 1993:14) It resides in a land that has specific boundaries and all strive to achieve the national cause (Heydari, 2006:78) under a single sovereignty and in the form of a national constitution. The result of such a process leads to form a collective identity as national identity (Razazi far, 2001:103) which is based on homeland love and national pride.
In geopolitical science, democracy is based on four components; the absence of any of these components makes it difficult to define democracy. However, some political science scholars believe that international recognition is a fifth component of nation-based government and it cannot be formally recognized as a nation-state until recognized by the international system.

Findings and Discussion

This study analyses theoretical challenges of Islam in dealing with the Nation-Base Governments in five parts. In the first part, it provides the Islam stand for the origin of nation-state rule. Indeed the origin of nation-state rule is not merely the guiding of society, but merely meeting human needs or attaining a sacred purpose (Sajadi, 2009:167-166). The second part it analyses relation between Islam and the law of a nation-state. Islam considers Qur'an as a book of government; presents it as the law of society and believes that it contains a vast collection of spiritual and educational programs for human that depict the fate of the world and the hereafter of man and society. The third part examines the relation of Islam and the structure and pillars of nation-based government. One of the disagreement points between Shiite and Sunni political thought is about the head of state in Islam. The forth part is about the Islam and the legitimacy of a nation-based state. The legitimacy of the political system is a mental phenomenon and reflects the type and quality of the relationship that exists between the components of government and the people, which in some cases fall outside the scope of legitimacy and adopts the notion of acceptance. (Youssef, 2005:65). From Islam point of view, intellectual legitimacy is kind of a rational-religious state which is based on "for people" and" people's vote" and in interpreting such a government, it emphasizes the two components of divine legitimacy and popular legitimacy (Vahidi, 2007:184). The fifth part examines the Islamic unity and national cohesion. In nation-state rule, solidarity of a nation takes place around historical, racial, ethnic, linguistic issues, and a nation strives to achieve an ideal that plays a part in the political thought of that nation.

Conclusion

Since the formation of government structures, The Phenomenon of Government, State and Nation in Islamic Concepts have always been the subject of debate in academic circles and academia. But nowadays, Islamic countries have entered the modern era, passing through the traditional era, the transitions of the caliphate and the Emirate and other traditional patterns. They have taken strong steps in the direction of modern models by theoretical and structural changing based on high political knowledge and democratic institutionalization. While such a pattern spread in Europe and the West Asian region due to the presence of European advisers, the necessary background for the formation of such a model was provided in Islamic countries. in a broader sense, Therefore, Islamic political thought defines the national cohesion as the Islamic unity. it rejects the defined geographical boundaries for nation-states and views Islamic society as the criterion of a society in which Islamic rule prevails.

Keywords

Political geography; Political Legitimacy; Islamic State; Divine Sovereignty; Nation; identity

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