Islam Rediscovered
5. Islam in Brief
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comprehensive that they embrace all essential
issues of life including the State and its related
national or international problems as well.
What is an Islamic State? A State governed by
Muslims is not necessarily an Islamic state. Apart
from its monotheistic doctrinal basis, an Islamic
State would, in practice, be identified with the
sumum bonum principle of ‘no-compulsion.’ No
compulsion should be exercised, either before or
after the gaining of power. For power gained
through compulsion or power used for compulsion
in any sphere whatsoever, particularly in religious
matters, is strictly prohibited and condemned in
Islam. That is why the coercive forms of States,
though governed by Muslim dictators, have never
been considered ideal Islamic States by the scholars
of Islam. Islam, moreover, does not allow its
followers to rebel against any established State,
even though it may not seem to be in accordance
with the Islamic Ideal. Compulsion on the part of
the State should never be resisted by means of
counter-compulsion, i.e. it has to be countered
through negotiation, backed up by conviction. This
ensures such stability of law and order as will
