At the conceptual level, the universality of Islam and the plurality of nations seem irreconcilable. However, in practice one can find different ways and means to build bridges between the two. The main concern of this chapter is the compatibility of Islam and the nation-state, with particular attention given to the Iranian experience of an Islamic Republic.

The chapter is in two parts. The first part will focus on the significance of Islam and its relevance to politics, the notion of the nation-state and its role in international relations, and the ways in which Islam has coped with the concept of the nation-state. The second part will focus on the experience of the Islamic Republic of Iran, its doctrine of combining the sovereignty of God with that of humanity, and the issue of the independence of the nation-state vis-à-vis the unity of the Islamic world. For this purpose, particular attention will be paid to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ISLAM IN WORLD POLITICS

Islam is a universal religion that invites humanity into the unity of God so that it can satisfy its material and spiritual needs. Hence, the unity of God has wide philosophical, social, and political dimensions. Islam also places strong emphasis on the unity of believers and urges them to refrain from conflict and discord. Communities of believers constitute the Islamic ummah, which has a meaning far beyond the definition of tribe, nation, or state. The unity of the Islamic ummah, per se, is a manifestation of society's belief in unity, whilst conflict and animosity are the natural result of following Satan. In fact, the invitation to “unity of God in belief, and the unity of believers in practice” can play an active political role in domestic as well as international affairs.

From the Islamic perspective, religion and politics are not separate or independent arenas. According to one interpretation, politics is considered a part of religion, and religion completely overlaps politics. Even if one resists acceptance of such an interpretation, it is still hard to deny that Islam as a comprehensive religion provides a legitimate basis for politics. A quick consideration of the political and social developments that have taken place in the Islamic world in the last fifty years shows that a kind of “back to basics movement” is building.