Political aspects of Islam

Government

Political aspects of Islam, 
Islamic state,
 Islam and secularism,
 and Caliphate.

Mainstream Islamic law does not distinguish between "matters of church" and "matters of state"; the scholars function as both jurists and theologians.

 In practice, Islamic rulers frequently bypassed-the Sharia courts with a parallel system of so-called "Grievance courts" over which they had sole control.
As the Muslim world came into contact with European secular ideals, Muslim societies responded in many ways.

 Turkey has been governed as a secular state ever since the reforms of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in the year of 1923.

 In contrast, the 1979 Iranian Revolution replaced a mostly secular regime with an Islamic republic led by the Ayatullah Khomeine.

Military in islam

Jihad, Islamic military jurisprudence, and List of expeditions of Muhammad Jihad means "to strive or struggle" (in the way of Allah) and is considered the "Sixth Pillar of Islam" by a minority of Sunni Muslim authorities.
 Jihad, in its broadest sense, is classically defined as "exerting one's utmost power, efforts, endeavors, or ability in contending with an object of disapprobation.

" Depending on the object being a visible enemy, the devil, and  the aspects of one's own self (such as sinful desires), different categories of jihad are defined.

 Jihad, when used without any qualifier, is understood in its military aspect.

 Jihad also refers to one's striving to attain religious and moral purity and perfection.


Some Muslim authorities, especially among the Shi'a and Sufis, distinguish between the "greater jihad", which pertains to spiritual self-perfection, and the "lesser jihad", defined as warfare.


Within Islamic jurisprudence, jihad is usually taken to mean military exertion against non-Muslim combatants in the defense or expansion of the Ummat. The ultimate purpose of military jihad is debated, both within the Islamic community and without, with some claiming that it only serves to protect the Ummat, with no aspiration of offensive conflict, whereas others have argued that the goal of Jihad is global conquest.


 Jihad is the only form of warfare permissible in Islamic law and may be declared against terrorists, criminal groups, rebels, apostates, and leaders or states who oppress Muslims or hamper proselytizing efforts.



Most Muslims today interpret Jihad as only a defensive form of warfare: the external Jihad includes a struggle to make the Islamic societies conform to the Islamic norms of justice.


Under most circumstances and for most Muslims, jihad is a collective duty (fard kifaya) the person who have ability to perform jihad: its performance by some individuals exempts the others. Only for those vested with authority, especially the sovereign (imam), does jihad become an individual duty.



 For the rest of the populace, this happens only in the case of a general mobilization.

 For most Shias, offensive jihad can only be declared by a divinely appointed leader of the Muslim community, and as such is suspended since Muhammad al-Mahdi's acculturation in 868 AD.