Foreign Policy in IslamBy Rininta Nurrachmi (G1617324)

Department of Economics

International Islamic University Malaysia

Foreign Policy and What the Qur’an sayForeign Policy is self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve goalswithin its international relations milieu

States’ foreign policy usually specifies the attitudes and confrontations of a state towards other states

In Islam the principle to interact with others should honor the following things

1) human being’s dignity

“Verily, We have honored the children of Adam” Holy Quran Al-Isra (17:70)

2) Unity

“Say: O people of the scripture come to the word of (monotheism) which is common between us and you”. Holy Quran Al –Imran (3:64)

It is ordered to His Reverend, to invite and summon everybody for unity under the aegis of the words

“There is no God but Allah”. Holy Quran Al-Baqarah (2: 213)

3) Prohibition of Racial Discrimination

“O mankind! Verily, We created you all from a male and female and appointed for you nations and tribes until you may know.Verily the most honorable of you, in the sight of Allah, is the most pious of you .“ Holy Qu’ran Al-Hujurat (49:13)

Life in Peace

Governing principles of the world countries’ current foreign policies are based on nationalism and in the realization of thisaspiration, human rights in other countries are less considered and demands of national interests on other issues aresurpassed.

Islam, in principle, is opposite to this approach. However, national interests are important in Islam, but Islam does not try toachieve this target by destruction of other countries and rights violations of their peoples.

What the Qur’an say

“And hold fast, all of you together, to the cable of Allah, and do not separate, and remember Allah’s favor unto you. How youwere enemies and He made friendship between your hearts so that you became as brothers by His grace, and (how) you wereon the brink of the pit of the Hell-Fire and He saved you from it.” Holy Qur’an Ali-Imran (3:103)

“And obey Allah and Allah’s Messenger and do not quarrel with one another, lest you may get weak-hearted and your spiritualpower may go away; and be patient in Allah’s way, surely Allah accompanies the patient.” Holy Qur’an Al-Anfal (8:46)

Intepretation :

The two above verses at international level indicate that we should live in peace and do not quarrel. War among nationswould cause the capabilities and economic resources to be destroyed. In the end it result to the weakness of humankind andwould harm all people in the world. Whereas unity to optimum allocation of resources from economic aspect will increasesocial welfare among all nations.

Furthermore, unity will provide countries with extra productivity compare to being separated. This condition will give benefitthe whole humankind

Internationalism versus states’ nationalismNationalism is regarded as a term, which is employed for strengthening the national and cultural unity and historical identityof nations.

What the Qur’an say

“O mankind! Verily, We created you all from a male and female and appointed for you nations and tribes. (But this is not afactor of your superiority over others. It is a factor to make you think and get better understanding). Verily the most honorableof you in the sight of Allah is the most pious of you” Holy Qu’ran Al-Hujurat (49:13)

Intepretation :

Since all humankind are brothers, therefore the illusory borderlines which are established by governments to protect theirown benefits, and superiority over other nations, is worthless and barriers in the path of human brotherhood