The Need For International Relations For Peaceful Coexistence (Part Two)

By Dr. Zafar Darik Qasmi, New Age Islam 3 September 2025 Abstract: The term International Relations in Islamic thought traces back to the Qur’an’s universal message, addressing all humanity. Early Muslim jurists used Siyar for global dealings. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his Companions established principles through treaties in peace and war. Successors like ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr and Imam Zayd ibn ʿAlī formalized it into writings. Classical scholars—al-Awzāʿī, al-Shaybānī, and others—expanded the discipline under Siyar. Later works in fiqh preserved these discussions. In modern times, scholars like Dr. Wahbah al-Zuḥaylī and Dr. Hamidullah enriched the field, with contributions in Arabic, Urdu, and English, including Islamic International Law. Main Points: 1. Qur’an universal message: foundation of international relations in Islam. 2. The Prophet established treaties, guiding principles for peace and war. 3. Companions and Tābiʿūn formalized Siyar through writings and teachings. 4. Classical jurists developed books on Siyar, shaping global legal thought. 5. Later fiqh scholars preserved and expanded discussions on international dealings. 6. Modern scholars enriched the subject, coining Islamic International Law concept. ----- The Origins of the Term “International Relations” Let us now turn to the second aspect of this discussion, namely: when did the term International Relations come into use? On this matter, Professor Muhammad Humayun Abbas, in his published article “Understanding and Scope of International Relations: The Need to Benefit from Muslim Scholarly Contributions”, writes: “From the beginning of Islam until relatively recent times, Muslim jurists used the word Siyar( سیر )for international dealings. In the modern era, however, scholars have employed different terms for this field — in Arabic, al-ʿAlāqāt al-Duwaliyyah fī al-Islām ) العلاقة الدولیة فی الاسلام) and al-Qānūn al-Duwalī fī al-Islām; ( القانون الدولی فی الاسلام) in Urdu, Qānūn Bayn al-Aqwām and Qānūn Bayn al-Mamālik; and in English, International Relations or Islamic International Law.” It is important to clarify that the true originator of the discipline of international relations is the Qur’an itself. This is because, in many places, the Qur’an addresses all of humanity with the words Yā Ayyuhā al-Nās( یا ایھا الناس)(“O mankind”). Furthermore, the message of the Qur’an is universal: it is not limited to any one group, family, or religion. In light of this universality, scholars began writing on this subject from the very earliest times. Professor Humayun Abbas further explains in the same article: “The knowledge, principles, and laws related to international relations were established in the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Prophet, along with his Companions, concluded agreements with other nations and tribes, whether in times of peace or war, and thus determined the rules of conduct in both situations. The Prophet himself gave guidance on matters concerning Siyar.(سیر) Likewise, the Companions also adhered to these principles. For example, Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās explained issues relating to this field with great clarity.” After the Companions, the Tābiʿūn also discussed issues of international relations. In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that during their time this subject acquired the status of a formal discipline, both taught in circles of learning and preserved in writing. Among them, the distinguished successor ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr is regarded as the first to record matters of international relations in written form. Furthermore, during the caliphate of ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz (99–101 AH), special attention was given to the recording of Hadith as well as international matters. In this period, Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī wrote Kitāb al-Maghāzī. ( المغازی) His efforts awakened an interest in studying issues of both peace and war, and many scholars emerged from his circle who became experts in this field. Apart from him, Imām al-Shaʿbī advanced the teaching of international relations, followed by Imām Sufyān al-Thawrī, who also made valuable contributions. Imām Zayd ibn ʿAlī, in his Kitāb al-Majmūʿ, (المجموع) devoted an entire chapter to these matters. From this point onwards, work on this discipline began on a regular basis. Contributions of Early and Later Scholars to International Relations: In light of the above discussion, it can be said that before Imām Zayd ibn ʿAlī’s book al-Majmūʿ,( المجموع ) the writings that existed already contained elements of international relations, but it was his work that first gave the subject a formal status. It is therefore also necessary to review which of the earlier and later scholars worked on this subject, and to what extent. Among the early scholars, the distinguished successor ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr (22–93 AH) wrote Kitāb al-Maghāzī. (المغازی)Similarly, Zayd ibn ʿAlī included an entire chapter on international relations in his al-Majmūʿ fī al-Fiqh, (المجموع فی الفقہ) which highlights its importance and usefulness. Muhammad ibn Muslim al-Zuhrī (50–124 AH) is reported to have written a book on battles and expeditions, while another work on this topic is attributed to Muhammad ibn Isḥāq ibn Yasār (85–151 AH). ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAmr al-Awzāʿī (88–157 AH) also authored a book on this subject, in which he criticised Imām AbūḤanīfah’s views. Ibrāhīm ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ḥārith al-Fazārī, a Shāfiʿī scholar, wrote a book that Ibn Saʿd referred to as Kitāb al-Siyar fī Dār al-Ḥarb. (کتاب السیر فی دار الحرب) Imām Abū Yūsuf Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm (113 AH) authored the famous al-Radd ʿalā al-Siyar al-Awzāʿī, ( الرد السیر علی الاوزاعی) and his Kitāb al-Kharāj(کتاب الخراج) also contains discussions relevant to this subject. Muhammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-Shaybānī produced two widely known works: al-Siyar al-Ṣaghīr ( السیر الصغیر) and al-Siyar al-Kabīr. ( السیر الکبیر) The grammarian and linguist Ṣāliḥ ibn Isḥāq al-Jarmī (220 AH) also wrote a book titled Kitāb al-Siyar. ( کتاب السیر) Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Salām al-Qayrawānī (202 AH) authored a detailed ten-volume work on al-Siyar.(السیر ) Even Imām Abū Ḥanīfah (85–150 AH) himself wrote on the subject in a book titled al-Siyar.(السیر) After these early jurists, later scholars carried the tradition forward. Works such as al-Kāsānī’s Badāʾiʿ al-Ṣanāʾiʿ fī Tartīb al-Sharāʾiʿ( بدائع الصنائع فی ترتیب الشرائع ) Abū Bakr al-Marghīnānī’s (593AH),al-Hidāyah ( الہدایہ ) Ibn Nujaym’s (970 AH), al-Baḥr al-Rāʾiq wa al-Nahr al-Fāʾiq ( البحر الرائق و البحر الفائق)ʿAlāʾ al-Dīn al-Ḥaṣkafī’s(1088AH), al-Durr al-Mukhtār (الدر المحتار) and Ibn ʿĀbidīn al-Shāmī’s (1252AH),Radd al-Muḥtār (رد المحتار) all contain discussions on international relations under the title of al-Siyar. Similarly, works like al-Qudūrī’s al-Qudūrī, (القدوری)Sharḥ al-Wiqāyah, (شرح الوقایہ) and Kanz al-Daqāʾiq ( کنز لدقائق) also include such material. In modern times, many notable scholars have contributed to this subject. Dr Wahbah al-Zuḥaylī (1932–2015) wrote al-ʿAlāqāt al-Duwaliyyah fī al-Islām. ( العلاقات الدولیہ فی الاسلام) Dr Aḥmad Shalabī authored al-ʿAlāqāt al-Duwaliyyah fī al-Fikr al-Islāmī.( العلاقات الدولیہ فی فکر الاسلامی) Dr Ṣubḥī Maḥmaṣānī (1909–1986) produced al-Qānūn wa al-ʿAlāqāt al-Duwaliyyah fī al-Qānūn al-Sharīʿah, and the Egyptian scholar Abū Zahrah Muhammad ibn Aḥmad (1316–1394 AH) wrote al-ʿAlāqāt al-Duwaliyyah fī al-Islām. In addition to Arabic works, both English and Urdu writings on this subject exist. Dr Muhammad Hamidullah wrote Islām kā Qānūn Bayn al-Mamālik ke Uṣūl wa Naẓīrayn( اسلام کا قانون بین الممالک کے اصول و نظیریں) in Urdu, and also delivered a lecture on the subject in his famous book Khutbāt Bahawalpur. His English book Muslim Conduct of State is considered a pioneering contribution. It should be noted that Dr Hamidullah himself is regarded as the founder of the term Islamic International Law. ( قانون بین الممالک) Another important Urdu contribution is Dr Maḥmūd Ahmad Ghāzī’s Islām kā Qānūn Bayn al-Mamālik. Works such as Dr ʿAbdullāh Amīrī and Zahra Amīrzāʾī’s al-Qurʾān mein Bayn al-Aqwāmī Taʿalluqāt and Muhammad Zafar Maḥfūẓ Nuʿmānī’s Bayn al-Aqwāmī Qānūn ( بین الاقوامی قانون) are also available. Part one of the Article: The Need for International Relations for Peaceful Coexistence (Part One) URL: https://www.newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/international-peaceful-coexistence-part-two/d/136699 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism