An Islamic state is a
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* '' Our ...
that has a
form of government based on
Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical
polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world.
As a translation of the Arabic term ''dawlah islāmiyyah'' ( ar, دولة إسلامية) it refers to a modern notion associated with
political Islam (
Islamism). Notable examples of historical Islamic states include the State of
Medina
Medina,, ', "the radiant city"; or , ', (), "the city" officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah (, , Turkish: Medine-i Münevvere) and also commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah (, ), is the second-holiest city in Islam, and the capital of the ...
, established by the Islamic prophet
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monot ...
, and the Arab Caliphate which continued under his successors and the
Umayyads.
The concept of the modern Islamic state has been articulated and promoted by ideologues such as
Sayyid Rashid Rida,
Mohammed Omar Muhammad Omar ( ar, محمد عمر, link=no), and other spellings such as Mohamed Omer, may refer to the following people:
Sportspeople
* Muhammad Umar (wrestler) (born 1975), Pakistani wrestler
* Mohammad Omar (footballer, born 1976), Emirati ...
,
Abul A'la Maududi,
Ayatollah
Ayatollah ( ; fa, آیتالله, āyatollāh) is an Title of honor, honorific title for high-ranking Twelver Shia clergy in Iran and Iraq that came into widespread usage in the 20th century.
Etymology
The title is originally derived from ...
Ruhollah Khomeini,
Israr Ahmed,
Sayyid Qutb and