Foundations of international relations: an Islamic Sufi approach
International Journal of Law and Management
ISSN: 1754-243X
Article publication date: 13 September 2011
Abstract
Purpose
International relations are involved in an undesirable order at the present time. It is emphatically necessary to propound firm principles to regulate the relationships among states and nations, and new laws and regulations are to be enacted at the international level. The purpose of this paper is to enumerate some of the main guide stones for development of Islamic thoughts in the fields of international humanities.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors enumerate the principles of Sufi foundations of international relations in Islam by introducing the theosophical standpoints of Islamic Sufism.
Findings
The paper introduces 95 principles in three categories of public international law, foreign policy, and diplomacy.
Research limitations/implications
As long as the essence of all religions has a unique root which is their spiritual paths and understandings based on their mystical views. To popularize and internationalize this proposition, comparative researches in other religions' Gnosticism will be essential.
Practical implications
Putting several principles forward, on the next phases, they can be used as the basis for many applied debates in the field and may be ended to a new international declaration/law.
Social implications
Delicateness, truthfulness, and righteousness of Islamic Sufism, which is the gist of thoughts of humankind's elites who are divine messengers/guardians during millenaries, may turn the attentions of scholars and researchers to this viewpoint, and consequently a new set of thoughts/doctrines for regulating international relations to be defined and codified.
Originality/value
International relations scholars have not touched the topic from a Sufi point of view. This paper brings this approach to a new challenging arena for those who are engaged in international relations related subjects of laws, politics, institutions, and organizations.
Keywords
Citation
Bidabad, B. (2011), "Foundations of international relations: an Islamic Sufi approach", International Journal of Law and Management, Vol. 53 No. 5, pp. 313-341. https://doi.org/10.1108/17542431111166322
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited