Islamic Theories Of Expansionism In Textual And Historical Contexts

Abstract

In addressing the issue of futūḥāt islāmiyyah (Islamic conquests), the methodology employed by the western ideological and political instruments, and the adopted tendency of the apologetic and radical Muslims -despite differences in their procedures and goal- bear common characteristic, function, and inference. Both are scientifically faulty, prejudicially applied, and consequently attracted wrong deductions and unfair attribution to the sharī'ah of Islam. This research, therefore, made scientific refutations to those defective claims by establishing well-substantiated theories from revealed texts (Qur'an and Sunnah). The methodology for this theoretical research is taṣawwur kulliy, an analytical synthesis of textual evidences that comprehensively explained the Islamic expansionism doctrine as a driving doctrine of futūḥāt islāmiyyah. The research approach employed is tatabbu' wa istiqrā', a sharī'ah approach that is equivalent to grounded theory. The theories summarily proved that Islamic expansionism is philosophically hegemonic in terms of its dominant values and power; methodologically jihadic based on essential conditions; and ethically practical from multiple encompassing angles, in all stages of Islamic conquest. These integrated characteristics of Islamic expansionism are the fundamental factors behind its vast conquests coverage, embracement of Islamic civilizations, and the earned effectual global leadership its enjoyed for many centuries.