Islam and International Relations in the Political Theology of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli Based on Skinner's Hermeneutic Method

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Research Institute of Social Sciences, Qom, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
In the face of moral, identity-based, and structural crises within the contemporary international order, re-reading Islamic thought based on revealed rationality has become increasingly necessary. Ayatollah Abdullah Javadi Amoli, as one of the most prominent contemporary Islamic thinkers, offers an alternative framework for understanding and organizing international relations—one that can open new horizons against secular and power-oriented Western paradigms. The main question is: How are international relations defined from Javadi Amoli's perspective, and what components distinguish his view from common Western theories? Javadi Amoli's political theology is based on the premise that international relations should be organized according to the divine nature of humanity, revealed rationality, and monotheistic ethics, rather than on national interests, power-seeking, or value relativism. This view has the capacity to present a civilizational and justice-oriented model. The importance of this study lies in its attempt to articulate an indigenous Islamic discourse on global order, addressing the theoretical vacuum created by the dominance of Western paradigms in the study of international relations.
 
Methodology
The present study analyzes Javadi Amoli's political discourse on international relations using Skinner's four-stage hermeneutic method, adapted to the Islamic context. The four stages are as follows:
1 .Identifying key concepts: Terms such as "Caliphate of Allah," "Unified Nation" (Ummah), "Just Peace," "Nature" (Fitrah), and "Servitude" ('Ubudiyyah) are extracted as fundamental concepts within his discourse.

2. Examining the historical and discursive context: Javadi Amoli's works are analyzed within the broader context of global crises, contemporary Islamic intellectual discourse, and his critique of Western modernity.
3. Reconstructing the author's intention: Javadi Amoli's goal in proposing these concepts is to present a divine and justice-oriented model for a global order in which humanity is the end of politics, not its means.
4. Assessing the impact of the discourse: His thought has the capacity to influence Islamic theorizing in international relations and to offer a fundamental critique of the global secular order.

The research is qualitative in nature, relying on primary sources including Javadi Amoli's major works in Quranic exegesis, philosophy, and political theology, as well as secondary literature engaging with his thought.
 
Results and Discussion
Javadi Amoli views international relations as an arena for the realization of justice, human dignity, and divine servitude. By critiquing the epistemological and value foundations of the modern world order, he redefines the concepts of human rights, peace, and justice from a Quranic perspective. His thought emphasizes the civilizational capacity of Islam to present an alternative world order founded on revealed rationality and monotheistic ethics.
Javadi Amoli's political theology rests on three fundamental axes:

1. Monotheism (Tawhid) as the ontological and ethical basis of international relations
2. Inherent human dignity (Karamah) as a guiding principle in global interactions
3. Justice ('Adl) as the goal and criterion of legitimacy for the international order

From his perspective, international relations are part of international law, and since law in Islamic thought is rooted in religion, religion itself is considered the primary source of international relations. Among his fundamental views on international relations are: the acceptance of all nations—whether Muslim or non-Muslim, monotheist or non-monotheist—within the circle of human interaction; the characterization of Islam's international language as the "language of monotheistic nature" (Fitrah); the position of Islam as the guardian of world peace; the rejection of emotional attachment to unbelievers or acceptance of foreign impositions, alongside the inadmissibility of breaking treaties or committing aggression against others; and the maintenance of a balance between moral principles, political realism, and religious obligations in the international arena.
The findings reveal that Javadi Amoli's political theology offers a coherent alternative to secular international relations theories by grounding global interactions in ontological and ethical foundations derived from revelation. Unlike realist theories that prioritize power and national interest, or liberal theories that emphasize procedural justice and contractual agreements, Javadi Amoli's framework places inherent human dignity and divine servitude at the center of international order. This approach shares certain affinities with normative theories such as the English School's emphasis on international society and cosmopolitanism's focus on universal human rights, but it distinguishes itself by rooting these norms in monotheistic ethics and revealed rationality rather than secular humanism.
 
Conclusion
This study demonstrates that Javadi Amoli's political theology presents a distinctive and coherent model for international relations that challenges the foundational assumptions of secular Western paradigms. His thought emphasizes that international relations should be organized not around power, interest, or value relativism, but around monotheistic ethics, inherent human dignity, and justice as the ultimate criterion of legitimacy. By reinterpreting key concepts such as peace, justice, and human rights from a Quranic perspective, Javadi Amoli offers a civilizational alternative capable of addressing the moral and structural crises of the contemporary global order. Future research could explore the practical implications of his model for Islamic foreign policy, its points of convergence and divergence with existing international law frameworks, and its potential contribution to global justice discourse.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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POLITICAL QUARTERLY
Volume 56, Issue 2
June 2026
Pages 351-319

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  • Receive Date: 04 September 2025
  • Revise Date: 20 September 2025
  • Accept Date: 28 October 2025

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