Foundations and Principles of International Relations from al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī’s Perspective

This article examines the foundations and principles of international relations from the perspective of al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī, an early Shiite jurist who was first to practically apply and develop ijtihad-based jurisprudence. In this study, "foundations" refer to eternal and unchangeable teachings and beliefs, while "principles" are broad, actionable strategies that are flexible and adaptable to social conditions. The article aims to explore al-Ṭūsī's theories on international relations, present his views, and analyze their impact on the field. Accordingly, the introduction provides a biography of al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī, his jurisprudential approach, and the international conditions of his era. It then examines the foundations and principles of international relations from his perspective. In the section on the foundations of international relations, concepts such as God-centeredness, Islam-centeredness, the elevation of Islam, combating oppression, justice-centeredness, and ethics-centeredness are highlighted. The principles of international relations discussed include the rejection of infidel domination over Muslims, dividing the international system into Dār al-Islām (the abode of Islam), Dār al-Ḥarb (the abode of war), and Dār al-Muhādana (the abode of truce), the prohibition of using weapons of mass destruction, prioritizing expediency, international cooperation and participation, the prohibition of offensive jihad, the primacy of peace, legitimate defense, the principle of invitation and diplomacy, granting protection, immunity, adherence to international treaties, fulfilling promises and agreements, and respect for international law. The article concludes that while al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī's works contain limited discussions on the domestic politics of the Islamic government—beyond topics such as jihad and jizya and brief references, possibly due to repression or disbelief in jurist-led governance during the ghayba (occultation of the Imam)—he was well-acquainted with the international system and the dominant powers of his time, including the Roman Church, Byzantium, and the Islamic Caliphate. His classification of Dār al-Islām, Dār al-Ḥarb, and Dār al-Muhādana was intended to describe the existing international system of his era. He extensively addressed issues related to this international order throughout his jurisprudential works, discussing various rulings from inheritance to bequests, partnerships, leases, sales, and more.