Note: Ayatollah Seyyed Noureddin Shariatmadar Jazayeri has been engaged in study, teaching, and research in the seminary for approximately seventy years, during which he has taught and written on many topics and chapters of fiqh. One of his favored fiqh topics is the jurisprudence of international relations. We spoke with him about the nature and dimensions of this emerging fiqh chapter. The author of the article “The Jurisprudence of International Relations” believes that attention must be paid to the difference between the jurisprudence of international relations and the jurisprudence of international law. This veteran professor and researcher of the Qom seminary also believes that the jurisprudence of international relations is not limited to political relations and encompasses economic and social relations as well. The details of this exclusive interview by Contemporary Jurisprudence with this professor of advanced fiqh and usul in the Qom seminary are as follows:

Contemporary Jurisprudence: What is the jurisprudence of international relations, and what topics does it address?

Shariatmadar: Here we have four titles, which we will briefly address: international relations, international law, the jurisprudence of international relations, and the jurisprudence of international law.

International relations addresses behaviors and interactions that flow between countries and nations, which may be positive and beneficial—to the advantage of both nations—or negative and harmful, with destructive effects detrimental to both nations.

International law addresses laws that each country enacts in its own interest and expects other countries to observe, though other countries may or may not comply with those laws.

The jurisprudence of international relations consists of fiqh rulings related to relations between countries. Since Shiite fiqh addresses all issues and topics needed by people, every relation—whether positive or negative—between countries has been discussed in Shiite fiqh; moreover, in Shiite fiqh, the manner of conduct with other nations in terms of disbelief and Islam has been specified, to the extent that countries have been classified as Dar al-Kufr and Dar al-Islam. However, the era of the occultation of the Master of the Age is an era of truce, peace, and cessation of war, and offensive jihad is conditional upon the presence of the Imam of the Time (peace be upon him). Thus, in the era of occultation, there is no offensive war. An Islamic country can pursue Islamic objectives through peaceful relations and mutual respect with other countries, except in cases of aggression, when it becomes time for defensive war. If defensive war occurs, there are no particular conditions in defensive war, unlike offensive war, which has specific conditions. In defensive jihad, anyone who has the power must defend the Islamic system—men and women, young and old alike—except those who lack the power, from whom the obligation is lifted.

The jurisprudence of international law consists of rulings expressed for preserving the independence and security of the country. In the Quran, there are discussions on the negation of tyranny and the negation of domination, such as: “Allah will never grant the disbelievers a way over the believers.” An Islamic country must be independent in every aspect—political, social, military, and economic—and not be under the domination of disbelievers and enemies of the religion.

Contemporary Jurisprudence: Is international relations an interdisciplinary field of knowledge or an independent one?

Shariatmadar: International relations was very simple and basic, addressing limited topics; hence, limited and few discussions were raised in it. As a result, international fiqh in the past was interdisciplinary and lacked independence; but in this era and in our time, when relations between countries have expanded, it has gone beyond the real world and entered virtual space as well. Therefore, it must become an independent field of knowledge and even a specialized discipline. Those who enter this discipline must have complete information and be able to research and investigate all required topics.

Contemporary Jurisprudence: Does the jurisprudence of international relations address only relations between governments, or does it also discuss relations between cities and nations?

Shariatmadar: As is evident from the name of this title, this science is not exclusive to relations between countries and also addresses relations between peoples; just as God in the Quran addresses international relations, and even in the Noble Book and in our blessed Sunnah, there is no discussion of kingdom or country, but rather of nations: “We created you from a male and a female and made you into peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you.” Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.

Numerous narrations have also come from the Infallible Imams (peace be upon them) in this regard. For example, it is narrated from the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Behold, you are all from Adam, and Adam is from dust; there is no superiority of an Arab over a non-Arab nor of a non-Arab over an Arab.” This is a fight against racial discrimination, which has been ongoing for years among civilized nations and has not yet ended. The first fight of the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) was against racial discrimination, and His message is that there is no difference between nations. From the very beginning, the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him) entrusted a great responsibility to a black slave, and no matter how much they protested why he sent him to the roof of the Kaaba to call the adhan, He paid no heed. This matter was very difficult for the disbelievers. This behavior of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was to remove discriminations and organize relations in this manner.

Contemporary Jurisprudence: Does the jurisprudence of international relations include religious or economic dimensions between countries, or is it limited solely to political relations?

Shariatmadar: As derived from the term “relations,” this knowledge is not exclusive to political dimensions. Of course, political relations can be considered in two perspectives: one perspective is to assume political relations as one relation and say it is not exclusive to political relations; but it must be noted that the term “relation,” although singular, is in reality plural, because all social, economic, religious, and military relations are subsumed under political relations; that is, it is political relations that determine social, economic, religious, and military relations.