۱.
Diplomacy and negotiation are considered key instruments for achieving national interests and strategic objectives of states in the contemporary era. Islam, as a comprehensive system of life, has provided specific frameworks and principles for international interactions. Utilizing a descriptive-analytical method and relying on documentary and historical sources, this research elucidates the theoretical foundations and practical principles of Islamic diplomacy. The primary research question is: What are the requisites of an Islamic character for foreign relations and international negotiations within the political discourse of Islam? The findings indicate that Islamic diplomacy is founded upon fundamental principles, which include: the principle of Negation of Domination (Nafi al-Sabil), the primacy of peace-seeking, observance of mutual respect, consolidation of the status of the Islamic governance, weakening the front of enemies, optimal utilization of power components (hard and soft), leveraging post-agreement opportunities, strategic flexibility in negotiation, preliminary dialogues for confidence-building, defining responsibilities centered on justice and equity, and emphasis on absolute adherence to commitments. These principles, extracted through the analysis of the Prophetic tradition (Sira) and Quranic teachings, can serve as an effective, ethical, and strategic model for the foreign policy of Islamic countries in the present era, providing an independent framework distinct from dominant Western paradigms.
۲.
The Gaza crisis (2023–2025) marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of global resistance to Western hegemony, reframing Hedley Bull’s “Revolt Against the West” within the English School’s international society framework. As Bull’s thesis underestimated the ways 21st-century actors would weaponize liberalism’s own institutions, this study investigates how Western unconditional support for Israel has catalyzed a fourth wave of anti-Western revolt, characterized by institutional weaponization, normative disintegration, and digital activism. Employing a multi-method qualitative approach -discourse analysis, institutional case studies, and digital ethnography- the research analyzes primary and secondary literature to map the crisis’s structural consequences. Normative disintegration manifests as postcolonial actors exploit liberal contradictions, while digital resistance amplifies transnational counter-narratives. The study argues that this multidimensional revolt transcends Bull’s original sovereignty-justice-culture model, signaling a shift toward a pluralist, contested international order. While institutional and normative strategies challenge Western dominance, digital activism’s atmospheric role underscores the revolt’s complexity. The Gaza case suggests a redefinition of global governance, urging policymakers to address legitimacy crises or risk a fragmented multipolar order. This analysis extends the English School’s historicist lens, proposing a theoretical update to account for 21st-century hybrid resistance and its implications for international society’s future.
۳.
The issue of Palestine is one of the important and sensitive topics in the thought of the leaders of the Islamic Republic, particularly Ayatollah Khamenei, and indicates that the liberation of Palestine is not merely a political matter but an inseparable part of the identity and religious principles of the Islamic Ummah. The present study aims to examine the future of Palestine from the perspective of Ayatollah Khamenei. In this article, using a constructivist theoretical framework, Ayatollah Khamenei’s discourse on the future of Palestine is analyzed. Finally, three scenarios for the future of Palestine are presented: the first scenario, resistance and liberation, which involves the collapse of the Zionist regime and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state; the second scenario, continued occupation and crisis, in which conflicts, the blockade of Gaza, and humanitarian problems persist, and despite resistance, a sustainable solution does not emerge; and the third scenario, imposed reconciliation, which may reduce violence but leads to the weakening of Palestinian independent identity and historical justice. The findings of the study indicate that the only path consistent with justice and divine traditions is the continuation of resistance, the strengthening of Islamic Ummah cohesion, and the implementation of a comprehensive referendum.
۴.
This study explores the foundations and principles of popular governance in the Alawi discourse, with a particular focus on the political thought and practice of Imam Ali (AS). It argues that Alawi political theory emphasizes active citizen participation in decision-making, implementation, and oversight. Imam Ali (AS) considered government a divine trust, whose legitimacy is contingent upon public acceptance and consent. Core principles of this model include justice orientation, transparency, consultative governance, accountability of rulers, and the protection of human dignity. Within this framework, the people are recognized not merely as the "Pillars of Faith" and "God's Family," but also as holding a pivotal role in the formation, administration, and supervision of government. The study further suggests that revisiting the political legacy of Imam Ali (AS) can provide valuable insights for contemporary political systems seeking to develop indigenous models of popular governance that combine divine legitimacy with popular approval. Such a model has the potential to address the needs of modern Islamic civilization and to serve as a normative basis for effective governance in Muslim societies.
۵.
Imam Khomeini was one of the clerics who authored the book "Kashf al-Asrar" (Unveiling of Secrets) in response to Hokmizadeh’s work. In the course of answering the thirteen questions raised in Hokmizadeh's book, he presented a formulation of his political thought regarding government and the role of the clergy within that political structure. The objective of this article is to provide a theoretical and coherent formulation of Imam Khomeini’s political thought in Kashf al-Asrar. In this research, in addition to the documentary method for outlining the geometry of his political thought, we seek to answer, based on Skinner’s intentionalist hermeneutics method, the following: What social context and background did Imam Khomeini's political thought form and cohere in, and, more importantly, with what intention was it written? The findings of this research indicate that Imam Khomeini, in this book, emphasizes the "Sovereignty of God's Law" (Hakimiyyat-e Qanun-e Khoda) as the central axis of the political structure. This is substantiated and justified from four perspectives: necessity, legitimacy, expediency, and efficacy. The outcome is the formation of a Constituent Assembly to elect the Shah (provided the Shah adheres to God's law) and a Consultative Assembly (Majlis-e Shora), centered on the clergy, to supervise the implementation of God's law. Based on Skinner’s method, Imam Khomeini’s discourse in this book is formulated into three types of acts: defensive, offensive, and dual-purpose (two-faceted).
۶.
This study presents a semantic–exegetical investigation of the concept of infiltration (nufūdh) in the Holy Qur’an, analyzed through its structural correlation with hypocrisy (nifāq) and the broader Qur’anic discourse on spiritual deception (ghurūr) and immunity (muṣūniyyah). This research reconstructs the ontology of infiltration as a multi-layered process — intellectual, moral-cultural, and political. Methodologically, the paper adopts a semantic-exegetical and comparative analytical approach, combining lexical study, contextual analysis, and intertextual synthesis of key Qur’anic terms, including waswasa (whispering temptation), nazgh (satanic provocation), ghurūr (deceptive allure), and amātah maʿnawiy (spiritual death). These are contrasted with Qur’anic counter-concepts such as taqwā (God-consciousness), furqān (discernment), ikhlāṣ (sincerity), dhikr (remembrance), and waḥdah (unity). The findings demonstrate that, in the Qur’an, infiltration is not merely a sociopolitical strategy but an ontological process aimed at paralyzing the human heart and silencing prophetic consciousness through deception and spiritual sedation. Conversely, the Qur’an constructs a dynamic model of immunity that integrates epistemic, moral, and spiritual dimensions — anchored in taqwā, ikhlāṣ, and dhikr.
