The Inseparability of Islam’s Spiritual and Political Dimensions
Why a Separation is Theologically Impossible
Can Islam undergo a transformation similar to the Christian Reformation, a separation between the spiritual and political realms? Is there any hope that Islam might evolve into a purely personal faith, detached from political ambitions and free from theocratic aspirations? Such a separation faces both structural and theological impossibilities within Islam itself. The problem is not merely historical or cultural; it is embedded within the very fabric of Islamic revelation, law, and prophetic example.
Unlike other major religions, Islam did not emerge as a spiritual movement that later developed political influence. From its inception, it was both a theological claim and a political project. Muhammad was not merely a preacher or a mystic; he was a legislator, judge, general, and head of state. His religious message was inseparable from his political leadership.
When Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, the Hijra, marking the beginning of the Islamic calendar, he did not just seek refuge. He established a polity: the first Islamic state. In Medina, Muhammad drafted the so-called Constitution of Medina, uniting various tribes under his leadership and declaring himself both the prophet of God and the ruler of men. Religion and governance were fused in one person.
In Christian terms, this would be as if Jesus not only preached the Sermon on the Mount but also built a government, commanded armies, and legislated divine law. In Islam, this fusion is not incidental; it is foundational. Muhammad’s life is the supreme model (uswa hasana), his actions forming the binding precedent (sunnah) for all Muslims. Thus, Islam’s spiritual and political components are not parallel tracks, they are one and the same.
The Quran does not treat governance as a secular concern. Political authority is directly tied to divine revelation. Verses such as “Those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed are disbelievers” (Quran 5:44) make the application of divine law, sharia, a core religious duty. To separate religion from governance would be an act of disbelief (kufr).
This idea is reinforced by Islamic jurisprudence, which developed after Muhammad’s death. The Islamic scholars elaborated on the concept that sovereignty belongs to God alone (hakimiyyat Allah). The role of human rulers, then, is merely to implement divine law, not to legislate independently. In the Islamic worldview, there is no such thing as a morally neutral state, only states that obey or defy divine command.
The result is a perpetual expectation that the political order must reflect Islamic revelation. Any government not founded on Islam is considered temporary, illegitimate, or corrupt, a sign that the Muslim community has strayed from its divine mandate.