Debate on Dār al-Ḥarb and Dār al-Islām: A Study in Context of British India

Abstract

It is an admitted fact that the Muslims were united during the life time of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) but since his demise, the Muslims are disunited not only in the worldly matters but also in the religious affairs. Why it is so? Despite the fact that Islam has been blessed the Muslims with the facility of Ijtihād, through which the Mujtahidīn can address and solve the unprecedented issues of the Muslims. But our history confirms that in almost all matters the Ulamā and Muftīs, belonging to different schools of Islamic Jurisprudence have always made different interpretations of the Islamic canons and have given different  fatāwās regarding different issues, faced by the Muslims.

During the British rule over India there were many controversial issues among the Ulāmā, Mufīis and Islamic Theologians of India. One of the issues, whether the British India was a Dār al-Ḥarb or Dar al-Islam? Was never settled down unanimously by the Muslim Ulāmā and Muftīs. Even today, this question is yet to be answered. The article under review is an attempt to determine the actual status of the British India as a country from the Muslims’ point of view.