AnExplanationofMilitary
Slavery
63
Tounderstand thenatureofthestatecraftinIslamdom,one
must
appreciate
the
specialplace
of
political
andmilitaryideals
intheIslamictradition.
Itismost
vividly
seenincontrasttothe
Jewish
andChristiantraditions.
In their formative
periods,
both
Judaism
and
Christianity
evolvedoutsideastatestructureandwithout
governmentsup-
port;
incontrast,Islam
fromthefirstandalmost
always
there-
after
developed
inconjunction
with
politicalauthority.
Afterthe
Jewish
kingdom
was
destroyed
in 586
B.C.E.,
Jews
hadto
adopt
their
religion
toexile,
dispersal,
and
political
disenfranchise-
ment;asaresult,
Judaism
grewindependent
ofconstitutedau-
thority
andhadnoneedforit.
Christianity
fromits
veryincep-
tiondrewaclearlinebetweentherealmsof
religion
and
politics,
disassociating
itselffrom
government.
IntermittentRomanper-
secutionduring
itsfirstthreecenturiesaccentuatedthisdivision,
although
itdiminishedwhen
Christianity
becametheRoman
state
religion.
The
relationship
of
Christianity
tothestatethen
becamea
burning
issueforthenextmillenniumanda
half
in
the
Catholicchurch
(less
soforotherchurches),butwasnotclearly
resolved.
After 1500
c.E.,
Protestantreaffirmationofthe
early
idealof
separation
found
increasingacceptance,
sothat
by
now
Christianity
has
again
turned
away
from
politics.
Evenwhenthe
Catholicchurchwasmost
powerful
WestEuropean
political
in-
stitutioninthe
High
MiddleAges,
a
pious
Christiancouldfulfill
his
religious
dutieswithoutreferencetothe
government.
Jews
andChristiansareinclinedtoviewas
government
anecessary
evil.
In
contrast,Islam
fromitsfirst
years
hadcloserelationswith
thestate.
Mu
.hammad,
asiswellknown,foundednot
only
areli-
gion
but the
community
ofitsbelievers, a
political
unit: he
servedbothas
prophet
andstatesmanfortheinfantcommunity.
Fromthattime,eachMuslimrulerhasnotonlyamundane
role
butalsoanIslamicone;his
foremost
duty
isto
carry
outthe
SharfCa.GoodIslamic
government
means
enforcing
its
regula-
tionsand
creating
anenvironmentwhereMuslimscan
liveacor-
rectlife;thesourcesofIslamic
inspiration
havethusa
great
deal
tosayaboutproperpolitical
conduct.Abad
governmentonly
partially
enforcestheSharfCa;
anarchy
meansnoenforcementat