Divisions of the World according to Islam
In Islam, the world is divided into Dar al-Islam, the House of Islam, and Dar al-Harb, the House of War.
Dar al-Islam (دار الإسلام , “House/Abode of Islam”; or Dar as-Salam, “House/Abode of Peace”) refers to those countries where Muslims can practice their religion freely. In other words, wherever the “infidel” has converted or submitted to Islam, or has been eliminated.
Dar al-Harb (دار الحرب , “House of War”) refers to those areas where Muslims do not dominate their neighbors. The non-Muslim inhabitants of the Dar al-Harb are called harbi (حربي), as opposed to dhimmi. A harbi has no rights, not even the right to live. If a harbi wants to enter the territory of Islam (Dar al-Islam) he needs a safe-conduct pass called an aman. Dar al-Harb is territory that has not yet been conquered by Islam.
Dar al-Kufr (دار الكفر, “House of Infidels” or “Domain of Disbelief”) is a term used by Muhammad to refer to the Quraish-dominated society of Mecca between his flight to Medina (the Hijra) and his triumphant return. Sometimes this is used synonymously with Dar al-Harb, since Mohammad said, “Unbelief is one community.” In other words, since “infidels are of one nation,” distinctions between non-Muslims are insignificant in relation to the overriding distinction between Muslim and non-Muslim.
Dar al-Hudna (“House of Calm”) is a land of non-believers currently under a truce that is brought about by a tribute from harbis. When the harbis refuse to pay tribute, hostilities are resumed.
Dar al-’Ahd (دار العهد “House of Truce”, or Dar al-Sulh, “House of Treaty”) was an Ottoman invention used to describe the Caliphate’s relationship with its Christian tributary states, (e.g. Romanian, Serbian, Bosnian, Albanian, and Greek territories, etc, etc, etc,) The concept of Dar al-Ahd was invented as a political expediency, because protracted peace with non-Muslim states, even those under Muslim domination, is contrary to Islamic law. The term is now used to refer to those non-Muslim governments which have armistice agreements with Muslim governments.
Dar al-Dawah (دار الدعوة , “House of Invitation”) describes a part of Dar al-Harb where Islam has recently been introduced. The term first referred to Christian, Jewish and pagan Arabia. Some Muslims now use it to refer to areas of the not-yet Islamic West where large numbers of Muslims presently reide.
Dar al-Amn (دار الأمن , “House of Safety”) is another term that has been used by Western Muslims to describe their residence in not-yet Islamic territory.
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February 21, 2008 at 3:26 am
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