Islam’s Global Political Ambitions: Theology as Blueprint for Domination

Islam is not merely a spiritual path—it is an ideological system with global ambitions, deeply embedded in its foundational texts. While many religions express a desire to spread their faith, Islam uniquely mandates not only religious expansion but political supremacy over all other belief systems and governance structures. This ambition is not a fringe interpretation; it is explicit in the Qur'an itself, particularly in Surah At-Tawbah (9:33) and Surah Al-Fath (48:28).

“It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religion, even though the disbelievers detest it.”
— Qur’an 9:33, 61:9, and 48:28 (repeated thrice for emphasis)

These verses form the ideological cornerstone for Islam’s claim to global dominance, serving as divine justification for political movements that seek to establish an Islamic world order. The repetition across three chapters of the Qur'an signals its importance. This is not poetic metaphor—it is policy in scriptural form.

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1. The Theology of Supremacy: Islam Must Dominate

The Arabic phrase "li-yuzhirahu ʿala al-dīn kullihi" is often translated as “to make it prevail over all religion.” The word “yuzhir” (يُظْهِرَهُ) implies dominance, superiority, or victory—not peaceful coexistence.

Traditional Islamic scholars, including Tafsir al-Jalalayn, Ibn Kathir, and Al-Tabari, have uniformly interpreted this verse as a promise of Islam’s final political and religious supremacy, not just in belief but in governance and law. According to Ibn Kathir:

“This means Islam will triumph over all religions... its rule will prevail and dominate all religions.”

This is not merely an abstract eschatological claim—it’s a political directive.

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2. The Legacy of Expansion: From Muhammad to Modern Jihadists

From the moment Muhammad migrated to Medina and formed a theocratic state, Islam has functioned as both a faith and a political project. Within a decade, Muhammad had conquered the Arabian Peninsula. His successors—the Caliphs—spread Islam militarily across three continents, driven by the conviction that God willed Islamic dominance.

This legacy includes:

• The Rashidun conquests (634–661): taking Syria, Persia, Egypt.

• The Umayyad Caliphate: expanding into Spain, Central Asia, and North Africa.

• The Abbasid and Ottoman Caliphates: maintaining political-religious rule over vast territories.

These were not secular empires—they were Islamic theocracies, justified by verses like Qur’an 9:33 and 48:28. They treated Islamic rule as a divinely mandated mission, and non-Muslim territories (Dar al-Harb) were legitimate targets for expansion and subjugation.

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3. Modern Echoes: From the Muslim Brotherhood to ISIS

Islamic supremacist thought did not die with the Ottomans. Instead, it morphed into ideological movements throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Groups like:

• The Muslim Brotherhood (founded 1928)

• Hizb ut-Tahrir

• Al-Qaeda

• ISIS (Islamic State)

…have all cited Qur’an 9:33 and 48:28 as proof that their goal is not merely spiritual reform, but political revolution—the replacement of all secular or non-Islamic regimes with Sharia-based governance.

ISIS’s caliphate declaration in 2014 was not just a power grab—it was framed as a fulfillment of Qur’anic prophecy. Their slogan, “baqiya wa tatamaddad” (remaining and expanding), encapsulated their belief that Islam’s victory over all religions and political systems is inevitable.

Likewise, Sayyid Qutb (intellectual father of modern jihadism) wrote that Islam must “abolish all man-made systems and establish the Islamic system of life.”

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4. Not Just Religion—A Total System

The political ambition of Islam is rooted in its totalizing nature. Islam is not simply a faith, but a comprehensive blueprint covering:

• Law (Sharia)

• Government (Khilafah)

• Finance (Zakat and Islamic banking)

• Military conduct (Jihad)

• International relations (Dar al-Islam vs. Dar al-Harb)

Islam sees itself not as a religion among many, but as the culmination and correction of all previous systems (see Qur’an 3:19 and 3:85). This belief fuels exclusivism and a divinely sanctioned mission to replace all other systems.

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5. Apologist Evasions: “Spiritual Supremacy” or Soft Imperialism?

Some modern Islamic apologists argue that verses like 9:33 refer to spiritual or moral supremacy, not military conquest or political domination. This view, however, is:

• Ahistorical – it ignores centuries of Islamic conquests explicitly waged under these verses.

• Theologically weak – traditional exegesis clearly understood “dominance” as tangible, not metaphorical.

• Politically convenient – it offers a sanitized version of Islam that obscures its foundational objectives.

Even so-called “moderate” thinkers like Yusuf al-Qaradawi have admitted that Islam cannot be fully implemented without political power. In his own words:

“The Caliphate is not a dream—it is an obligation.”

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6. Real-World Impact: Global Political Islam

Today, Qur’anic-based political ambition continues to manifest in:

• Blasphemy laws exported from Islamic states to the UN.

• Pressure campaigns against free speech, often citing “Islamophobia.”

• Islamist lobby groups influencing Western democracies under the guise of civil rights.

• Transnational dawa networks working to Islamize both public discourse and legal norms.

In essence, modern Islamist movements package ancient supremacist theology in modern political rhetoric, but the core remains: Islam must dominate.

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7. Conclusion: The Blueprint Remains Intact

Qur’an 9:33 and 48:28 are not relics—they are living doctrines. They have inspired empires, caliphates, revolutions, and terrorist movements. Their message is clear: Islam is not here to coexist, but to prevail.

Until the theological underpinning of global Islamic supremacy is openly challenged, modern Islamist ambitions will continue to be framed not as political extremism, but as faithful execution of divine will.

And as long as that remains true, the conflict between political Islam and secular, pluralistic governance is not a misunderstanding—it’s a direct confrontation.