Ibn Taimiyyah and Militant Jihad

Abstract

This article while delineating upon definitional quagmire of religion in sociological perspective seeks to explore the distinct nature of Islam in terms of its non-secular character. It is in this backdrop that it focuses upon Ibn Taimiyyah’s philosophy from three fundamental trajectories namely ‘anti-secular approach to religion’, ‘Islamic legal system’ and ‘militant jihad’ and further seeks to suggest that modern trends in contemporary political Islam owe a lot to his dynamic scholarship. However, it further argues that contemporary militants undertake a selective approach towards his philosophy to explore grounds to seek theological legitimacy to their acts of violence.