Islamic republic

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Not to be confused with Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
Islamic republics shown in green.

An Islamic republic is the name given to several states in countries ruled by Islamic laws, including the Islamic Republics of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Mauritania and The Gambia. Pakistan first adopted the title under the constitution of 1956. Mauritania adopted it on 28 November 1958. Iran adopted it after the 1979 Iranian Revolution that overthrew the Pahlavi dynasty. Afghanistan adopted it in 1992 (in 1996-2001 the Taliban was ruling as an Islamic emirate (monarchy)) upon Jamiat-e Islami seizing capital Kabul from the Communists. Despite the similar name the countries differ greatly in their governments and laws.



Two months after victory of the Islamic Revolution on 1979, the new government held Iranian Islamic Republic referendum on the 10th and 11th of Farvadin (30th and 31 March) for changing the Pahlavi dynasty with an Islamic Republic. On 12 Farvadin, the referendum results was announced that 98.2 percent of the Iranian people voted to Islamic Republic.[1][2]

Before Islamic Republic referendum, some political groups suggested various name for ideology of Iranian revolution such as the Republic (without Islam) or democratic republic. But Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, asked people to vote to the Islamic Republic, not a word more and not one less word.[2][3]

According to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Republic is a system based on belief in:[4]

  2. divine revelation and its fundamental role in setting forth the laws;
  4. the justice of God in creation and legislation;
  • continuous leadership of the holy persons, possessing necessary qualifications, exercised on the basis of the Quran and the Sunnah, upon all of whom be peace;




Pakistan was the first country to adopt the adjective "Islamic" to modify its republican status under its otherwise secular constitution in 1956. Despite this definition the country did not have a state religion until 1973, when a new constitution, more democratic and less secular, was adopted. Pakistan only uses the "Islamic" name on its passports, visas and coins. Although Islamic Republic is specifically mentioned in the Constitution of 1973, all government documents are prepared under the name of the Government of Pakistan. The Constitution of Pakistan, part IX, article 227 says "All existing laws shall be brought in conformity with the Injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Quran and Sunnah, in this Part referred to as the Injunctions of Islam, and no law shall be enacted which is repugnant to such Injunctions".[7] In 1974, Pakistan declared Ahmadis as being outside the pale of Islam through the 2nd Amendment.[8] Since the 1980s under General Zia's dictatorship however Pakistan is said to have taken a definite theocratic color.

East Turkestan[edit]


The Gambia[edit]

In December 2015, President Yahya Jammeh declared The Gambia to be an Islamic republic. Jammeh said that the move was designed to distance the West African state from its colonial past, and that no dress code would be imposed and citizens of other faiths would be allowed to practise freely.[10] However, he later ordered all female government employees to wear headscarves[11] before rescinding the decision shortly after. The announcement of an Islamic republic has been criticized as unconstitutional by at least one opposition group.[12]

See also[edit]


  1. ^ "Iran Islamic Republic Day". The free dictionary by Farlex. Retrieved 17 June 2016. 
  2. ^ a b "The first election held after the revolution / day when the government took the poor". Fars News Agency. 1 April 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2016. 
  3. ^ "Islamic Republic Day". Islamic Revolution Document Center. Retrieved 1 March 2016. 
  5. ^ "The Supreme Court Chief Justice Biography". 
  6. ^ "Database". 
  7. ^ "Part IX: "Islamic Provisions"". Retrieved 20 April 2016. 
  8. ^ "The Damnation of Pakistan's Second Amendment". The Huffington Post UK. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2016. 
  9. ^ Chahryar Adle; Madhavan K. Palat; Anara Tabyshalieva (2005). History of Civilizations of Central Asia: Towards the contemporary period : from the mid-nineteenth to the end of the twentieth century. UNESCO. p. 395. ISBN 92-3-103985-7. Retrieved 28 October 2010. 
  11. ^ "Female government workers in the Gambia told to wear headscarves". the Guardian. Retrieved 20 April 2016. 

External links[edit]