| The purpose of this research is the analysis of the religious and political mechanisms behind the creation of Islamic State. This thesis is divided in three major sections First, I examine Islamic State's statehood claims in the context of Islamic laws and customs concerning justice, tribal life, laws of war, territorial division, religious beliefs, slavery, and leadership assignment. I then compare the influence of the Salafi and Wahhabi ideologies on Islamic State and Saudi Arabia. Finally, I correlate Islamic State's path toward statehood with the religious and political formation of the Saudi Arabian state. I conclude that Islamic State is a hybrid political entity with both nationalism and an Islamic-inspired ideology as parents. Moreover, I found out that the nationalist and religious hybrid that gave birth to Islamic State is present in the Saudi Arabian state. This leads me to conclude that Saudi Arabia is a manifestation of Islamic State's religious and nationalistic goals. |
