ABSTRACT
In general the "Islamic state" has evolved through four distinctive phases, although there have been variations in political forms over the centuries. Islam is many things: it is a comprehensive theology dealing with matters of the spirit and salvation. It is the sum total of principles and doctrines concerning social and individual behaviors. In the traditional formulation of the Islamic state, political authority is predicated upon the doctrine of the absolute sovereignty of God. As Piscatori observes: "scriptural interpretation is problematic in every religion, it is especially so in the case of Islam". Medieval Islamic political thought differed fundamentally from the Roman or Orthodox Catholic versions in that there was no institutionalized source of sacerdotal authority. Throughout most of Islamic political history, political figures sought to legitimize their rule by embracing religion. The Islamic state as exemplified by the Ottoman system shifted emphasis from "Islamic" to "state".
