ABSTRACT
The Islamic perception of the use of force may be studied from the viewpoints both of Islamic States' practice and of Islamic jurisprudence. When speaking of Islamic perceptions of the use of force, particularly in the current phase of international relations, one should remember that there is no unified perception among Islamic law experts or politicians in Islamic countries. Arab countries regularly sided with the people of Iraq all through the 1990s and urged the ending of the UN sanctions at the same time as they distanced themselves from Saddam Hussein and desired his overthrow. The American-British attack could very well be considered as a liberating war from this point of view. However, immediately after its commencement, Islamic countries joined the world majority and condemned the invasion as illegal. Since all Islamic countries are members of the United Nations, they are formally bound by the UN Charter.
