Islamistan
Encyclopedia
Islamistan literally means Islamland or land of Islam. The term is Persian
, (also used in Pashto
and Urdu) and refers to the concept of Dar-ul-Islam
.
In Afghanistan
in the early 1980s, anti-Soviet factions came together to try to present a united front for the country. Some of these groups suggested that the name of Afghanistan be changed to Islamistan.
In 1949 the president of Muslim League
in Pakistan
said in a speech that the country would bring all Muslim countries together under Islamistan.
Daniel Pipes quotes Hafeez Malik of Villanova University who writes that: "Pakistanis have started to speculate that Pakistan's natural habitat includes Turkey
, Iran
, Afghanistan
, and the Central Asia
Republics." Pipes then writes that "Sometimes called Islamistan, this region gets counterpoised against the Arabic-speaking south."
Some suggest that Imam
Khomeini in Iran
also spoke of a united Shia Islamistan with Iran as the capital.
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, (also used in Pashto
Pashto language
Pashto , known as Afghani in Persian and Pathani in Punjabi , is the native language of the indigenous Pashtun people or Afghan people who are found primarily between an area south of the Amu Darya in Afghanistan and...
and Urdu) and refers to the concept of Dar-ul-Islam
Dar al-Islam
The idea of geographical divisions along religious lines i.e. the dur is neither mentioned in the Qur'an nor in the sayings of the Prophet , which are considered the primary sources in Islamic jurisprudence...
.
In Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in the early 1980s, anti-Soviet factions came together to try to present a united front for the country. Some of these groups suggested that the name of Afghanistan be changed to Islamistan.
In 1949 the president of Muslim League
Muslim League (Pakistan)
Muslim League was the original successor of All India Muslim League that led the Pakistan Movement achieving an independent nation. After formation of Pakistan, the party was renamed to Muslim League which came to an end soon after Qaid-e-Azam's death on the first marshal law in 1958.-History:On...
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
said in a speech that the country would bring all Muslim countries together under Islamistan.
Daniel Pipes quotes Hafeez Malik of Villanova University who writes that: "Pakistanis have started to speculate that Pakistan's natural habitat includes Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, and the Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
Republics." Pipes then writes that "Sometimes called Islamistan, this region gets counterpoised against the Arabic-speaking south."
Some suggest that Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Khomeini in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
also spoke of a united Shia Islamistan with Iran as the capital.