Al-Manahij : Jurnal Kajian Hukum Islam
Vol. 20 No. 2 (2026)

Self-Defense in the Iran-Israel Conflict: Protecting Third-State Sovereignty, A Comparative Analysis of International Law and Islamic Legal Theory

Imamul Arifin (Politeknik Elektronika Negeri Surabaya)
Hilmy Baihaqy Yussof (Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, Brunei)
Erdah Litriani (Universitas Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang)
Siti Nasikhah (Universitas Nurul Huda OKU Timur Sumatera Selatan)
Nasrul Fauzi (Institut Agama Islam Negeri Sorong Papua Barat Daya)



Article Info

Publish Date
26 Aug 2026

Abstract

This article challenges the conventional discourse on military self-defense by interrogating the unexamined consequences of the Iran-Israel conflict: the collateral erosion of sovereignty in neighboring Muslim states. Through a normative-juridical analysis of International Law and Siyāsah Syar'iyyah, we reveal a critical disjuncture. While International Law theoretically protects third-party states under the principle of non-intervention, its application is rendered moot by the strategic interests of major powers. Conversely, Siyāsah Syar'iyyah, through the classical doctrines of fiqh al-Siyar and tamyīz (distinction), provides a granular ethical framework that International Law lacks. The study's primary contribution is the operationalization of ḥimāyat al-bayḍah as a legal counterweight to the UN Security Council's geopolitical paralysis. We argue that cross-border military maneuvers sacrificing neighboring states contravene al-wafa' bi al-'uqud (respect for treaties) and constitute tangible fasād (corruption), nullifying any moral or legal claim to self-defense. Consequently, Muslim states can no longer passively rely on orthodox legal instruments vulnerable to hegemonic distortion. We call for a fundamental reconceptualization of Middle Eastern security architecture, shifting toward an independent, proactive collective defense pact grounded in Maqāṣid al-Sharī'ah, ensuring that the sovereignty of Muslim nations is no longer held hostage to geopolitical rivalries.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

almanahij

Publisher

Subject

Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Description

AL-MANAHIJ is a scholarly journal of Islamic law studies. It is a forum for debate for scholars and professionals concerned with Islamic Laws and legal cultures of Muslim Worlds. It aims for recognition as a leading medium for a scholarly and professional discourse of Islamic laws. Al-Manahij covers ...