Islam as a Political System Wrapped in Religion

Born into a poor family in Mecca, Muhammad grew up as an orphan and struggled with poverty.
He was educated through trade and gained experience managing caravans.
Married Khadijah, a wealthy widow who was older and more established in society, giving Muhammad access to higher social circles and knowledge.
His ambition grew — he sought to unite the warring Arab tribes, seeing tribal division as a barrier to power and stability.

Muhammad, during moments of reflection, started receiving visions and messages from what he believed to be God (but it was likely the catalyst for his grand political vision).
He understood religion as a tool to unite the fragmented, idol-worshipping tribes under one banner. This was not about divine faith initially, but a political strategy.
Muhammad looked to Judaism and Christianity, observing how these religions had unified people and created centralized governance. He borrowed key ideas of monotheism and law from these traditions.

Rather than relying solely on force, Muhammad began crafting laws to establish order. He understood that religious faith would cement loyalty — beyond the sword — to secure control.
He structured his ideas into a religious framework (the early foundations of the Quran), which gave his laws a divine authority. This made them harder to challenge or overthrow.
These laws addressed social justice, governance, and the role of the leader. For example, the five pillars of Islam were both religious rituals and social controls.
Women were essential, but their role was not central to the power structure. They supported the greater goal but did not wield direct political power.

Medina (Yathrib) was a major trade city with a mix of Jewish and pagan tribes.
Muhammad saw an opportunity here, as the tribal divisions created instability. He moved to Medina and began building alliances, not necessarily by force, but by strategic diplomacy.
His followers were not necessarily religious, but they were loyal to him as a military leader and strategist.
Muhammad did not conquer Medina with violence initially; he infiltrated the city, gained support through alliances, and used religion as the glue.
The Constitution of Medina (or Charter) was created to govern the city, establishing rules of cooperation and mutual defense. This was more about creating a system of governance than spreading religion.

As Muhammad’s followers grew, he collaborated with literate individuals (likely scribes, scholars, and former Christian/Jewish followers) to help document his teachings.
The Quran was gradually compiled to solidify the political and religious system. The religion and government became one.
As more followers rallied behind him, he strengthened his leadership through the claim of divine inspiration, which delegitimized any challengers and cemented his role as the Prophet and the ruler.
Military leaders were replaced by religious leaders, who maintained control through faith rather than continuous battle.
Islam was not yet fully formed as a religious movement; it was a political tool wrapped in religion.

After Muhammad’s death, his successors (the Rashidun Caliphs) began the process of military conquest to expand the territory, under the guise of spreading Islam.
The Rashidun Caliphate (632–661 CE) rapidly expanded into Syria, Egypt, Persia, and North Africa. This was war disguised as religious expansion, driven by the political system Muhammad had set in place.
The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE) continued this process. The concept of jihad (struggle) became intertwined with military conquest.
The goal was not purely religious expansion but also political domination — the creation of a global empire under the Islamic framework.

After the fall of the Umayyad Caliphate, Islam fractured into competing factions. The Abbasids (750-1250 CE) took control, but internal wars over who would rule continued.
These conflicts were often portrayed as religious disputes, but they were fundamentally about power — who controlled the empire and the Islamic system.
By this point, Islamic governance was well-established, but its leadership continued to be fragile. As a result, power was often seized through military force, even though the justification was religious.

The Ottoman Empire (1299-1922) represented the last major phase of Islamic political dominance, attempting to create a unified, global Islamic state.
By the time of its fall in the early 20th century, the Ottoman Empire had increasingly become a bureaucratic and militarized institution, where the religious aspect was often used to maintain power, not to spread the faith.
Women remained relegated to secondary roles, and their position remained largely unchanged in this system, with their influence limited to supporting the structure.

Today, the political version of Islam has resurged in the form of Islamic political movements:
- The Bangsamoro in the Philippines
- The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and beyond
- Sharia law gaining influence in several countries, and even in certain U.S. states.
These movements no longer rely on military conquest but on political power, utilizing the religious framework Muhammad set in place to gain influence and control in modern societies.

Throughout the entire history of Islam, women have been essential to the function of the system but not at the forefront of political leadership.
They have provided support, whether as mothers, wives, or converts to the movement, but the political machine itself has always been driven by men.
Women’s role has largely been secondary in the leadership structure, despite their central role in the community.

Islam’s creation was not purely about religion; it was about creating a unified political structure under the guise of divine inspiration.
Muhammad’s ambition was to create a nation, and religion was the most effective tool for securing loyalty from a fragmented, tribal society.
The early wars, the caliphates, and even the modern revival are largely about political control, with the religious framework serving as the vehicle for that control.
Islam, at its core, is a political system that uses religion as its unifying force — a system of rule disguised as faith.