Islamic republic

An Islamic republic in its modern context has come to mean several things. Theoretically, it is a state under a particular theocratic form of government advocated by some Muslim religious leaders in the Middle East and Africa. In an Islamic republic, the laws of the state are required to be compatible with the laws of Sharia, Islamic law, while the state remains a republic.

In the Islamic Republic of Iran (established in 1979), the president and members of the legislature are elected by direct vote of the citizens (although many westernized and pro-monarchy Iranians object to these elections as only candidates approved by the clergy are allowed to run for office). Iran's Islamic republic is in contrast to the constitutionally democratic and partially secular state of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (proclaimed as an Islamic Republic in 1956) where Islamic laws are technically considered to override laws of the state, though in reality they rarely do.

While Pakistan was the first Islamic Republic, Iran is one of the first contemporary nations to formally attempt to follow this form of the government after a revolution.

Today, the creation of an Islamic Republic is the rallying cry for Islamists all over the world. However the term itself has different meanings among various people. Many of proponents of Islamic Republics advocate the abolition of the monarchies of the Middle East, regimes which they believe to be overly secular or otherwise destructive to Islam. In some cases, to be replaced with a recreated Caliphate.

The nations of Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, and Pakistan all have "Islamic republic" in their full name, though they differ greatly in individual governments and laws. Pakistan for example, only uses the "Islamic" name on its passports and visas. All government documents are prepared under the name of the Federation of Pakistan, and some constitutional scholars believe that this should be the proper name. However, Islamic republic is specifically mentioned in the Constitution of 1973.