Analyzing the Religious Foundations of the Great Jihad and its Manifestations in the Foreign Policy of the Islamic Republic

The Great Jihad, meaning not obeying the infidels, is a term which is mentioned in the Holy Quran. Since this kind of jihad is a smart and software jihad for defending the Islamic system, it is highly important to deal with it. The problem in this research is that it is possible that some people, being influenced by modernist thought, induce that the Great Jihad is merely a journalistic term and does not have any scientific bases. Such an attitude can bring about passivism in political arenas especially foreign policy. Thus, this question is raised: What is the foundation of the Great Jihad and what manifestations can it have in foreign policy? It is assumed that the Great Jihad has firm and logical foundations and correct explanation of them can have important manifestations in foreign policy. Having a religious look and using analytical method, the present article seeks to explain the religious foundations of the Great Jihad and its application in foreign policy and it came into the conclusion that through using religious principles like monotheism-centeredness, dignity-centeredness and the obligation of rejecting the domination of enemies can explain the concept of the Great Jihad and operationalize its manifestations in foreign policy.