Ontological Interpretation of "Power" in the Holy Quran from an International Relations Perspective

The holy Quran describes God's will as the genesis and wellspring of any and all power in the universe. Therefore, it is necessary to interpret the concept of power ontologically and to analyse its essence, function, and constituent elements, as well as its substantial or abstract features. In this regard, the research addresses the following question: "What are the Quran's and international relations' viewpoints on the notion of power?" The descriptive-analytical method has been used to answer this question, and a desk research strategy to collect data from the library and the Internet. The fundamental result is that theories of international relations separate power components into substantial and abstract structures, such as militaristic, economic, and ideological, and see it negatively when it becomes operational. Unlike international relations theories of power, however, the holy Quran gives the abstract components of power priority over its substantial components and praises them. International relations theories see power as a means of achieving domination over others and self-satisfaction. Furthermore, such views promote war and see peace as a peripheral and temporary phenomenon. According to the holy Quran, people who receive power from God (whether individuals or society members) and employ this God-given power to please the almighty God will never dominate others in any period or location.