Dar al-Islam

In the conservative tradition of Islam the world is divided into two components: dar al-Islam, the house of God, and dar al-Harb, the house of war; the home of the infidels or unbelievers. The goal of the Islamists is to expand the borders of dar al-Islam at the expense of dar al-Harb, and to create a universal Islamic community. This is one meaning of the term Jihad. The Saudi Wahhabists and their philosophy are a prime example of this doctrine. Bin Laden's rhetoric is also reflective of this dichotomy, most likely emanating from his readings of Sayyed Qutb.

See also: Baghdad, Ibn Battuta, Hezbollah