Epistemic Violence and International Law: Islamic Thought in the Struggle for Epistemic Equivalency

International law is often portrayed as a universal framework fostering order, justice, and peace among sovereign states. Yet, its historical trajectory reveals a predatory dynamic: emerging from European modernity, international law has operated as a handmaiden to imperial domination and epistemic exclusion. Rooted in Eurocentric hierarchies of race, culture, and civilisation, the regime’s epistemic singularity has marginalised non-Western thought, silenced intellectual contributions, and excluded marginalised communities, such as Muslim societies, from shaping global order. This chapter examines international law’s complicity in systemic violence, focusing on the Question of Palestine. Highlighting the persistent exclusion of Islamic thought, it explores how foundational treaties like the Constitution of Medina and the Treaty of Hudaybiyah demonstrate principles of inclusivity, justice, and peaceful coexistence which could inform a reimagined approach to the Question of Palestine and to global governance more broadly. The chapter concludes by advocating for dismantling epistemic hierarchies and reimagining international law through pluralistic frameworks, offering alternative pathways for addressing shared global challenges.