Islamic state

Muslim majority countries and separation of religion and state:
      Islamic states
      Islam is state religion
      secular states
      other countries

The term Islamic state refers to states that have adopted Islam, specifically the Shari'a, as the ideological foundation for their political institution (see Political aspects of Islam). Examples include:

• A Caliphate in Sunni Islam
• An Imamah in Shia Islam
  • A Wilayat al-Faqih for the Shia in the absence of an Imamah
• An Islamic republic; a general term for many nation states who officially have a republican system and adopt Islam as the state religion.