The concept of Dar al-Islam, “House of Islam,” and Dar al-Harb, “House of War,” is not a fringe interpretation but a foundational doctrine in Islamic law. It originates from the classical jurists of all four major Sunni schools and divides the world into lands ruled by Islam and lands at war with it. According to this framework, Dar al-Harb refers to any territory not under Islamic governance and is seen as a legitimate target for eventual conquest or submission. This binary view has historically underpinned Islamic expansionism and continues to influence both mainstream doctrine and modern jihadist ideologies.
In this framework, non-Muslim lands, particularly those with strong Jewish presence, are perceived not just as politically independent territories but as spiritually illegitimate. This ideological lens fosters enmity toward Jewish populations, viewing them not only as outsiders but as opponents to the Ummah’s destiny. Nowhere is this mindset more dangerously manifest than in contemporary Europe, where Jewish communities are once again facing levels of hostility reminiscent of darker eras.
The Rising Tide of Anti-Semitism in Europe
Across the European Union, antisemitism has reached disturbing levels. According to the 2024 survey by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), more than half (52 percent) of Jewish respondents reported experiencing antisemitic harassment in public within the past year, while an overwhelming 90 percent encountered antisemitism online. These figures underscore a pervasive atmosphere of hostility that extends well beyond the digital realm, manifesting in real-world threats and intimidation.
In the United Kingdom, the Community Security Trust (CST) recorded 4,103 antisemitic incidents in 2023, the highest number ever documented in a single year. The trend shows no sign of slowing. Nearly 2,000 incidents occurred in just the first half of 2024, and 1,521 additional cases were reported in the first six months of 2025, averaging more than 200 incidents per month. The CST has warned that this escalation is driven by ideological hostility rooted in imported Islamist doctrines, often tied to anti-Jewish interpretations of jihad.
Germany has seen similar developments. According to data from RIAS and the German Federal Police, there were 5,164 antisemitic offenses recorded in 2023. The situation worsened dramatically following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, with daily antisemitic incidents rising to 32 per day, compared to just 7 per day in 2022. Berlin has become a flashpoint, logging 1,383 incidents in the first half of 2024 alone, the highest annualized total since formal documentation began. Synagogues, memorials, and Jewish schools across Germany have all become targets of hate crimes, prompting increased security measures.
Other European countries have also seen a surge in anti-Jewish sentiment, particularly in the aftermath of conflicts involving Israel. In France, antisemitic acts often spike in response to Middle East violence, with watchdog groups like CRIF and the National Bureau for Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism warning of a growing normalization of Jew-hatred. Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands have all recorded increases in antisemitic threats, assaults, and vandalism, even in areas with relatively small Jewish populations. The Guardian recently reported a violent attack on a Jewish father and son at an Italian service station, highlighting how unpredictable and dangerous the climate has become.
This data paints a consistent and deeply troubling picture. Antisemitism in Europe is systemic, rising, and often ideologically motivated. The persistence and escalation of these incidents are not simply coincidental or isolated. They reflect a broader social and political trend that continues to put Jewish lives at risk.
How the Two-Lands Doctrine Fuels Anti-Semitism
The Dar al-Harb ideology frames non-Muslim territories as domains of war, destined to fall under Islamic rule. In this worldview, Jews are especially singled out. Their religious identity, national sovereignty, and deep historical claims, particularly in relation to Israel, represent a theological and political affront.
As Islamist propaganda takes root in immigrant and radicalized enclaves, European Jews are increasingly portrayed as enemies not just of Palestinians or Muslims, but of Islam itself. Protest rhetoric and imagery routinely cross the line from anti-Israel sentiment into open Jew-hatred. Slogans like “From the river to the sea” and symbols glorifying martyrdom are often paired with Holocaust denial, blood libel tropes, and explicit threats.
For adherents of the two-lands doctrine, Jewish survival in Europe is viewed as an obstacle to global Islamic unity, a heretical presence in Dar al-Harb that must be resisted, removed, or subdued.
The Consequences of Ideological Appeasement
European leaders have consistently failed to confront this ideology at its root. Rather than calling out religious justifications for antisemitic violence, many institutions have chosen to appease Islamist groups under the banner of multiculturalism or political pragmatism.
This reluctance to offend has only emboldened extremists. Governments routinely allow protests where calls for Jewish death or Israel’s annihilation go unchecked, and many law enforcement agencies are hesitant to prosecute hate crimes committed under religious or political pretense. The result is that Jews are forced to bear the burden of ideological conflict they did not initiate, with synagogues under guard, Jewish students harassed on campuses, and families leaving entire neighborhoods for fear of violence.
If European society is serious about protecting its Jewish citizens, it must be honest about the source of the threat. That means recognizing the role that doctrines like Dar al-Harb play in legitimizing hostility and violence.
Conclusion
The ideology of Dar al-Islam versus Dar al-Harb contributes directly to a mindset of perpetual enmity toward non-Muslims, with Jews occupying a central role in this theological and political struggle. The data across Europe shows that Jewish communities are not facing occasional prejudice. They are the targets of a widespread ideological war.
Though their ancestral homeland is Israel, Jews have lived in Europe for centuries. Their continued presence should not depend on appeasement or silence, but on the moral clarity and courage of societies willing to defend them without exception and without compromise.
Discussion Questions
- How does the concept of Dar al-Harb contribute to the justification of hostility toward Jewish communities in Europe today?
- What are the risks of failing to distinguish between legitimate criticism of Israel and rhetoric that crosses into antisemitism?
- Why have many European governments hesitated to confront the ideological roots of Islamist antisemitism, and what are the consequences of this reluctance?
- In what ways can acknowledging Israel as the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people help counter harmful narratives about Jews in the diaspora?
- What concrete steps should European societies take to address ideologically driven hate, particularly when it is cloaked in religious or political language?
Want to Know More?
- The New Anti-Semitism: Globalizing Hate by Phyllis Chesler
A well-documented analysis of how anti-Zionism, radical Islam, and Western progressive politics have converged to revive antisemitic ideologies on a global scale. - Islamic Imperialism: A History by Efraim Karsh
A detailed historical account of expansionist currents in Islamic thought, including Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb, and their influence on political movements today. - Anti-Semitism: Here and Now by Deborah E. Lipstadt
An accessible and thoughtful engagement with the resurgence of antisemitism in modern public life, framed as a dialogue between teacher and student. - A Lethal Obsession: Anti-Semitism from Antiquity to the Global Jihad by Robert S. Wistrich
A sweeping scholarly investigation of the roots and evolution of antisemitism across cultures and time, with a focus on its most dangerous modern forms. - Muslim Anti-Semitism in Christian Europe by Raphael Israeli
An academic exploration of the transmission of antisemitic ideology into Muslim immigrant communities in Europe and its intersection with Islamist doctrine.
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