By Kyle Orton (@KyleWOrton) on 3 February 2026
The Suffering of the Israeli Hostages Taken By HAMAS
1 Reply
Tag Archives: Islam
A Note on the Concept of Sacral Monarchy in Iran
By Kyle Orton (@KyleWOrton) on 25 January 2026
The idea of sacral Monarchy stretches back to the foundations of the Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great, over 2,500 years ago, who ruled as Shahanshah (King of Kings), an office originating with the Zoroastrian deity Ahura Mazda, and all Kingly successes were attributed to this god. It is this sense of Persian Kings as vessels for divine will that explains why they are so anonymous when compared to, say, the Roman Caesars: what mattered was the role, not the idiosyncrasies of the individual playing it.
Islamic State Sets its Sights on Libya as a Launchpad for Terrorism Against Europe
Islamic State Wants to Extend its War Against Christians in Africa to Europe
Roman Eastern Foederati and Arab Monotheism Before Islam
Assessing the Historicity of Abu Bakr, Islam’s First Caliph
Review: “The Sacred City” (2016)
Islamic State Has Alternative Suggestions for the Ten Days of Dhul Hijjah. It’s Jihad.
Was Islam’s Ka’ba Always in Mecca?
A Note on the Mu’tazilites and the Office of the Caliph
By Kyle Orton (@KyleWOrton) on 4 June 2025
Muslim belief is that the Qur’an is “uncreated” (ghayr makhluq). While the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad over twenty-three years (610-32 AD), the “speech of God” (kalam Allah) in these revelations had existed co-eternally with God. This was once a point of serious dispute in Islamic theology, and the outcome of that debate was an important waymarker in the development of Islam.
Kyle Orton's Blog 