This study is an attempt to gain a better understanding of Ibn Khaldun's political theory contained in The Muqaddimah from the stance that religion and his faith in Islam are at the core of his political theory. Though there is a great deal of scholarship that has been dedicated to the interpretation of Ibn Khaldun's political theory contained in The Muqaddimah, there are a limited number of works that deal exclusively with the role of religion in his conception of the State. Those that do tend to either exaggerate Ibn Khaldun's secular thought in the realm of politics or understate his originality as a political scientist. Thus, this study will attempt to prove that his political theory is indeed theocentric by way of examining the true nature of 'aṣabiya, which to Ibn Khaldun was the basis for all forms of human social and political organization, and its relationship with religion in terms of its function in the establishment and propagation of the State. In addition, we will also attempt to dispel the notion that the overall tone of The Muqaddimah is pessimistic and fatalistic; indeed when one examines the political theory contained in The Muqaddimah from a theocentric viewpoint it is made apparent that it was Ibn Khaldun's strong religious convictions that ultimately present a sense of optimism in his work.

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