| Sumario: | This article examines the concept of religious nationalism, particularly Islamic nationalism, as a complex and paradoxical phenomenon situated at the intersection of religion and nationalism. It argues that religious nationalism challenges classical theories by fusing universalist religious principles with territorially bounded political sovereignty, resulting in inherently unstable political communities. Through comparative analysis of Islamic nationalist regimes in Iran and Saudi Arabia, the article highlights two distinct models: Iran’s clerical absolutism centered on the jurisconsult’s authority, which has faced persistent internal opposition and instability, and Saudi Arabia’s pragmatic division between dynastic rule and Wahhabi religious authority, which has experienced tensions amid modernization and ideological radicalization. The study concludes that religious nationalism often undermines religion’s moral authority by politicizing sacred symbols, thereby facilitating secularization and complicating the role of religion in modern governance and collective identity.
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