Ijtihad Network Being Wise and Faithful Muslim in the Contemporary World
In this book the writer draws on the history and theological underpinnings of Shi’i Islam to argue that in today’s Iran, politi and religion are neither rigid nor in diametric opposition.
Since its emergence in 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran has remained a conundrum for observers, particularly in the West. Shi’ism and the Democratisation Process in Iran examines the fundaments of Iran’s Islamic governance and asks the pivotal question: can democracy and Islam cohere? Addressing Wilayat al-Faqih, or rule by the jurisprudent – the theory upon which the Islamic Republic was constructed – he asserts that the system upholds both individual and communal rights, and provides scope for citizens to express their interests. Moussawi draws on the history and theological underpinnings of Shi’i Islam to argue that in today’s Iran, politi and religion are neither rigid nor in diametric opposition. Exhaustively researched, Shi’ism and the Democratisation Process in Iran marks an invaluable addition to the growing oeuvre of books on Iran.
About the Author
Ibrahim Moussawi was born in Baalbeck, Lebanon. He has an MA in Political Science and a PhD in Philosophy of Islamic Studies, and has worked as a journalist for As- Safir, Al Intiqad, Daily Star Lebanon and Al-Manar television. Currently, he is the Head of Media Relations for the Lebanese party, Hizbullah, and Associate Professor in Media, Sociology and History at the Lebanese University in Beirut. He regularly lectures at universities around the world, including Cambridge University, the London School of Economics and the School of Oriental and African Studies. He also frequently appears as a political analyst and commentator on international television channels such as CNN, the BBC, Sky News and Al Jazeera.
Table of Contents
Introduction;
- Principles in Shi’i Islam;
- Basic Principles: Wilayat al-Faqih and Shi’i Jurisprudence;
- Democratisation Processes in the Islamic Republic of Iran: The Role of shura in the Democratisation Process;
- Islamic Principles Applied in the Islamic Republic;
- Does Wilayat al-Faqih Lead to Tyranny?;
- Islamism and Republicanism;
- Democratisation in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Emergence of the Iranian Reform Movement; Postscript: The 2009 Election and its Aftermath
Bibliographic Information
Title: Shi’ism and the Democratisation Process in Iran: With a focus on Wilayat al-Faqih
Author: Ibrahim Moussawi
Publisher: Saqi Books
Language: English
Length: 215 pages
ISBN: 978-0863564703
Pub. Date: March 2012
