Islamic Political Thought

To strengthen and perpetuate the discourse of the Islamic Revolution, familiarity with its intellectual foundations and goals is essential. This article employs Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory to argue that before the Islamic Revolution, Iranian political discourse was centered around the idea of “Sultanism.” However, this dominant discourse was challenged by two intellectual realms: religious and intellectual. In religious thought, Imam Khomeini’s reinterpretation of the principle of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist) and his assertion of the incompatibility of Shiism with monarchy rendered his political discourse credible among opponents of Sultanism. In the intellectual domain, while leftist and liberal discourses lost credibility over time, the national-religious discourse of liberal intellectuals (the Freedom Movement) gained traction by better understanding the religious context, aligning with Khomeini’s religious discourse to undermine the neo-patrimonialist narrative. The findings indicate that Khomeini’s discourse, emphasizing social justice, support for the oppressed, and Islamic unity around Velayat-e Faqih, successfully replaced the Sultanism discourse, achieving a level of success that previous religious discourses had not attained.

This research presents a comparative analysis regarding the influence of religion as a key component of national identity on behavioral patterns in Iran's foreign policy across two distinct periods: that of Pahlavi II and the Islamic Republic. The significance of examining religion arises from its impact on national interest formulation within constructivist frameworks, where identity constructs play a pivotal role. The primary objective of this study is to elucidate how recognizing religion's position as an identity factor can enhance our understanding of behavioral patterns in Iran's foreign policy. Addressing the inquiry into religion's influence on these patterns during both eras, this paper posits that while religion was one of many influential factors in Pahlavi II's foreign policy landscape, it did not substantially integrate into national identity or affect foreign policy decisions at that time. Conversely, within the Islamic Republic framework, religion emerges as a fundamental ideology and an independent variable that shapes foreign policy behavior. The research findings ultimately reveal that during Pahlavi II’s era, national interests were defined through the lens of modern state identity, whereas Shia ideology became central to shaping foreign policy identity in the Islamic Republic. Consequently, religion has demonstrated a significant direct impact on behavioral patterns within this political context.

The traditional conception of sovereign immunity, rooted in the notion of absolute state authority, increasingly conflicts with contemporary demands for justice and accountability. This article proposes a reconceptualization of sovereign immunity through an Islamic political framework that views sovereignty not as an inherent entitlement but as a divine trust (‘amāna’) conditional upon the realization of justice (‘ʿadl’) and the promotion of public welfare (‘maṣlaḥa’). From this perspective, immunity must serve the purpose of protecting legitimate sovereign functions rather than shielding violations of individual rights. By analyzing the evolution from absolute to restrictive immunity in international law and aligning it with Islamic governance principles, the study argues for a justice-centered model where immunity is granted selectively, contingent upon the sovereign’s adherence to ethical and legal obligations. This trust-based understanding ensures that sovereignty remains a mechanism for the preservation of human dignity and the prevention of oppression (‘ẓulm’), rather than a barrier to accountability. The article advocates for a normative shift toward recognizing sovereign responsibility as intrinsic to sovereign rights, offering a new lens through which contemporary debates on immunity can be assessed.

In foreign policy, imperatives refer to the factors and conditions that compel a country to act in specific ways or make particular decisions in the international arena. One significant category of imperatives in foreign policy, particularly for Islamic societies, is jurisprudential imperatives—the fundamental principles, rules, and values derived from Islamic law to guide international relations. According to the Holy Quran and Islamic narrations, Islam provides the sole path for humanity to attain true happiness, both worldly and eternal, on individual and societal levels. To achieve this ideal goal within an Islamic society, the foreign policy actions of an Islamic state must align with imperatives rooted in Islamic law. These imperatives are informed by core Islamic objectives such as the pursuit of justice, peace, preservation of human dignity, and the promotion of the public interest. This research, using a descriptive-analytical method and utilizing reliable jurisprudential sources, considering the issues affecting Islamic countries , identifies and explains the most important jurisprudential imperatives of foreign policy that have a special impact on the numerous and important foreign policy choices of countries in facing contemporary challenges. Within this framework, the study identifies key jurisprudential imperatives for foreign policy, including adherence to principles such as the fulfilment of the obligation, reciprocity, peaceful coexistence, caution in dealing with adversaries, rejection of domination, invitation , and the rules of capability and expediency. The findings underscore that Islamic jurisprudence offers vital solutions to contemporary challenges in international relations, strengthening the effectiveness of Islamic systems on the global stage.

The sociopolitical role of the ʿulamāʾ is a common element of most of the academic accounts on Shia. The scholars of political sociology of Iran have commonly crafted new theoretical frameworks to explain this unique element role in Iranian society. Here, I present a general framework for the study of the ʿulamāʾ in Iran based on their patronage networks among the political elites, bazar, and grassroots. Apart from their religious functions as spiritual leaders and as the authoritative source (taqlīd) of Islamic rulings, the ʿulamāʾ performed the role of patrons for their networks of clients existed among political elites, bazar merchants, and grassroots. Their religious capital facilitated the ʿulamāʾ with a solid social influence that turned them into a major source of grievance and support for these social networks. In this paper, I start with a critical analysis of the existing literature on Shia ʿulamāʾ, then I present a historical account of the sociopolitical patronage of the ʿulamāʾ which finally helps me to suggest a coherent theoretical framework for sociopolitical analysis of the role of the Shia ʿulamāʾ in the 19th century Iran. In order to social connections in my work, I also relied on the Weberian approach that concentrates on social alliances and group models.

The capacity of Islamic teachings, with their universal principles, to address human needs and govern societies has long been a subject of inquiry for scholars. A central preoccupation for Muslim scholars (Ulama) throughout history has been the protection and propagation of Islam. Consequently, the revitalization of Islamic thought and values is considered a critical responsibility for Muslim intellectuals. Among Islamic reformers, Imam Khomeini stands out for his exceptional success in sustaining the momentum of religious revivalism. As a leading revivalist, he spearheaded the Islamic Revolution in Iran, an event that precipitated significant shifts within Muslim societies and civilizations. Imam Khomeini demonstrated that the restoration of Muslim dignity and civilization is achievable through the application of Islamic doctrine and its transcendent values. This article begins by exploring the concept of revivalism within an Islamic context and compares the endeavors of key contemporary revivalist figures. It then proceeds to analyze the distinctive characteristics of Imam Khomeini's approach to revivalism.