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Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000010114849 | DS318.825 E83 2006 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
Searching... | 30000010114850 | DS318.825 E83 2006 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
In today's world all eyes are on Iran, which has grappled with an experiment that has had a massive global impact. For some, the Iranian Revolution of 1978-79 was the triumph of a modern, political Islam, heralding Muslim justice and economic prosperity. Others, including many of the original revolutionaries, saw religious fanatics attempting to roll back time by creating a despotic theocracy. Either way, the Iranian Revolution changed the Muslim world. It not only inspired the Muslim masses but also reinvigorated intellectual debates on the nature and possibilities of an Islamic state. The new 'Islamic Republic of Iran' combined not just religion and the state, but theocracy and democracy. Yet the revolution's heirs were soon engaged in a protracted struggle over its legacy. Dissident thinkers, from within an Islamic framework, sought a rights-based political order that could accept dissent, tolerance, pluralism, women's rights and civil liberties.
Their ideas led directly to the presidency of Mohammad Khatami and, despite their political failure, they did leave a permanent legacy by demystifying Iranian religious politics, and condemning the use of the Shariah to justify autocratic rule. This book tells the story of the reformist movement through the world of Hasan Yousefi Eshkevari. An active supporter of the revolution who became one of the most outspoken critics of theocracy, Eshkevari developed ideas of 'Islamic democratic government', which have attracted considerable attention in Iran and elsewhere. In presenting a selection of Eshkevari's writings, this book reveals the intellectual and political trajectory of a Muslim thinker and his attempts to reconcile Islam with reform and democracy. As such it makes a highly original contribution to our understanding of the difficult social and political issues confronting the Islamic world today.
Author Notes
Ziba Mir-Hosseini is a social anthropologist and specialist in Islamic law. She is the author of Islam and Gender: The Religious Debate in Contemporary Iran and Marriage on Trial: A Study of Islamic Family Law. RICHARD TAPPER is Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and author of numerous books on Iran and the Middle East.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
Understanding Iran has become more and more urgent for the West. The author clearly has the expertise needed to explore this topic in depth. Mir-Hosseini is a research associate with London University's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and its Centre of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law. Her book offers a solid look at the evolution of the movement for democracy in Iran after the 1979 Islamic revolution by focusing on the writing of Hasan Eshkevari. The author offers one of the best explorations in print of the compatibility between Islam and democracy, and the initial chapter is an excellent short review of the evolution of the democratic movement in Iran. A key issue is the battle between those in Iran who would separate state and religion. The introductions to each chapter are critical, especially for a nonspecialist on Iran. The book, especially Eshkevari's writings, requires some background for complete understanding. That said, the author offers a fascinating look at the struggles going on between reformists and conservatives, and provides valuable translations of sophisticated writings on the relations between politics and Islam. Eshkevari himself remains in prison but is still considered one of the leading lights of the reformers. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students through practitioners. J. D. Stempel University of Kentucky
Table of Contents
| Preface |
| Abbreviations |
| Introduction |
| Contextual Background |
| The Author and his Works |
| The Contents of the text Kitab Ithbat al-Imama |
| The Translation of Kitab Ithbat al-Imama and Notes |
| The Arabic Edition of Kitab Ithbat al-Imama |
| Select Bibliography: Manuscripts, Primary and Secondary |
| Index -Arabic and English |
