Wasatiyya Discourse in Shi’i Islam: Ayatollah Montazeri and Human Rights Jurisprudence
There are significant differences of opinion about the successes and failures of Iran’s clerical government, but it can hardly be disputed that the experience has led to the flourishing of Shīʿī political thought. In the past four decades, aided by government support, extensive literature has been p...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/2/126 |
| _version_ | 1827653046711091200 |
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| author | Naser Ghobadzadeh |
| author_facet | Naser Ghobadzadeh |
| author_sort | Naser Ghobadzadeh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | There are significant differences of opinion about the successes and failures of Iran’s clerical government, but it can hardly be disputed that the experience has led to the flourishing of Shīʿī political thought. In the past four decades, aided by government support, extensive literature has been produced endorsing the political theology of “governmental Shīʿism” conceptualized by Khomeini in the early 1970s. Numerous other schools of thought have also emerged in opposition to the militant Shīʿī interpretation of religion by governmental Shīʿism. Using the concept of Wasatiyyah to conceptualize the most important counter-discourse to governmental Shīʿism, this article addresses the life and thought of Ayatollah Montazeri, one of the most prominent Wasatiyyah thinkers. Focusing on the issue of human rights in Montazeri’s thought, the article seeks to demonstrate how Montazeri instigated a fundamental reform of the seminary episteme, and by doing so articulated intra-religious reasoning in favor of the promotion of modern concepts such as human rights. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:10:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eb12db80c8404832919ee1f155fba177 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:10:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-eb12db80c8404832919ee1f155fba1772023-11-23T21:51:33ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442022-01-0113212610.3390/rel13020126Wasatiyya Discourse in Shi’i Islam: Ayatollah Montazeri and Human Rights JurisprudenceNaser Ghobadzadeh0School of Arts, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne 3065, AustraliaThere are significant differences of opinion about the successes and failures of Iran’s clerical government, but it can hardly be disputed that the experience has led to the flourishing of Shīʿī political thought. In the past four decades, aided by government support, extensive literature has been produced endorsing the political theology of “governmental Shīʿism” conceptualized by Khomeini in the early 1970s. Numerous other schools of thought have also emerged in opposition to the militant Shīʿī interpretation of religion by governmental Shīʿism. Using the concept of Wasatiyyah to conceptualize the most important counter-discourse to governmental Shīʿism, this article addresses the life and thought of Ayatollah Montazeri, one of the most prominent Wasatiyyah thinkers. Focusing on the issue of human rights in Montazeri’s thought, the article seeks to demonstrate how Montazeri instigated a fundamental reform of the seminary episteme, and by doing so articulated intra-religious reasoning in favor of the promotion of modern concepts such as human rights.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/2/126IranMontazerigovernmental ShīʿismKhomeinireligious epistemehuman rights jurisprudence |
| spellingShingle | Naser Ghobadzadeh Wasatiyya Discourse in Shi’i Islam: Ayatollah Montazeri and Human Rights Jurisprudence Religions Iran Montazeri governmental Shīʿism Khomeini religious episteme human rights jurisprudence |
| title | Wasatiyya Discourse in Shi’i Islam: Ayatollah Montazeri and Human Rights Jurisprudence |
| title_full | Wasatiyya Discourse in Shi’i Islam: Ayatollah Montazeri and Human Rights Jurisprudence |
| title_fullStr | Wasatiyya Discourse in Shi’i Islam: Ayatollah Montazeri and Human Rights Jurisprudence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Wasatiyya Discourse in Shi’i Islam: Ayatollah Montazeri and Human Rights Jurisprudence |
| title_short | Wasatiyya Discourse in Shi’i Islam: Ayatollah Montazeri and Human Rights Jurisprudence |
| title_sort | wasatiyya discourse in shi i islam ayatollah montazeri and human rights jurisprudence |
| topic | Iran Montazeri governmental Shīʿism Khomeini religious episteme human rights jurisprudence |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/2/126 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT naserghobadzadeh wasatiyyadiscourseinshiiislamayatollahmontazeriandhumanrightsjurisprudence |