Iranian political thought: roots, influences, impact / Sultan Mohammed Al-Nuaimi

Introduction -- Part 1: The Evolution of Iranian Political Thought Before 1979 – Preface -- Chapter 1: Shiite Political Thought From the Major Occultation (329 AH/ 940 AD) to the Safavid Dynasty (905 AH/1499 AD) -- Chapter 2: Shiite Political Thought: From the Qajar Dynasty (1782) to the Beginnings of the 1979 Revolution -- Chapter 3: The Role of Modern Intellectual Movements in Iranian Political Thought -- Part 2: Iranian Political Thought: 1979 Revolution to 1989 – Preface -- Chapter 4: Political Perspectives of Iranian Movements in the Post-Revolutionary Period -- Chapter 5: The Impact of Iranian Political Thought on Regime Structure and Political Practice in Post-Revolutionary Iran... -- Chapter 6: Political Thought of the Ruling Religious Movement Until 1989 -- Part 3: Iranian Political Thought From 1989 to 2000 – Preface -- Chapter 7: The First Group: -- Conservative Right and Far Right -- Chapter 8: The Second Group: -- Religious Left-Moderate Right -- Chapter 9: Third Group: The National Liberal and National Religious Movement -- Part 4: Shifts in Iran's Political Landscape Post-2000 – Preface -- Chapter 10: Divisions within Iran's Political -- Landscape: Fundamentalism and Its Key Concepts...... -- Chapter 11: Iran's Regional and Global Perspectives: Reflections on Foreign Policy – Conclusion – Appendices -- Bibliography.. -- About the Author.

In presenting a comprehensive examination of Iranian political thought, this book addresses key questions that aim to outline its nature and defining features. How has Shiite political thought, both the Akhbari and Usuli (rationalist) branches, shaped the overall evolution of Iranian political thought? What were the main developmental phases of Shiite political thought, and how were these ideas affected, positively or negatively, by each successive dynasty and political regime that has ruled Iran? In what ways have modern intellectual ideas influenced Iranian political ideology, and how has this influence manifested? The impact of the Iranian Revolution is also examined, considering how, in its aftermath, Iran's leading religious group was able to take the concept of Wilayat Al-Faqih to the highest levels of authority, shaping Islamic government. What theories were proposed by religious, liberal and leftist groups as alternative ruling systems after the fall of the Shah? Crucially, how were religious forces able to undermine these liberal and leftist currents to take power? And in taking over, what mechanisms were used to adapt state institutions to align with Shiite political ideology? The analysis also turns to the second decade of the Iranian Revolution, exploring new political perspectives that emerged within the broader religious establishment, advocating for alternatives to the absolute concept of Wilayat Al-Faqih. Key questions include: What drove these shifts in perspective among both traditionalists and reformists in the religious regime, particularly on the concept of Wilayat Al-Faqih and the political system in Iran? What were the key features of the alternative political system proposed by the nationalist liberal movement? And finally, what is the outlook for Iran's political system, given domestic tensions, and current regional and international dynamics? All of these questions contribute to developing a deeper understanding of Iran's political system and climate.