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Trends in the Shī'ī Response to Constitutionalist Ideology in Iran

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2009

Vanessa Martin
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Extract

Since the Shī'ī response to constitutionalist notions of government is potentially a very large subject, for the purposes of this discussion Shī'ī will be taken to mean the members of the orthodox 'ulamā, those most committed to the sharī'a and learned in its precepts. Whilst even within this group there is a wide diversity of opinion, it is hoped that, by looking at works written over a longer period, the discussion will show that the response by a particular ‘ālim to constitutionalism is to some extent influenced by the political conditions prevailing at the time of writing. These form a factor together with the restrictions imposed by the sharī'a in shaping the views of particular writers. The ideology under consideration is constitutionalism, but it will be observed that for a large part the subject matter treated consists of ideas such as representation, consultation, legislation, freedom and equality, which are allied to the constitutionalist theory of government, rather than the complete theory itself.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society , Volume 2 , Issue 3 , November 1992 , pp. 347 - 361
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1992

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References

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36 Tabātabā'ī, Rawābit, p. 66.

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40 For a survey of the different reform movements at this time, see Akhavi, Religion, Chapter 5.

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57 Ibid., p. 19.

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66 Ibid., pp. 279ff.

67 Ibid., pp. 290ff.