The Just Ruler in Shi'ite Islam
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The Islamic regime that came to power after the 1978-79 Iranian revolution justified the rule of the Ayatollah Khomeini, and the Shi'ite imams in general, on the basis of the doctrine that the Islamic jurist is best suited to rule with justice in an Islamic country. Arguing that this concept has no apparent parallel in Sunni Islam, this study explores its origins in the Sunni/Shi'ite schism, which took place after the death of the Prophet, and traces its evolution to the present day. Drawing on exhaustive research in the Islamic libraries of Iran and Jordan, as well as discussions with leading jurors and scholars in Iran, Sachedina presents the first in-depth analysis of an Islamic phenomenon of vital contemporary social and political significance.Reviews
"Makes a welcome addition to the growing literature on Shi'ite political thought. The author draws on an impressive body of legal works, both classical and more recent...in order to demonstrate the orthodox view of authority and its implications in the case of the Imam, the temporal ruler, and the jurist."--Journal of Religion
"A valuable contribution to Shi'i studies by an acknowledged expert in the field."--Journal of Near Eastern Studies
"Of the many studies [of the Shi'i branch of Islam] that have appeared in the 1980s, Sachedina's inquiry into the nature of leadership stands out for its profound grounding in the scholarship of the Shi'i theologians themselves."--Choice
"Its coverage is extensive, and its contains a considerable amount of information not previously available in English."--Middle Eastern Studies
"The work lucidly describes and interprets the complex developments within Shi'ite political jurisprudence from its early beginnings up to the present, leading to a clear comprehension of the current situation in Iran. It is particularly a boon for modern students of Islam since it sets Shi'ism and its relationship to political authority in clear daylight.--Fazlur Rahman, University of Chicago
"The problem of juridicial and political authority during the occultation of the Twelfth Imam is of central importance to Shi'ism. This is an exhaustive and judicious treatment of the theme, based on intimate and critical acquaintance with the primary sources. Another major contribution to Shi'ite studies by Abdulaziz Sachedina."--Hamid Algar, University of California at Berkeley
"The book is interesting on two counts: It traces the development in the Shi'ite jurisprudence which has now reserved for the clregy the authority that was the exclusive right of the 'infallible' Imam. Secondly, it addressesthe basic question as to the legality of the very existence of the strong Shi'ite clergy, pending the return of the 'infallible' Imam."--The Frontier Post, (Pakistan)
About the Author(s)
Abdulaziz Abdulhussein Sachedina, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Virginia
