Comparative Analysis of the Role of the Shiʿi Schools of Najaf and Jabal ʿAmil in the Expansion of Political Thought and the Culture of Resistance in West Asia
Keywords:
Najaf School, Jabal ʿAmil, culture of resistance, Shiʿi political thought, West AsiaAbstract
The present study aims to examine the role of the Shiʿi schools of Najaf and Jabal ʿAmil in the development of political thought and the culture of resistance in West Asia. In this regard, the intersection of two strategies—independence from political power and participation in political power—was investigated to determine how these seemingly contradictory yet complementary approaches contributed to the formation of a comprehensive model of resistance. This study employs a descriptive-analytical method and comparatively examines the two schools on the basis of six evaluative indicators: intellectual production, influence on resistance movements, cultivation of leaders, scholarly networks, political influence, and historical continuity. The findings indicate that the Najaf school, through the promotion of institutional independence and an oversight-oriented model, institutionalized the legitimacy and critical orientation of resistance within Shiʿi communities and provided answers to questions concerning legitimacy and leadership. In contrast, the Jabal ʿAmil school, by developing models of jurisprudential governance and structural administration, provided the practical mechanisms necessary for operationalizing resistance and addressed questions concerning methods and instruments of implementation. The results demonstrate that the culture of resistance in the region is the product of a dialectical interaction between Najaf’s supervisory independence and Jabal ʿAmil’s structural engagement with power, which were transformed into a balanced framework within the institutional structure of a committed political system. In this context, the emergence of the political system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as a catalyst and operational center, played a pivotal role in transforming these theoretical ideas into a comprehensive regional strategy. Ultimately, the study concludes that the expansion of the culture of resistance in West Asia has resulted from the convergence of religious legitimacy and structural effectiveness within the framework of a committed political will, which has succeeded in reproducing and expanding the political identity of Shiʿism in response to colonial and authoritarian pressures.
Downloads
References
1. Bagheri SM. Analysis of Power Structures in Shi'i Thought. Political Thought Research Quarterly. 2015;10(2):50-68.
2. Rahdar SA. The Link between Jurisprudence and Politics in the Thought of Jabal Amel Scholars. Jurisprudence and Law Research Quarterly. 2020;18(2):10-25.
3. Soleimani H. Production of Political Knowledge in Shi'i Scholarly Centers. Jurisprudence and Law Journal. 2017;16(1):100-20.
4. Eraghi M. Analysis of the Recruitment and Dispatch Model in Religious Schools. Strategic Studies Journal. 2018;12(2):110-30.
5. Jafari Panah R, Mahboubi H. A Comparative Analysis of Resistance Models in Contemporary Shi'i Thought. Political Thought Research Quarterly. 2023;20(3):30-48.
6. Mokhtari A. An Examination of the Intellectual Developments of the Jabal Amel School from the Eighth to the Tenth Centuries AH. Qur'anic Studies Journal. 2004;10(1):120-35.
7. Nasiri A, Amineh M. The Political Effects of the Migration of Jabal Amel Scholars to Iran. History of Shi'ism Research Quarterly. 2010;7(2):15-30.
8. Bahramnejad A. An Examination of Political and Administrative Developments in the Safavid Era. Political History Research Quarterly. 2004;12(2):110-25.
9. Jafarian SM. The Position of the Religious Scholar in the Structure of Political Power. Shi'i Studies Journal. 2000;8(1):40-55.
10. Rahmati M, Biranvand Z. The Role of Shi'i Ministers at the Abbasid Court in the Expansion of Imamiyyah Shi'ism in the Seventh Century AH. Islamic Civilization History Research Quarterly. 2019;52(1):59-79.
11. Nateghi M. Analysis of the Relationship between Marja'iyya and Power in Contemporary History. Political Critique Journal. 2011;15(1):80-95.
12. Cheloungar M. The Intersection of Religious Legitimacy and Administrative Expertise in the Safavid Period. History of Civilization Journal. 2004;11(4):60-75.
13. Sadeghi M. The Continuity of the Institution of Marja'iyya in Confronting Despotism. Political Studies Journal. 2016;18(3):105-25.
14. Hosseini SA. Spiritual Authority and Social Resistance in West Asia. History of Shi'ism Research Quarterly. 2020;15(4):150-70.
15. Rezaei M. The Role of the Religious Scholar in the Political Guidance of Society. Critique and Thought Journal. 2012;8(2):80-95.
16. Qazvini Nazmabadi M, Rahimi A. The Position of Shi'ism in the Mamluk Realm. Shi'a Studies Quarterly. 2015;1(2):133-50.
17. Salehi M. An Examination of the Concept of al-Mihna in Najaf Political Thought. Islamic Civilization History Research Quarterly. 2019;50(2):80-98.
18. Moradi SR. The Culture of Resistance and Social Masses in Iraq. Sociological Research Quarterly. 2013;11(1):40-58.
19. Kashani A. Marja'iyya and Political Independence in Contemporary History. Religious Thought Journal. 2011;9(4):55-75.
20. Abbasi SM. Scholarly Networks and the Transmission of Thought in West Asia. Shi'ism Research Quarterly. 2014;8(3):90-110.
21. Suhrawardi M. Managing Society in the Face of Power in Najaf Thought. Political Critique Journal. 2012;7(3):65-85.
22. Ghasemi SA. The Legacy of the Najaf School in Contemporary Political Thought. History of Shi'ism Research Quarterly. 2019;14(1):80-95.
23. Hosseinizadeh SMA. The Political Thought of Muhaqqiq al-Karaki. Qom: Islamic Propagation Office, Islamic Political Thought Research Institute; 2001.
Downloads
Publication Timeline
- Submitted
- Revised
- Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Mohsen Alimoradi (Author); Majid Golparvar; Mehdi Hasani Bagheri Sharifabad (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
