The Emergence of Modern Shi'ism: Islamic Reform in Iraq and Iran

by Zackery M. Heern

Scholars often locate the origins of the modern Islamic world in European colonialism or Islamic reactions to European modernity. The Emergence of Modern Shi'ism focuses instead on the rise of Islamic movements indigenous to the Middle East, which developed in direct response to the collapse and decentralization of the so-called Islamic gunpowder empires. In other words, new Shi'i, Sunni, and Sufi movements emerged as the Safavid, Ottoman, and Mughal empires decentralized and disintegrated.
 
Professor Heern specifically highlights the emergence of modern Usuli Shi'ism in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Therefore, this book outlines the historical background and ideological roots of the most powerful movement in modern Shi'i history. The long-term impact of the Usuli revival was that Shi'i scholars gained unprecedented social, political, and economic power in Iran and southern Iraq. Usuli clerics claimed authority to issue binding legal judgments, which, they argued, must be observed by all Shi'is. By the early nineteenth century, Usulism became a popular, fiercely independent, transnational Islamic movement. Usuli clerics continue to operate at the heart of social and political developments in contemporary Iraq and Iran.
 
Thought provoking and challenging, this book examines the foundations of modern Islam, and provides fascinating insight into the region's religious and political developments both past and present.

Genres: Islam, History, Iran, Religion, Middle East

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 10, 2015

Reviews

[Fadi Shaaban · Rating 5 out of 5]

كتاب رائع يقدم دراسة وافية عن الحركات التجديدية في العالم الاسلامي وعلاقة هذه الحركات بتشكل العالم الجديد بعد سقوط إمبراطوريات البارود وبعد الثورة الصناعية وكذلك نظرة الغرب للعولمة . يدرس الكتاب بشكل اخص التيارات الفكرية الشيعية وتطورها من اصولية وإخبارية وشيخية مع التركيز على الاصولية وهي موضوع الكتاب وتسليط الضوء على جهود مؤسس الاصولية الحديثة وحيد بهبهاني وعلى مصادر المعرفة عنده . استخدام الكاتب الامريكي ومعرفته لمفردات حوزوية دقيقة يبعث على الاندهاش ويعطي مصداقية كبيرة لهذا العمل الرائع . من الملفت ايضا معرفة معركة الاصوليون مع الإخباريين . الا نرى توجها الان من بعض الاصوليين التقليدين للعودة للاخبارية؟ الا نرى نفس المعركة الان بين المجددين والمحافظين داخل المدرسة الاصولية ؟

[Alavvii · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of Shiism in the early modern period, provides a succinct and concise explanation of the development of Usulism within the context of multiple emergent "modernities" (European colonialism, re-centralization of Iran under the Qajars, de-centralization of Iraq under the Mamluks/Ottomans). Notes section leads the reader to many other excellent studies on Shiism also available in English. There are a few typos: author refers to Imam Jafar al-Sadiq as the 7th Imam on page 73, and page 93 (he was the 6th Imam); otherwise a clear and engaging read.

[Mark Mills]

Assumed a background knowledge I lacked

[Sagheer Afzal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent piece of scholarship. Concise and succinctly written. It compares the three main Islamic reform movements of Ibn Wahab, Ibn Idris, and Waheed Bihibhani; the founding father of modern day shiism. The strength of the book lies in the fact that it accurately analyses the impact of each movement without any bias.

It also exposes an inherent contradiction about Wahabism. Ibn Wahab vehemently opposed the veneration of saints, he was adamantly opposed to the idea that Quran has mystical passages. Yet he himself claims to have been inspired or even informed by God in his book Kitab-ul-tawhid. Strange that none of his followers did not question his violent oppositions to pirs or saints who claimed that had been divinely inspired by God when he himself claimed the very same thing.

An interesting notion that is presented by the author is the striking similarity between Shiism and Catholicsm. Both ideologies rest on the notion of central figurehead for authority. Both Imams and Catholic priests had immense power over the masses. Zackary Heerne gives an interesting explanation for the rituals of mourning that adorn the Shia faith. It was a great way to give prominence to the clergy who conducted and catalysed these rituals with impassioned speeches. I was intrigued to learn that the earlY Shia scholars desisted from entering into politics because they thought that any political organisation was illegitimate in the absence of the Hidden Imam. Yet later on as the Shia clerics formed a power base that accrued great wealth through the control of charity money in the absence of state patronage, their sphere of influence extended to the point where they were considered greater than the state.

The book also revealed a link between Sufism and Shiism, which have always been in opposition to one another.
Yet Waheed Bihibani claimed to have mystical revelations from Imam Husayn throughout his life. One of his followers Bahr Ulum even claimed to have seen the Hidden Imam and received mysteries from him. One of his subsequent followers founded an esoteric sect within Shiism called the Shaykh's. Tragically followers of this sect were later declared infidels by their Shia brethren.

A troubling fact revealed in this book is how historically easy it has been for Muslims to declare war on other Muslims. Perhaps no other groups demonstrates this more than the early day Shias or Usuli's as they are referred to in the book.

A fascinating and informative book which I woulf recommend to anyone interested in the origins of Islam.

[Shaqer Rasheed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got me interested in evolution of shia theology. But for further clarifications I needed to read other books.