فصلنامه شیعه شناسی
پیاپی 9 (بهار 1384)

In this work, the author outlines what is called “wilayat-e tadbiri”, which is known in theology as “Imamat and Khilafat” (or religious political leadership), and in fikh as “wilayat-e fakih” (or the political authority of a leading religious scholar). Although such a subject has long been discussed at Shicite seminaries, since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, and the introduction of the idea of the absolute political authority of a fakīh by Imam Khomeini, it has given rise to more debates. As the most important topic in Shi’ite political fikh, the idea of “wilayat-e tadbiri” deserves much more scholarly attention urgently.

As part of the continued efforts of the journal to introduce some Shicite scholars in each issue, this article provides brief biographies and short accounts of the intellectual lives of several Shicite scholars. Some of the Shicite scholars are briefly introduced in this volume.

In this paper, the history of the Shica in Jabal cĀmil of Lebanon, and particularly the immigration of Sadāt, or the descendents of Prophet Mohammad, including Seyyed cAbdol-Hossein Sharaf al-Din, the Lebanese Shicite theologian, are explored

This piece assesses the extent to which the practice of choosing spouses in Iranian society has been influenced by the Shicite faith. The Islamic and Shicite doctrine have had a particular impact on the practice of marriage in the following cases: confirmation of the sacredness and value of marriage, recognition of the role of parents in choosing spouses for their offspring, prohibition of marrying certain close relatives, prohibition of marriage outside the Islamic community, and recognition of practices such as polygamy, temporary marriage and the allocation of marriage-portion for the wife [mehriie], as well as the rules on the timing of the marriage ceremony

It was in the period of the sixth Shicite Imam, Imam Sādik, that the institution of wikālat, or representation, was introduced and organised. Under other Imams, the institution was expanded and, depending on social and political circumstances, underwent some developments. It was aimed at organising Imams’ representatives to various parts of the Islamic world, particularly Shicite communities, under the supervision of the chief representative. The institution played an important role in communication between the Shica and the leadership of the community

In this paper, the impact of Shicite culamā living in Iraq, Iran and Lebanon on the Shica in the US is analyzed. The Islamic Revolution of Iran, immigration of Shicite people, the opposition of the Sunnis, and the works of Muhammad Tījānī al-Samāwī, have all given rise to a new trend towards the Shicite faith in the US. However, two decades after the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the subsequent international and Middle Eastern developments, revising the religious education for the new generation of Muslim Shica in the US is a necessity