The Role of the Shiite School in Victory of Islamic Revolution of Iran from Orientalist's View

The Islamic revolution of Iran had a great, deep and different impact on western theoreticians, and created ample challenges for western world in an age when the presence of religion in the society was considered null. This caused a lot of theoreticians to pay special attention to Islamic revolution. Because of the religious nature of Islamic revolution as well as the Shiite beliefs of most Iranians, some of the theoreticians have studied this phenomenon from the religious viewpoint. After a long time of negligence, the orientalists noticed the role and importance of Shiism and Shiite beliefs and their efficacy in political and social events in Iran, and acknowledged the great potential of Shiism and Shiite beliefs. Western thinkers regard the role of religion a great one in the revolution of Iran, because it has been able to affect even the non-religious or quasi-religious groups. The Shiite school, with its deep teachings and beliefs such as Mahdawiyyat, the clergies, the religious scholars and leadership, Ashura, martyrdom and unity, has been able to establish the greatest revolution of the century, a revolution that is difficult to be fully appreciated by many thinkers.