Nader Shah's Religious Approach and its Effect on the Shia and Shia Scholars

The present research aims at investigating religious approach of Nader Shah (1148-1160 AH) and its effect on Shiism and Shiite scholars. Thus, the main problem in this study is the reason and the manner of Nader Shah’s interactions with the Shiites and Shiite scholars. Safawids (907-1135 AH), with their official support for Shiism, caused the Shiism to grow and spread out. However, Afghans’ invasion into Isfahan and their struggle with Shiites weakened the religious institute. After seizing the power, Nader Shah Afshar did not officially support Shiism; rather, he belittled it as a minor sect and gave priority to political and military issues. Factors such as Shiite scholars’ ineffective presence in the structure of government and marginalizing them, lowering the position and duties of the religious authorities, restricting the educational activities of the Shiite scholars, confiscating the religious endowments and severe restriction of financial resources of the Shiite scholars, and their migration to nearby lands are signs of minimum interaction of Nader Shah with the Shiites and Shiite scholars.