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Events

>
 Islamopedia: Mapping Islamic Thinking Online
November 30, 2009

Jocelyne Cesari of Harvard University will present Islamopedia, a collection of rulings and religious...
>
 The Role of Religion in the Public Square of a Pluralist Democracy
December 14, 2009

Clergy Beyond Borders will be holding a conference at American University on the topic of "Human Righ...

Publications

>
 Berkley Center Annual Report 2008-2009
October 15, 2009

This report outlines the Berkley Center's major activities during the 2008–09 academic year, includ
>
 Luce/SFS Program Annual Report 2008-2009
October 15, 2009

This report provides an overview of the Luce/SFS Program on Religion and International Affairs progr
>
 The Future of U.S. International Religious Freedom Policy: Recommendations for the Obama Administration
March 10, 2009

Building off three symposia on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the International Religious F

Islamic Republic Of Iran DRAFT

Ancient Iran, Islamization, and Shi'ism

Iran entered the world stage under Cyrus the Great (559-30 BCE), who established the Achaemenid Empire and set an imperial precedent for protecting the religious freedom of the peoples he conquered. Zoroastrianism spread through Iran and became the official state religion by the late 6th century BCE, disseminating Zoroastrian concepts, such as free will, across the Empire and influencing the development of other religions, most notably Judaism. Arab invaders brought Islam to Iran in the mid-7th century CE, and nearly all of Iran had converted by the end of the 11th century. The Safavid Empire declared Shi’a Islam the official state religion in 1501, employing a ruthless campaign of forced conversions and inviting Arab Shi’a theologians into the country to convert the mostly Sunni population. By the late 17th century, Shi’ism had permeated Iran, setting it apart from and creating antagonism with its Sunni neighbors. The Safavid Empire collapsed in 1722, and, in 1796, the Qajars reunified Iran after a brutal tribal civil war. Throughout the Qajar Dynasty, Shi'a ulema enjoyed increased autonomy from the state. Under the reign of Fat’h Ali Shah (1797-1834), the Shi'a ulema took responsibility for religious, judicial, and educational institutions. By the late 1800s, the Iranian public was dissatisfied with the Qajar Dynasty, leading to the 1905 Constitutional Revolution. The constitutional movement granted political authority to the ulema by creating an assembly of five mujtahids to review all legislation and ensure its compatibility with Sharia. However, the Iranian constitutional monarchy was short-lived, and the shah soon resumed political predominance, backed by Russian and British intervention.

Modernization and the Islamic Revolution

The Pahlavi Dynasty began in 1925 when Reza Shah Pahlavi (1925-41) deposed the last of the Qajar ...  >>more

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Contemporary Period

Life under the Islamic regime has been mixed. There has been an increase in literacy and a declin...  >>more

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Religion in the Iranian Constitution

According to the Iranian constitution, the official religion is Twelver Shi’ism and the s...  >>more

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Preamble: Aspirations of the Islamic Republic of Iran

The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran advances the cultural, social, political, and ec... >>more

Article 1: The Islamic Republic

The form of government of Iran is that of an Islamic Republic, endorsed by the people of Iran on ... >>more

Article 4: Islamic Bases of the Law

All civil, penal financial, economic, administrative, cultural, military, political, and other la... >>more

Article 5: Leadership of the Ummah

During the Occultation of the Wali al-Asr (may God hasten his reappearance), the wilayah and lead... >>more

Article 7: Constitution of Consultative Bodies

In accordance with the command of the Qur'an contained in the verse ("Their affairs are by consul... >>more

Article 8: Reciprocal Duties of Citizens and Government

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, al-'amr bilma'ruf wa al-nahy 'an al-munkar is a universal and re... >>more

Article 10: Importance of the Family

Since the family is the fundamental unit of Islamic society, all laws, regulations, and pertinent... >>more

Article 11: Unity of the Islamic World

In accordance with the sacred verse of the Qur'an ("This your community is a single community, an... >>more

Article 12: The Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence

The official religion of Iran is Islam and the Twelver Ja'fari school [in usual al-Din and fiqh],... >>more

Article 13: Recognized Religious Minorities

Zoroastrian, Jewish, and Christian Iranians are the only recognized religious minorities, who, wi... >>more

Article 14: Treatment of Non-Muslims

In accordance with the sacred verse; ("God does not forbid you to deal kindly and justly wit... >>more

Article 20: Equal Protection of the Law

All citizens of the country, both men and women, equally enjoy the protection of the law and enjo... >>more

Article 26: The Creation and Membership of Associations

Political parties, societies, political and craft associations, and Islamic or recognized minorit... >>more

Article 56: The Sovereignty of God

Absolute sovereignty over the world and man belongs to God, and it is He Who has made man master ... >>more

Article 72: Legislation Must Be in Accordance to Islam

The Islamic Consultative Assembly cannot enact laws contrary to the usual and ahkam of the offici... >>more

Article 96: Determining Compatibility Between a Law and Islam

The determination of compatibility of the legislation passed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly... >>more

Article 105: Council Decisions Must Abide by Criteria of Islam and Law

Decisions taken by the councils must not be contrary to the criteria of Islam and the laws of the... >>more

Article 107: Election of the Leader

After the demise of the eminent marji' al-taqlid and great leader of the universal Islamic revolu... >>more

Article 109: Qualifications for the Leader

Following are the essential qualifications and conditions for the Leader:

Scholarship, as ... >>more

Article 115: Qualifications for the President

The President must be elected from among religious and political personalities possessing the fol... >>more

Article 144: Army Committed to Islamic Ideology

The Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran must be an Islamic Army, i.e., committed to Islamic ideo... >>more

Article 152: Principles of Foreign Policy

The foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is based upon the rejection of all forms of do... >>more

Article 157: Head of the Judiciary

In order to fulfill the responsibilities of the judiciary power in all the matters concerning jud... >>more

Article 162: Chief of the Supreme Court and Prosecutor-General

The chief of the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor-General must both be just mujtahids well versed... >>more