Elisheva Machlis - Shi’i Sectarianism in the Middle East: Modernisation and the Quest for Islamic Universalism

The eruption of violent sectarianism in Iraq following the US invasion in 2003 brought the question of Sunni-Shii relations in the country to the forefront of the international public agenda. It also strengthened the popular belief that contemporary Shiism is inherently sectarian. Yet several decades earlier, Ayatollah Khomeini had declared an Islamic revolution and downplayed its Shii origins and links. So what is the true orientation of Shii Islam in the contemporary era and how did modernisation alter its sectarian affiliation? This book contends that early Shii reformist thought set the foundations for a more universal-oriented Shiism. Prominent reformists in the first half of the twentieth century from the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf in Iraq and from the Shii centres in Southern Lebanon played a significant role in the renewal of Shiism and laid the groundwork for its reinvention in the modern era. Exploring this shift towards a more ecumenical perception of Islam, Elisheva Machlis here provides a fresh perspective on inter-sectarian relations in contemporary Iraq and illuminates the intellectual roots of the Islamic revolution, by examining networks of Shii scholars such as Mu?ammad ?usayn K?shif al-Ghi?? and Mu?sin al-Am?n al-?mil?, operating within a more globalised Muslim world. Drawing on the experiences of early Shii reformists, such as Abd al-?usayn Sharaf al-D?n al-M?saw? in Lebanon and Mu?ammad Jaw?d Mughniyya in Damascus, this book gives new insight on the future of inter-Muslim relations at a time of growing inter-sectarian contention, from the Iran-Iraq war to the post-2003 Sunni-Shii conflict in Iraq and al-Qaidas anti-Shii message, taking into account questions of theology, historiography, jurisprudence and politics which all played a vital role in the transition to the contemporary era. The author here analyses the broad scholarly connections between Iran, Iraq and Lebanon in the twentieth century, while debating paramount questions of leadership, identity and group membership in the development of modern Shiism. Examining the relationship between intellectual thought and socio-political development in the region, this book provides a new perspective concerning the future of an increasingly globalised Muslim world and will prove essential reading for students and specialists.