Continuity and Change in the Role of Mysticism under the Islamic Republic of Iran
Sociology of Islam April 4, 2022 Elisheva Machlis 1 citation
Under the Islamic Republic of Iran, 'irfān—a blend of philosophy, theosophy, mysticism, and Shi'i thought—evolved from a marginalized tradition into a central cultural and political force. Prominent clerics and intellectuals across the regime's factions used 'irfān to debate the state's political direction and the balance between its revolutionary and republican elements. Reformists more often employed mysticism in service of politics, while regime supporters used 'irfān to reinforce an exclusive authority based on the rule of the Supreme Jurist. This created a shared spiritual basis among diverse voices and produced a new fusion of mysticism, philosophy, Western thought, politics, Islamic law, and messianism, linking the mystical path with the Shari'a.