Conceptualization of Guardianship in Iranian Intellectual History (1800–1989)

This book is a study of the concept of wilāya and its developments among Shīʿī scholars from the eighteenth to twentieth century. Leila Chamankhah addresses a number of issues by delving into the conceptualizations of wilāya through the examination and interpretation of key texts. She focuses on the influence of ibn ʿArabī’s mysticism, with regard to the conception of wilāya, on his Shīʿa successors and expositors in later centuries.  She also discusses the development and transformation of the conception of wilāya over two hundred years, from the esoteric school of Shaykhīsm to the politicization of wilāya in the theory of wilāyat al-faqīh.

“The book also offers an interesting account of the intellectual transformation of Ayatollah Khomeini … . The methodology used in this scholarship is a fascinating approach … . The book is overall well-organised and engages readers throughout with summaries and introductions in every chapter. It provides original and important texts on Akbarian mysticism and wilāya. More importantly, the book is a much-needed work of research into Shi‘i intellectual history and provides an important analytical methodology to future researchers.” (Jaffer Abbas Mirza, Journal of Shi'a Islmaic Studies, Vol. 13 (1), 2020)

Leila Chamankhah teaches at the University of Dayton, USA. Her areas of research interest are Iranian Studies, Islamic studies, Shia intellectual history, and Middle Eastern studies.