The Iranian Revolution The Islamic Republic

The Iranian Revolution

*Includes pictures *Profiles Ayatollah Khomeini and his ideology and leadership before, during, and after the Revolution *Highlights the causes, key events, and effects of the Revolution *Includes footnotes and a bibliography for further reading The Iranian Revolution of 1979 has been described as an epochal event, called the peak of 20th century Islamic revivalism and revitalization, and analyzed as the one key incident that continues to impact politics across Iran, the Middle East, and the even the world as a whole. As a phenomenon that led to the creation of the first modern Islamic Republic in the world, the revolution marked the victory of Islam over secular politics, and Iran quickly became the aspiring model for Islamic fundamentalists and revivalists across the globe, regardless of nationality, culture, or religious sect. When Ayatollah Khomeini was declared ruler in December 1979 and the judicial system originally modeled on that of the West was swiftly replaced by one purely based on Islamic law, much of the world was in shock that such a religiously driven revolution could succeed so quickly, especially when it had such sweeping consequences beyond the realm of religion. Revolutions are nothing new, but most revolutions, especially those in the West, have tended to remain secular. Even when religious ideology and themes were present, as in the English Civil War of the 1640s, these were not dominant driving forces behind the revolution, nor were they a significant factor in its immediate results. Even outside the West, this has mostly proven to be true; the nationalist revolution and war for independence in Turkey, led by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, was a battle for separation of church and state that called for democratic principles of equality, and the result was the formation of a modern and secular Turkey. However, the revolution that swept across Iran proved to be starkly different from past revolutions of the world. Its most influential leaders came from the orthodox clergy, and its most pronounced important goals were the ouster of the monarch, who was deemed anti-Islam and blasphemous, and the complete return of Iranian government and society to fundamental Islamic principles. As one of the leading scholars on Iran, Nikki R. Keddie, wrote, this revolution was "aberrant," refusing to fit into the theoretical and academic ideas of what modern revolutions should be like. Yet, there is no doubt that the Iranian Revolution ultimately led to a complete overhaul and restructuring of the age-old political, economic, social, religious, and ideological orders in Iran. Former Iranian Finance Minister Jahangir Amuzegar put it aptly, "The historical oddity, if not uniqueness, of the Iranian revolution can be seen in its four salient features: its unforeseen rapid rise; its wide base of urban support; its vague ideological character; and, above all, its ultimate singular objective, to oust the Shah." Furthermore, while the focus of the revolution was primarily about Islam, the revolution was also colored by disdain for the West, distaste for autocracy, and a yearning for religious and cultural identity. Though these are features of many other revolutions, the Iranian one was particularly unprecedented in the suddenness and rapidity of its occurrence, as well as the sheer amount of mass popular support it gained. Much of the world, including the U.S. and its Western allies, were initially caught off guard by the sudden occurrence and unanticipated strength of the revolution. The Islamic Revolution That Reshaped the Middle East explores the events leading up to the Iranian Revolution, as well as the political, economic, social, and religious characteristics of Iran before 1979. It also looks at the revolution and the lasting influence it has had both domestically and globally.

The Iranian Revolution & the Islamic Republic

The Iranian Revolution

"A wonderfully concise yet complete survey of the background and status of Islamic revivalism in all of its various forms in each region."--SAIS Review "A rich and thoughtful study of one of the most significant events of recent times."--School of Oriental and African Studies Bulletin Marking the tenth anniversary of the Ayatollah Khomeini's triumphant return to the Islamic Republic of Iran, 1989 proved a benchmark year in Iran's history, with the condemnation of author Salman Rushdie to execution, the denunciation or Iranian liberals and the West, the removal of Khomeini's chosen successor, and the death of Khomeini himself. John L. Esposito introduces The Iranian Revolution with an explanation of why the present is a turning point for Iran. He isolates the export of Islamic revolution as central to the Republic's character. A concise description of the complexities of that issue is followed by a discussion of its effects within and outside Iran, with the majority of the collection then devoted to insightful analyses of the Republic's impact throughout the Islamic world. International experts from Iran, Europe, Africa, and the United States assess worldwide impact of the Iranian Revolution on other Muslim societies and give us a remarkable analysis of the status of Islamic revivalism in a far-flung array of Islamic statues and societies--Lebanon, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Turkey, the USSR, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Iraq. The book owes its quality not only to the currency of its subject matter but also to its distinguished contributors, who address such issues as the failure of the Iranian revolution to replicate itself in other countries and the extent to which Iran's experience has shaped the politics, economics, and cultures of other countries. Sponsors of the book and of the 1989 conference that inspired it are the Middle East Institute, the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and Royal Institute of International Affairs. This objective and thought-provoking assessment of the Islamic Republic of Iran's success to date in implementing its objectives, as well as its prospects for the future, makes timely reading for anyone seeking an understanding of the revolution's impact. Contents Part I. Iran 1. Introduction, by John L. Esposito and James P. Piscatori 2. The Iranian Revolution: A Ten-Year Perspective, by John L. Esposito 3. Iran's Export of the Revolution: Politics, Ends, and Means, by R. K. Ramazani 4. Iranian Ideology and Worldview: The Cultural Export of Revolution, by Farhang Rajaee Part II. The Middle East 5. Iraq: Revolutionary Threats and Regime Responses, by Philip Robins 6. The Impact of the Iranian Revolution on the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf States, by David E. Long 7. Lebanon: The Internal Conflict and the Iranian Connection, by Augustus Richard Norton 8. The Impact of the Iranian Revolution on Egypt, by Shahrough Akhavi 9. Tunisia and Libya: Responses to the Islamic Impulse, by Lisa Anderson Part III. Southwest Asia and Central Asia 10. The Mujahidin and the Future of Afghanistan, by Olivier Roy 11. Soviet Central Asia: Does Moscow Fear Iranian Influence? by Martha Brill Olcott Part IV: Southeast Asia 12. Malaysian and Indonesian Islamic Movements and the Iranian Connection, by Fred R. von der Mehden 13. The Iranian Revolution and the Muslims in the Philippines, by Cesar Adib Majul Part V. Africa 14. Islamization in the Sudan and the Iranian Revolution, by John O. Voll 15. Islamic Revivalism in Nigeria: Homegrown or Externally Induced? by Ibrahim A. Gambari 16. The Global Impact of the Iranian Revolution: A Policy Perspective, by John L. Esposito and James P. Piscatori John L. Esposito is director of the Center for International Studies and professor of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross.