Hidden Islam: Wilayat al-Faqih, Shia Thought & Clerical Rule | Prof. Kadivar - Ep 130 P1

What happens when Islam's highest-ranking scholar turns the tradition against itself? Prof. Mohsen Kadivar — Iranian mujtahid, reformist theologian, and Duke University professor — joins the Kianistan Podcast for a rare, in-depth conversation on Islamic scholarship, Shia authority, and the intellectual roots of clerical power.

Imprisoned for his ideas, banned from publishing, and ultimately exiled from Iran, Prof. Kadivar didn't abandon his faith — he reformed it from within. This is Part 1 of a two-part series.🔍 WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER:— How a Shia mujtahid became one of the most dangerous critics of the Islamic Republic— Why Wilayat al-Faqih (guardianship of the jurist) lacks solid roots in the Quran, Hadith, or classical fiqh— The real difference between Sunni and Shia religious authority — it's not what you think— Why Shia clergy are financially independent from states — and why that's changing— The surprising Shia roots of political Islam and its founding fathers— How Sufism bridges Sunni and Shia traditions — and why Henry Corbin called them "two sides of one coin"— Why authoritarian repression of scholars is a political problem, not an Islamic one— The three dimensions of Imamate: political rule, source of knowledge, and mystical sainthood👤 ABOUT PROF. MOHSEN KADIVAR:Mohsen Kadivar is an Iranian mujtahid, Islamic theologian, philosopher, and leading intellectual reformist. He is Research Professor of Islamic Studies at Duke University. Imprisoned for 18 months in Iran for his reformist writings, he has been in exile since 2008. His work critically examines Shia political theory, human rights in Islam, and structural ijtihad.🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED & PROF. KADIVAR'S KEY WORKS:📖 Theories of State in Shia Fiqh: https://english.kadivar.com/1998/02/20/the-theories-of-state-in-shiite-fiqh/📖 Theocratic State: https://english.kadivar.com/1998/11/22/theocratic-state/📖 Khorasani's Political Philosophy: https://english.kadivar.com/2006/09/19/khorasanis-political-philosophy/📖 Impeaching Iran's Supreme Leader: https://english.kadivar.com/2014/05/23/impeaching-irans-supreme-leader/📖 Human Rights & Reformist Islam: https://english.kadivar.com/2020/08/03/blasphemy-and-apostasy-in-islam/📖 Reforming Islamic Thought Through Structural Ijtihad: https://english.kadivar.com/2015/11/11/reforming-islamic-thought-through-structural-ijtihad/📖 Islam and Democracy: https://english.kadivar.com/2018/07/06/islam-and-democracy-perspectives-from-reformist-and-traditional-islam/📖 Rethinking Muslim Marriage Rulings: https://english.kadivar.com/2023/01/07/rethinking-muslim-marriage-rulings-through-structural-ijtihad/📖 Succession to Muhammad (Cambridge): https://www.cambridge.org/eg/universitypress/subjects/history/middle-east-history/succession-muhammad-study-early-caliphate📖 The Prophet's Heir (Yale): https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300229455/the-prophets-heir/📖 Annemarie Schimmel (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annemarie_Schimmel📖 Swedenborg & Esoteric Islam: https://swedenborg.com/product/swedenborg-esoteric-islam/📌 STAY CONNECTED WITH KIANISTAN:🔔 Subscribe for geopolitics, religion & global south conversations🎧 Listen on all major podcast platforms — search Kianistan🌐 Visit: https://www.kianistan.com💼 Sponsored by: https://www.worldwidelistings.co.uk