An Islamic Utopian: A Political Biography of Ali Shariati [Paperback]

Ali Rahnema (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1860645526 | ISBN-13: 978-1860645525 | Publication Date: June 3, 2000

This book provides a new understanding of a man who played a significant part in the Iranian revolution and an analysis of a current of political Islam that has influenced movements throughout the Middle East.This full-length political biography looks at Ali Shari`ati's life and thought in the context of the complex and contradictory cultural, social, and political conditions of the Iranian society that shaped him.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ali Rahnema is Professor of Economics at the American University of Paris.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: I. B. Tauris (June 3, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1860645526
• ISBN-13: 978-1860645525
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,039,141 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent light on a complex intellectual, January 1, 2004

By 

Michael Allison (Layton, UT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: An Islamic Utopian: A Political Biography of Ali Shariati (Paperback)

Ali Shariati is the quintessential example of why institutions and governments fear intellectuals. Ali Rahnema's biography is probably a textbook example of how to write biography.

Dr Rahnema has given us an example of objective writing. He offers insights into the complex life, actions and writings of Shariati while never burdening us with judgement or synthesizing the matter for us. He lays the story out and let's us draw our own judgements. Rahnema gives us facts from the sources and doesn't draw conclusions or lead us to a thesis. He let's us draw our own.

The story is divided into three parts - the young Shariati at odds with his intelligence finding a haven in poetry. He then takes up the struggle between classical poetry and modern poetry. Rahnema uses this to prepare us for the last third of the book where Shariati carves out a modernist theology of Shia Islam in the face of the classical and institutionalized system. In the middle we learn of his education and exposure to the post war critical thinkers in Paris. Rahnema takes us through Shariati's complex synthesis of Economic theory, political theory, liberation theology, Sunni and Shia thought and how Shariati wove these sometimes with his own fictive additions to arrive at a living Shia ism which was definitely at odds with the traditional interpretations. Shariati found himself trying to change Shia thoughts and beliefs into a dynamic revolutionary system -- not anti western, but true to Iranian culture and history and the problems of Iran, not regurgitated problems of the West. His was definitely an Iranian centric view of the world, but taking from and using Eastern and Western thought where it was appropriate.

To Rahnema's credit he never bothers us with his judgement or critique of Shariati's work. He presents a man whose thoughts are complex and who often revised his own thinking. He presented the facts as he could of Shariati's concessions to SAVAK and his role as one of the flames of the Revolution. But through all this we see a man who was often frustrating to his supporters and critics and yet true to himself, even as his ideas may have evolved.

This isn't a quick read but it will definitely enlighten you and fuel your desire to go further with Shariati and inner complexities of Iran, the Shia themselves, Sufism and ideological transition and revolt.

Bravo *****

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST read!!!, May 25, 2001

By 

H. Nemati (Greensboro, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: An Islamic Utopian: A Political Biography of Ali Shariati (Paperback)

For those of us still struggling to understand who Dr. Shariatie was and the role he has played in shaping the lives of many of us, this book is a must. Rahnema's depiction of the other Ali's life is a well documented, smart, and poetically presented masterpiece. Definitely put this book on your reading list.