Iranian Islam: The Concept of the Individual (Hardcover)

by Nader Ahmadi (Author), Fereshteh Ahmadi (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

There is a discrepancy between the dominant conceptions of the status and role of the individual prevailing in modern Western ways of thinking, on the one hand, and, the Iranian ways of thinking on the other. This book examines the significance of the concept of the individual in the thinking of Iranians from theological and philosophical as well as socio-political and historical perspectives. The author establishes that the mystical dimension of Islamic thought, the divine nature of Islamic law and the mode of relationship between ruler and ruled in combination counteracted the growth of concern for the individual self in Iranian thought.

Book Description

There is a discrepancy between the dominant conceptions of the status and role of the individual prevailing in modern Western ways of thinking, on the one hand, and, the Iranian ways of thinking on the other. This book examines the significance of the concept of the individual in the thinking of Iranians from theological and philosophical as well as socio-political and historical perspectives. The author establishes that the mystical dimension of Islamic thought, the divine nature of Islamic law and the mode of relationship between ruler and ruled in combination counteracted the growth of concern for the individual self in Iranian thought.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 299 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (November 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312214332
• ISBN-13: 978-0312214333
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,485,662 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #65 in	Books > Nonfiction > Philosophy > Islamic
  #74 in	Books > Nonfiction > Law > Legal History > Islamic

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Stimulating, but not wholly convincing,, June 29, 2006

By	T. G. S. Hawksley - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a well researched and stimulating book that very thoroughly explains why there is no concept of the individual in Iran and the impact this has on society, politics,and the law. This is very important because as the West dialogues with Iran, people need to understand the Iranian way of seeing things.

But the book is not wholly convincing. It was especially frustrating that there was no historial record regarding the origins of Sufism. For a general reader like myself I wanted to know who the first Sufis were, I wanted some statistics, I wanted to know when they were recognised as being a separate group. I also wanted to know what their relationship to the Dervishes is. The writers explained the teaching of Sufism very well: but I didn't undersand how it operated at street level.

At times to the generalisations stretched too far. So the writers argue that because everyone in the East generally believes in the unity of existence they are more tolerant of other religions. So what about all the Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims who hacked each other to death during the partition of India? What about the Muslim law of apostasy? Again the theory was logical, but the street evidence wasn't so convincing.

And finally it was little long winded. There are some really illuminating points in this book, but the authors take their time to get to them.