The Clergy's Concepts of Rule in Egypt and Iran

Abstract

In the wake of the current cycle of Islamic resurgence, which began at the time of the June 1967 Arab-Israeli war, the question of rule has been at the center of clerical discourse. This article analyzes this question in the debates of the Egyptian and Iranian `ulama'. While they agree upon the perception of Islam as both religion and state and upon the need to base public law upon the shari`a (the holy law of Islam), they differ on the role of secular rulers, the relevance of jihad, identifying apostates, calling for rebellion, authorizing the `ulama' to rule society, and endowing Islamic states with extraordinary powers. The debate will continue to focus on these issues in the future, as Islamic groups press the case for full implementation of the shari`a in all areas of life, not only in Egypt and Iran but in all Muslim societies.