http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/09/05/genesis-of-shi%e2%80%99a-islam/ Conservative and Libertarian Intellectual Philosophy and Politics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:00:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/09/05/genesis-of-shi%e2%80%99a-islam/comment-page-1/#comment-73554 Bob Stapler Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:59:57 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/09/05/genesis-of-shi%e2%80%99a-islam/#comment-73554 While an interesting exegesis (and thank you for the fine effort), it doesn’t really enlighten regarding the broader hostility between Sunni and Shi’a, nor to modern day Iran’s anti-Western antipathy. The opening statement of the article promises to enlighten us regarding the clerical leaders of Iran. This infers something of the internal dynamics and politics of Shi’a Islam, but nothing of the external dynamics. How does this relate to Iran's insistence on having nukes? How does it relate to it's stance on Israel and it's support of Hamas? How does it relate to the current Iranian support of Al Queda (a mostly Sunni group) and Iraqi insurgency? How does it relate to Afghanistan and the Taliban? How does it relate to Iran's handling of non-Muslim minorities? &c. I have read a number of such explanations, most of which dance around Muslim sensibilities and none of which are internally inconsistent. Perhaps this inconsistency is an artifact of Persian or Muslim writing styles and modes of thought, yet we get the same inconsistency when the writer is a western Islamophile. I often feel like something important has been said that, nonetheless, eludes me because of unprovided points of reference; which may be the case here. Regardless, we welcome anything this daringly honest and encourage you to continue, so thank you. While an interesting exegesis (and thank you for the fine effort), it doesn’t really enlighten regarding the broader hostility between Sunni and Shi’a, nor to modern day Iran’s anti-Western antipathy. The opening statement of the article promises to enlighten us regarding the clerical leaders of Iran. This infers something of the internal dynamics and politics of Shi’a Islam, but nothing of the external dynamics. How does this relate to Iran’s insistence on having nukes? How does it relate to it’s stance on Israel and it’s support of Hamas? How does it relate to the current Iranian support of Al Queda (a mostly Sunni group) and Iraqi insurgency? How does it relate to Afghanistan and the Taliban? How does it relate to Iran’s handling of non-Muslim minorities? &c. I have read a number of such explanations, most of which dance around Muslim sensibilities and none of which are internally inconsistent. Perhaps this inconsistency is an artifact of Persian or Muslim writing styles and modes of thought, yet we get the same inconsistency when the writer is a western Islamophile. I often feel like something important has been said that, nonetheless, eludes me because of unprovided points of reference; which may be the case here. Regardless, we welcome anything this daringly honest and encourage you to continue, so thank you.

]]> http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/09/05/genesis-of-shi%e2%80%99a-islam/comment-page-1/#comment-73518 Ivan Ivanovich Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:23:01 +0000 http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2008/09/05/genesis-of-shi%e2%80%99a-islam/#comment-73518 It seems there is a lot of denial of death going on. Maybe this is why so many think Bin-Laudin is still alive. It seems there is a lot of denial of death going on. Maybe this is why so many think Bin-Laudin is still alive.

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