Scientific Journal 
Science and Civilization in Islam

Scientific Journal Science and Civilization in Islam

A typology of political currents in the hawza of Najaf in the face of communism (1958-1968)

Document Type : Extension

Authors
1 Bagher Al-Oloum university - Qom
2 History department, falcuty of political historical and regional studies, Bagher Al-Olum university, Qom, Iran
10.22034/icrs.2026.579997.1440
Abstract
The July 14, 1958 military coup in Iraq overthrew the Hashemite monarchy and transformed the country's political-social structure. This development confronted the Shiite Marja'iyya and the Najaf Seminary with a new challenge: the secular ideology of Communism. The main problem of this research is to identify and classify the political currents within the Najaf Seminary during the first decade of the Republic (1958-1968) and to explain how they faced the newly established power. The main question is how the three types of confrontation, interaction, and quietism manifested themselves in the political actions of the Seminary, and which type prevailed.

Using a historical-analytical approach and relying on library sources and memoirs, this article analyzes the political currents of the Seminary within a tripartite typology. The findings show that the establishment of the Islamic Dawa Party (1957) and the Group of Scholars (1960) was a clear symbol of the confrontational type, which, through organizational structuring, media activities, and influence among youth, confronted Communism and enjoyed the support of Marja's such as Ayatollah Hakim. In contrast, the interactive type emphasized compromise and restricting confrontational actions, while the quietist type refrained from direct political involvement.

The results indicate that during this decade, the confrontational type became the dominant current due to attracting young forces, enjoying the legitimacy of the Marja'iyya, and its media organizational capability. This finding rejects the common perception of the absolute isolation of the contemporary Najaf Seminary.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 June 2026

  • Receive Date 29 April 2026
  • Revise Date 31 May 2026
  • Accept Date 06 June 2026