There are many objective reasons why studying Clerics in Shia Islam is not only based on research under today’s political circumstances but also on improving a deeper understanding of the “knowledge“ that has provided, with a genealogical analysis, a different kind of “contingency” making possible the politicization of Shia and Shiafication of politics.
My objective is to demonstrate how this contingency has given the “political power” and “Shi’a Islam” a unique historical chance to interact for more than a millennium and finally adequately develop to create an Iranian shia state.
My genealogical approach necessarily demands a closer look at Sadeqain era during which knowledge and practice created a historically distinctive integration which in turn culminated in a politico-religious minority emerging in a sunni Islamic world.
This relation between knowledge and practice generated a politico-religious body which has been one of the most influential and prestigious clerical authority in the world.
The knowledge aspect of this discourse is more manifested in Hawza of Najaf while its practical aspect flourished more in hawza of Qom and led to more politicized version of Shia islam. Thus, it can be claimed that Hawza of Qom is a political fruit of knowledge tree of Hawza of Najaf rooted in Sadeqain era.
Understanding this knowledge and practice and their articulation in underpinning elements of shia discourse of Sadegain helps us to distinguish the differences between hawzas of Najaf and Qom.
My study tries to partly unravel this discourse to depict shia clerical body in both Hawzas of Najaf and Qom.
