Sacred Reason and Epistemic Resistance: Usulism Modernity in Iran Beyond

This work critically examines how Eurocentric modernity has institutionalized exclusion in knowledge systems, creating a binary worldview rooted in colonial power structures. This work critically examines how Eurocentric modernity has institutionalised exclusion in knowledge systems, creating a binary worldview rooted in colonial power structures. It explores modernity as a plural concept, distinguishing it from coloniality, and analyses the Islamic Revolution of Iran as the culmination of centuries of rationalist thought within Twelver Shi’ism—specifically the Usuli movement. Emerging from marginalized positions under Sunni dominance, this theological-intellectual movement championed human reason (ijtihad) and autonomy, eventually transforming into a transnational socio-political force. The book positions Usulism as a foundational case of non-European modernity, demonstrating how its evolution into “Modern Shi’ism” challenges Western epistemological hegemony while fostering global Shi’i identity through reformed theological frameworks. The work’s multidisciplinary approach—combining theology, ethnography (drawing on fieldwork across Asia and the Middle East) and political theory—makes it valuable for academics studying non-Western epistemologies and the globalisation of religious reform movements. This book targets scholars of postcolonial studies, Islamic history and comparative modernities, particularly those interested in decolonial thought and Shi’i intellectual history. It will appeal to researchers investigating transnational religious movements, ethnographic methodologies in theology and the intersection of rationality with political Islam.