Islam and Revolution

Islam and Revolution is a collection of writings and speeches by Ayatollah Khomeini, translated and annotated by Hamid Algar. The book presents key texts from Khomeini's political and religious philosophy, spanning his early years through the Iranian Revolution. The first section contains Khomeini's lectures on Islamic governance and leadership from the 1970s. The second part features declarations and messages issued during crucial periods of the revolutionary movement in Iran. Algar provides historical context and analytical commentary through detailed introductions and footnotes. His translations maintain the original tone and rhetorical style of Khomeini's Farsi and Arabic texts. The work examines fundamental questions about the relationship between Islam and politics, religious authority, and social transformation in modern Muslim societies. Through these primary sources, readers gain insight into the ideological foundations of Iran's Islamic Republic.

Readers view this book as a reliable translation of Khomeini's writings and lectures, with helpful historical context from translator Hamid Algar's introduction. Positive reviews mention: - Clear explanations of Islamic governance concepts - Detailed footnotes that clarify cultural and religious references - Value as a primary source document from a major historical figure Common criticisms: - Dense academic language makes it challenging for general readers - Some argue Algar's introduction shows bias in favor of Khomeini - Limited coverage of opposing viewpoints within Islam Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (42 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (12 ratings) Notable reader comment: "The translation makes Khomeini's ideas accessible while preserving the original meaning. But Algar sometimes comes across as an apologist rather than an objective scholar." - Goodreads reviewer Several academic reviewers cite it as useful for understanding the Iranian Revolution's ideological foundations, while noting it requires background knowledge to fully grasp.

The Islamic Revolution in Iran by Mohsen M. Milani This book examines the ideological and social forces that transformed Iran from a monarchy to an Islamic republic through historical analysis and primary sources.

Jihad: The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia by Ahmed Rashid The text provides documentation of Islamic movements in Central Asia through first-hand reporting and historical context.

The Shia Revival by Vali Nasr This work charts the historical development of Shia political thought and its influence on modern Middle Eastern power structures.

The Making of the Islamic Revolution in Iran by Mansoor Moaddel The book traces the development of Islamic revolutionary ideology through analysis of clerical writings and political manifestos.

Revolutionary Iran: A History of the Islamic Republic by Michael Axworthy This text presents the Iranian revolution through documentation of key events, political figures, and social movements that shaped the Islamic Republic.

📚 Islam and Revolution contains the first English translations of Ayatollah Khomeini's key writings, making his political philosophy accessible to Western readers for the first time (1981) 🎓 Translator/author Hamid Algar is a British-American scholar who converted to Islam in his teens and became one of the West's leading authorities on Iranian studies 🗣️ The book demonstrates how Khomeini redefined traditional Shi'a concepts like "velayat-e faqih" (guardianship of the jurist) to create a modern political ideology 📜 Many of the translated lectures and writings were originally distributed as photocopied pamphlets among Iranian students and revolutionaries in the 1970s 🌍 The work remains one of the most important primary sources for understanding the ideological foundations of the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the Islamic Republic that followed