Wahhabi Discourse and Modern Iranian Intellectuality

The emergence of Wahhabism is an outcome of some historical development and still remaining unchanged teachings. Historically speaking, Wahhabism has had a simple-minded look at wisdom and by standing still at apparent meanings of Quran Verses and the Hadith and insisting on its own interpretation, has condemned the opponents and invited others to accept apparent interpretations by inciting their sentiments. Wahhabi apparent interpretation is not only about the holy texts but also the cosmos. They minimize any kind of relation between human being and the unseen world particularly if Welayat (leadership of Imams) is concerned. The main reason of Wahhabism animosity with Shi’ism, Sufism and philosophy is rooted here. Expansion of Wahhabism from a sect in Hanbali School into a surface-oriented ultra-jurisprudence discourse in three branches of Traditionalists, Jihadists and moderates has made it more successful. In Iran many Wahhabi successes are outcomes of modernization. History of Iranian Modernity by intellectuals’ leadership is full of surface –oriented slogans about wisdom and ignoring the unseen world in order to combat with superstitions.