An Inquiring into Orientalists' Thoughts about the Position of Shiite Islam and Clerics' Spiritual Guidance in the Islamic Revolution of Iran

The Islamic Revolution of Iran is the most important contemporary Islamic movement that has been a source of interest to western thinkers because it is beyond them to accept the idea that clerics and religion can play a key role in a revolution and conduct a revolution which has a world –wide reputation. Therefore, there has been a considerable amount of inquiry among orientalists regarding the various aspects of the Islamic Revolution of Iran during the last four decades. One of the most important studies which attracted orientalists' attention is the role of spiritual guidance which Shiite Islam and clerics' have in staging the Islamic Revolution of Iran, and they have offered differing views on these issue. Using a descriptive – analytical method, this study seeks to evaluate the views presented in this regard. The scientific findings of this study show that the main reason for orientalists' misjudgments of this issue is first their lack of proper understanding of the historical developments of the Iranian Revolution, and secondly their lack of knowledge of the ideological nature of Islam.