Shiism in the Seljuk Era; Upcoming Threats and Persistence Factors

One of the most important and critical periods in the Shiite history is the Seljuk era. In this era, the situation of the Shiite Muslims changed due to the change of government and the replacement of the Sunni state with the Shiite state of Al- Buwayh. It is thought that with the emergence of Seljuks, who had a deep adherence to the Sunni denomination and the Abbasid caliphate, the Shiite must have been restricted and marginalized. On the contrary, in the Seljuk era, especially in its second half, Shiite centers developed and scientific and educational institutions and scientific and research activities not only did not suffer from defects, but also continued to operate with remarkable performance. This paper discusses the reasons for the preservation and continuation of Shiism and its activities in this period. It seems that the main factors in the continuation of Shiism have been the pursuit of scientific and educational development, adherence to principles combined with observance of moderation and taqiyyah, and presence in executive and political positions. These are the reasons why Shiite community and its scientific leadership continued to develop despite the elimination of the powerful Shiite government of Al-Buwayh.