Shirazism vs. Khomeinism: Reasons of conflict & outlook

The relation between Shirazism and Khomeinism has gone through various progressive changes. The relation between the two sides has been associated with the political conditions in Iran and the backdrop in the West. The Shah balanced that relation due to his absolute rule without any discrimination.

As they wanted to expand in the Arab countries, Shirazis joined forces with the mullah regime to benefit from its military power and export Iran's revolution to neighboring countries.

However, the relation between the two sides tensed after the toppling of Shah and Ruhollah Khomeini installed himself as mullah for all Shiites all over the world.

Khomeini sought to exclude all religious rivals, including Shirazis, who wanted to keep their Islamic faith independent from the mullah regime.

Meanwhile, the Iranian regime has sought to undermine all parties that rejected the mullah regime. This study delves into the reasons of dispute between Khomeinism and Shirazism, as well as reflections of this conflict on both sides.

Shirazism

Shirazism is a Shiite Twelver subsect that started as a religious current led by Shiite reference Mahdi al-Shirazi in the 1960s.

Shirazism was strongly opposed by Shiite references in Karbala and Najaf as it deals with religious rituals with too much holiness.

Shirazis spread after the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979. It established the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain and the Organization for the Islamic Revolution in the Arabian Peninsula in early 1980s.

Shirazis produced a more advanced discourse compared to the Shiite fundamentalism, which depended solely on the revolution as an instrument for change. Consequently, that caused a dispute between Shirazis and Iran's mullah regime.        

Khums tax

Like most Shiite groups, Shirazism capitalizes on Khums (one fifth) tax as a financial resource.

Although it has expanded in Arab countries such as Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, there are no exact numbers. However, we can estimate the number of Shirazis by evaluating the campaigns launched by Tehran to weaken them.

Iranian news TV channel Alalam broadcast a report exposing the negative role of Shirazis Hezbollah in Lebanon, citing their extremist discourse, and likening Shirazism to Wahhabism.

Motives for disputes

A number of political, religious and intellectual disagreements have caused disputes between Khomeinism and Shirazism.

 Khomeinism considered Shirazism a potential threat as the latter rejected the mullah regime.

Decentralization

As Iran's regime was busy with a war against Iraq between 1980 and 1988, Shirazism introduced itself as an effective instrument to export the revolution to the Arab world.

The first dispute happened when the Shirazi movement, the Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain, tried to topple the regime in Bahrain in 1981 without a direct instruction from Tehran. Iran was politically embarrassed after the attempt failed.

Shirazis reject mullah regime

Shirazis reject the idea of a single-mullah regime, which is a religious tyranny as well as political despotism, according to the Shirazi discourse.    

Al-Shirazi, who wanted to play a political and religious role after the revolution, favored shura council for mullahs.

Mullah shura council

The theory of a mullah shura council is based on the election of a number of mullahs to be of equal power. Each mullah will have authority over his followers only.

Religious Shiite disagreements

Religious disagreements have played a key role in widening the gap between Shirazism and Khomeinism, which sought to introduce itself as a model for all Muslims. Moreover, Khomeinism tried to soothe Iran's angry Sunnis after the Twelver Shia was instated as Iran's formal faith.

Khomeinism allowed in the Iranian constitution the four Sunni sects to practice their rituals. Shirazis rejected the move.  

Khomeinism banned some parts of Bihar al-Anwar book to be printed. These banned parts contained libeling of Prophet Mohammed's companions. Shirazis consider the libeling of the companions as a must.

Khomeinism also curtailed Shirazi rituals, which are politically exploited by Shirazis.

Arrest of Shirazi mullahs

Khomeini got rid of all of his rivals regardless of their role in the Islamic Revolution.

The Iranian authorities arrested Sadeq Qutb Zadeh, Iran's first foreign minister following the revolution, on accusations of attempting to assassinate Khomeini. Zadeh testified that mullah Kazem Shariatmadari was also involved.

Shariatmadari, who rejected the mullah regime, was put under house arrest. The dispute between al-Shirazi and Khomeini exasperated after the house arrest of Shariatmadari.  

Conflict

The Iranian authorities arrested Hussein Shirazi after he compared Khamenei to “the pharaoh” in February 2018. Shirazi compared Khomeini to Pharaoh, citing a verse from the Holy Qur'an: " “I am your lord most high".

In 2008, Mohammed al-Shirazi was arrested and died in prison. Mohammed Mahdi al-Shirzai was house arrested until he died in 2001.

 The outlook of relations

The relations between the two sides are expected to remain tense as Shirazism deems mullah regime political tyranny using religion to cement its dominance. In the meantime, Khomeinism sees Shirazism as an instrument trying to weaken its intellectual dominance.

A détente between the two sides will depend on two factors: one is theoretical that Shirazis will accept the mullah regime as a political model for Shiite rule in the world, and the other is dynamic that Khomeinists would take in Shirazis in the social and political arena.

However, rapprochement between the two sides will be unlikely possible as Shirazis won't accept Khomeinist dominance, and vice versa; Khomeinists won't merge Shirazis in the sociopolitical mainstream.

Iran's centralized mullah regime, which is well-established on the Supreme Guide, will never accept any rapprochement with Shirazis, as Khomeinists reject even religious disagreements – which have nothing to do with politics. Religious disagreements are reflected on politics in the Shiite sect.

Iran will not approve any rapprochement with Shirazism unless the latter poses a real, dynamic threat to its influence via cooperation with Tehran's rivals in the region.

Meanwhile, Arab countries deal with Shirazism as a foe like the Iranian regime, not only because it adopts the principle of exporting revolution, but also due to the intolerance of Shirazis.

Moreover, Shirazism poses a threat to Iran if it joines forces with Mujahedin-e Khalq, which is Iran's most effective opposition movement. However, disagreements between Shirazism and Mujahedin-e Khalq will prevent any cooperation.

Shirazis seek a theocracy, while Mujahedin-e Khalq, led by Maryam Rajavi, seeks a democracy.

Arab countries should support Shirazis to destabilize Iran's regime. It is essential to back a strong Iranian opposition, especially if this could bring about an alternative to the present mullah regime in Tehran.