Social Theories of Muslim Thinkers

Social Theories of Muslim Thinkers

Revisiting Mirza Mohammad Hasan Shirazi’s Social Thought: The Samarra Migration and the Tobacco Boycott Fatwa

Document Type : Research Article / Original Article

Author
Lecturer at the Khorasan Islamic Seminary and Researcher at the Supreme School of Jurisprudence of 'Alim Al-e Muhammad, Mashhad, Iran.
Abstract
Analyzing the social thought of Muslim thinkers is pivotal to identifying the indigenous potentials of Islamic social sciences. In this context, Mirza Mohammad Hasan Shirazi stands out as one of the most influential jurists (fuqahā) and religious authorities (marājiʿ) of the modern era, whose socio-political initiatives offer fertile ground for reconstructing an authentic social theory. This study aims to delineate and reconstruct the dimensions of Mirza Shirazi’s social thought by drawing on his lived historical experience, specifically through two pivotal milestones: his migration to Samarra and the issuance of the Tobacco Boycott Fatwa. Employing a foundational-interpretive methodology, the research identifies and systematizes the epistemic and non-epistemic factors shaping his thought. The findings reveal that Shirazi’s social thought is rooted in epistemic pillars such as the Uṣūlī-Ijtihādī tradition and a conception of religious authority as the institutional continuation of the Infallibles’ mission. Concurrently, this thought crystallized through dynamic engagement with the non-epistemic realities of his era, notably institutional stagnation within the hawza, sectarian fragmentation, and colonial encroachment. Ultimately, his social thought unfolds across three core dimensions: institutional reform of the seminary, fostering social unity among Muslims, and resisting colonial hegemony. Together, these elements form a coherent framework aimed at safeguarding the identity of the Islamic Ummah and revitalizing its socio-civilizational agency in the face of modern challenges.
Keywords
Subjects

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Volume 16, Issue 2
Spring 2026
Pages 193-214

  • Receive Date 11 August 2025
  • Revise Date 30 January 2026
  • Accept Date 29 March 2026
  • Publish Date 22 June 2026