The Islamic Revolution of Iran stands as one of the most significant political and social developments of the 20th century, rooted in the political, cultural, and moral crises of the Pahlavi era. This study aimed to explain the causes of the Islamic Revolution from the perspective of Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, using Thomas Spragens' crisis theory as its analytical framework. A qualitative documentary analysis method was employed, with data gathered from primary sources, including Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi's written works and public speeches. The analysis applied the four stages of Spragens' crisis theory—diagnosing the crisis, analyzing its causes, envisioning an ideal society, and proposing solutions—to examine his political thought.
The findings indicate that Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi identified the Pahlavi regime's rule as the fundamental crisis in Iranian society, stemming from political authoritarianism, anti-religious policies, the proliferation of cultural corruption, and the spread of non-religious ideologies. In his view, the Islamic Revolution was a comprehensive response to these crises and a step toward rebuilding society based on Islamic values and teachings. He envisioned the realization of an ideal society through the establishment of a religious government, the implementation of Islamic laws, and the cultivation of individuals committed to monotheistic principles. Among his key ideas, those concerning the absolute guardianship of the Supreme jurist) Wilayat-e Faqih(, opposition to secularism, critique of Marxism, and rejection of religious pluralism were largely shaped in confrontation with rival intellectual currents. This study demonstrates that Spragens' methodology, after addressing its initial limitations, offers a robust tool for systematically analyzing contemporary Islamic thought and clearly elucidates the link between historical crises and the solutions proposed by thinkers.