Strategic Studies of the Islamic Revolution

Religious Knowledge and the Phenomenon of Colonialism: Instrument of Legitimation or Nucleus of Resistance

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Mahmoud Ghasemi

PhD in Comparative Philosophy, Faculty of Law, Theology and Political Sciences, Science and Research Unit, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/irsj.2026.243536

Keywords

This study analyzes the complex role of religious institutions and teachings during the colonial period and seeks to demonstrate how a distorted and inauthentic reading of religion can become an instrument for legitimizing colonial domination, while,

analytical approach and utilizing documentary and library-based methods, the research examines the role of religious knowledge within societies in their interaction with the phenomenon of colonialism. The data are grounded in the analysis of religiou

Pure Muhammadan Islam&rdquo

revived notions such as jihad, justice-seeking, Mahdism, and similar doctrines, strengthening the spirit of resistance against arrogance and forming the core of anti-colonial struggle. The Islamic Revolution of Iran, under the leadership of Imam Khom

Strategic Studies of the Islamic Revolution

Volume 3, Special Issue
Winter 2026
Pages 187-235

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