Islamic Politics Research

Islamic Politics Research

Ayatollah Boroujerdi’s Role in Confronting the Evolution of Salafi Discourse across the Islamic World

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Naser Pourhassan
Associate Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Science, Ayatollah Boroujerdi University
10.22034/ipr.2026.557139.2332
Abstract
During the marjaʿiyyah of Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi, the Salafist discourse—rooted in the thought of Ibn Taymiyyah and Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhab—experienced a revival across various regions of the Islamic world, particularly in Egypt. Rather than concentrating on the external “Other,” represented by Western intellectual and political currents, this discourse increasingly identified Shiʿism as its principal adversary. Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi, however, adeptly managed this anti-Shiʿa campaign and redirected the broader Islamic milieu toward greater unity and cohesion. This study seeks to analyze the mechanisms through which Boroujerdi engaged in a subtle yet structural confrontation with the Salafist . The central research question thus asks: How did Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi prevent the Salafist discourse from reshaping the identity of Shiʿism? The article advances the hypothesis that, by invoking the Hadith al-Thaqalayn and emphasizing both doctrinal and practical commonalities among Islamic sects—while promoting the ideal of taqrīb (rapprochement)—Boroujerdi effectively neutralized Salafist efforts to magnify minor theological differences against Shiʿism. The outcome of his initiatives, particularly the jurisprudence of proximity, cultivated meaningful coexistence between Shiʿa and Sunni communities. Through sustained intellectual and religious engagement with al-Azhar, Ayatollah Boroujerdi significantly curtailed the capacity of Salafist discourse to marginalize Shiʿism for several decades.The significance of Ayatollah Boroujerdi’s institutional and structural initiatives became particularly evident when the rise of Salafi-Takfiri discourse emerged as a major threat to both the Islamic world and international security
Keywords
''Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi
'' al-Azhar ''
''
Taqrīb ''
''Shiʿism''
''Salafism''
Subjects
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Islamic Politics Research
Volume 13, Issue 28
December 2026
Pages 333-360

  • Receive Date 06 November 2025
  • Revise Date 06 February 2026
  • Accept Date 10 February 2026