Ma`rifat Farhangi Ejtemaei

Using a narrative review method, this study critically examines the views of Iranian intellectual currents regarding the Islamic Revolution and modernity. Its objective is to identify the analytical shortcomings of non-seminary intellectual thought and to bring greater conceptual coherence to their theoretical frameworks. To this end, a typology of Iranian intellectuals is first presented, followed by the articulation of relevant critiques based on the major themes advanced by each type. The findings indicate that the critiques directed at the first and second types (which share a critical stance toward the Revolution) include deficiencies such as insufficient attention to the rational foundations of the Revolution, ambiguity in the concept of “Iranian modernity,” presupposing religion to be non-ideological, portraying the ideology of the Revolution as eclectic, and neglecting its existential foundations. The critiques concerning the third and fourth types (which share an affinity with the Revolution) include the defensive nature of their intellectual framework, ambiguity regarding how the Islamic Revolution contributed to the decline of the West, inadequate attention to the capacities of cultural Islam, and the absence of constructive programs for engaging with modernity.