ABSTRACT
Mostly, Islamists aim to establish an Islamic state under Sharia law. There are different forms of the “Islamic State” based on the sect and movements within each sect. Practically, the foundation of the Islamic Republic of Iranian (as a traditional Shi’a Muslim state) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (as a traditional Sunni Muslim) state offer two models of Islamic theocracy under two different movements (i.e., Vilayat-e Faqih and Wahhabism). Despite the hostile attitude that each movement holds toward each other, both considered the political leader as wali al-amr. So, what is the role of national history in Iran and Saudi Arabia in terms of “democracy” and “Shura”? And to which level do the political systems of those two countries fit with Max Weber’s Three Types of Legitimate Rule?
