ABSTRACT
Faḍlallāh identified power as necessary in the establishment and maintenance of the social and political system through which the Islamic message can be implemented. He reconsidered the political position of modern ShīꜤism through his concept of power. He had first to create a discourse to articulate his message and apply a wide range of rhetorical tools to transform the perception and attitude of his audience. Faḍlallāh’s goal was to show that a breach of a moral rule is not unethical, but morally acceptable, and even necessary by religious law, under certain circumstances. His narrative therefore endorses the legitimised use of force. His argument builds and upholds a moral philosophy that sees righteous violence as an ethical act rather than an infringement. Faḍlallāh’s extensive criticism of passivity and quietism, his reinterpretation of Islam as a religion of power, as well as his emphatic and comprehensive call for action, made his theory of power a milestone in modern ShīꜤī political thought.
