The Theological Relations of Iraqi and Iranian Scholars during the Reign of Öljaitü: A Case Study of the Relations between the Family of Allama al-Hilli and Khwaja Rashid al-Din Fadl Allah Hamadan

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Shahid Beheshti University

Abstract

The cultural and scholarly relationship between Iran and Iraq after the advent of Islam has consistently represented a distinguished example of religious coexistence and cultural affinity. One of the most remarkable manifestations of this cultural interaction is reflected in the connections between Allama al-Hilli and his son Fakhr al-Muhaqqiqin, as representatives of the Shiʿi jurists of al-Hillah, and Khwaja Rashid al-Din Fadl Allah Hamadani, the Iranian vizier of the Ilkhanid court. Despite the significant intellectual and religious differences between these two prominent historical figures—one associated with Shiʿi scholarship and the other with Sunni traditions—scholarly and cultural relations existed between them. Accordingly, the present study seeks to examine the nature and dimensions of the scholarly, cultural, and intellectual interactions among Allama al-Hilli, Fakhr al-Muhaqqiqin, and Khwaja Rashid al-Din Fadl Allah Hamadani. It also explores how this relationship served as a model of scholarly coexistence and intellectual engagement among thinkers with differing religious and cultural backgrounds.
Drawing upon surviving manuscripts, scholarly licenses (ijazāt), correspondence, and the published works of these figures, this study analyzes the various dimensions of their relationship. The principal hypothesis is that the connection among these scholars and intellectuals extended beyond a merely personal or political relationship and constituted a successful example of scholarly interaction, tolerance, and cultural dialogue within Islamic civilization. Employing a historical methodology based on the description and analysis of documentary evidence, the findings demonstrate that the historical experience of these figures, despite their religious and intellectual differences, provides a valuable model for promoting dialogue, cultural convergence, and mutual understanding among Islamic societies in the contemporary era. For this reason, it deserves renewed attention and reexamination.

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References

References
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Hamadani, R. F. (1083 AH). As’ila wa Ajwiba. Manuscript, Iranian Parliament Library, MS 17380. [Arabic]
Journal of Historical Researches of Iran and Islam
Volume 19, Issue 37
November 2025
Pages 377-411

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History

  • Receive Date: 23 August 2025
  • Revise Date: 30 August 2025
  • Accept Date: 27 October 2025

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