Abdolmajeed Moballeghi - Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate, firstly, how the Shiite first discourse, which was about systematic exercising the politics of peace/resistance, appeared in the city of Kufa, during the era of Imam Ali, and in the land of Karbala, after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, and, secondly, how, grounded on that, a new knowledgebaseddiscourse, which was about withdrawal from politics with the goal of maintaining balances lead to peace, emerged in Medina and it could, relying on theoretical potential of two disciplines of Islamic theology and jurisprudence, promoted the Shi a religious identity and its group stability . Finally, in order to conclude, the relationsbetween these two discourses with contemporary Shi a is discussed. The paper consists of an introduction, two central parts and a final section.