Islam: The Iranian Revolution

My topic on Islam deals with the Iranian Revolution, which occurred in 1979. This event laid the groundwork for the Iran we know today. Like other Islamic movements, the revolution sought to reestablish Islamic principles and law. The shahs of the Pahlavi Dynasty, Raze Shah and his son Muhammad Raze Shah, transitioned Iran to secular views and ties with the west, especially the US. Though Muhammed Raze Shah did make some improvements for the Iranian people, these gains would hurt the Iranian economy and his image. In spite of some progress, Muhammed Raze Shah did use his power to oppress and control Irian life. His actions and repressive regime would eventually lead to his downfall and the creation of the Republic of Iran.

The Pahlavi Dynasty

As a secular Muslim, Muhammad lost support from the clergy and working class. His dealings with Israel and accusations of corruption also, hampered his image. Corruption was heavily backed by orders of suppressing and censoring political opponents. Muhammad Shah even had his own secret police, the Shavak, to punish those who would oppose him. Though Muhammad Shah was a repressive ruler, he did have one positive effect on Iran. In 1963, Muhammad enacted the White Revolution. The goal of the White Revolution was to modernize Iran. One positive effect the White Revolution had was the improvement of industrial, especially oil production. Revenue generated from these improvements were invested into infrastructure, education, etc. The population grew, the infant mortality rate fell, and the middle class was growing. However, these gains would eventually lead to his

As a US citizen, I often hear how Muslims are labeled as extremists and that Islam is a “cult”. It truly does pain me that an entire religion and its followers are regarded as evil due to the actions of actual terrorist who claim to be true followers of Islam. My experience in learning about Islam in my group has been a pleasant one. When I signed up for the project, I was worried I would have to deal with someone that has Islamophobia. However, this was not the case, and like me some members of my group were able to clear some misconceptions about Islam. There have been several times where some members could not come up with a topic or could not find any resources to help with their topic. Thankfully, this has been a rare group project where everyone started their work before the due