A Study of Intellectual and Religious Attitudes of Sheikh Mohammad Manshadi (1302 AH)

Sheikh Mohammad Manshadi is one of the lesser-known figures of the eventful era of Mohammad Shah and Naser al-Din Shah Qajar. His contemporary period, alongside Sufi ideas, witnessed the emergence of sects and movements such as Sheikhism, Babism, Azalism, and Baha'ism, which challenged the Shia society of Iran. What further diversified these perspectives was the gradual formation of intellectual and social movements influenced by modern Western civilization. Manshadi was exposed to various viewpoints, and accordingly, in addition to being introduced as an Azali or Baha'i, his influences on influential figures in the Constitutional Revolution have also been discussed. Based on these explanations, this article attempts to analyze Manshadi's religious and intellectual attitudes and his influence on the elites of the Constitutional Revolution as the main research question, using a descriptive-analytical approach. The research findings confirm Manshadi's Sufi inclinations, but the accusations of his being an Azali or Baha'i are not provable, at least based on the available evidence. Furthermore, his ideas, and especially his style of orations, protest speeches, and critical sermons, were considered an effective model by influential figures of the Constitutional Revolution for mobilizing the masses.