The book *“Introduction to the Study of Colonialism in Iran”* by Dr. Mousa Najafi is essentially an initial blueprint for the emergence of this new field. The author seeks to clarify the difference between classical and modern colonialism in Iranian history, showing how—from the Qajar period to the present—colonial manifestations have evolved from overt political domination to invisible, cultural infiltration. Najafi combines historical, philosophical, and civilizational perspectives and proposes that colonial studies should become an “indigenous intellectual discipline,” one capable of defining Iran’s path of distinct and independent thought within the modern world.

**From Awakening to Flourishing**
In parts of the book, Najafi reinterprets the process of Islamic awakening as one that began with military reaction, developed into political action, and ultimately matured into cultural and civilizational transformation. He believes the Islamic world is now engaged in a civilizational struggle, with the Islamic Revolution of Iran playing a unique role—having introduced a global discourse of independence and justice without conquest or domination.

Far beyond a mere historical study, *“Introduction to the Study of Colonialism in Iran”* represents a step toward founding a new intellectual tradition—arising from Iran’s need for civilizational self-awareness and potentially redefining the future course of political thought studies. The book highlights the exceptional position of the Islamic Revolution as a source of Islamic awakening’s growth and blossoming. It emphasizes the deep connection between Islamic resistance and awakening, warning that separating the two is akin to uprooting a tree from its roots.

**From Explaining Colonialism to Renewing Public Self-Awareness**
The book compellingly outlines the interdependence of Islamic resistance on the Islamic Revolution, and the Revolution on Islamic awakening: resistance stems from the Revolution, and the Revolution from awakening. Detaching the Revolution from its awakening roots would cause it to dry out. Colonialism, in this framework, serves as a measure to identify these dependencies—where distance or indifference toward colonialism mirrors the weakening of both resistance and revolutionary vitality.

From this perspective, *“Introduction to the Study of Colonialism in Iran”* is not only an academic reflection on contemporary history but also an intellectual manifesto for revitalizing Iran’s civilizational consciousness. Najafi demonstrates how the Islamic Revolution, grounded in rationality, ethics, and moderation, has harnessed the spiritual energy of Islamic awakening to release a profound cultural and epistemological resistance. This very potential, he argues, could lead to the formation of an indigenous science of colonial studies and the revival of Iran’s discourse on intellectual independence.