About the Authors:
Ahmad Kazemi Moussavi is a Professor of Islamic law and modern Islamic developments who currently teaches at George Washington University. He taught these fields in the University of Maryland, University of Virginia, and International Islamic University of Malaysia. Born in Iran he was educated in law there, going on to obtain a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from McGill University, Montreal (Canada). He published several books and more than a hundred articles in English and Persian.

Hamid Mavani is an Associate Professor of Islamic studies at Bayan Claremont Islamic Graduate School where he teaches courses on Islamic thought and modern developments in Islam. He has published several books including Religious Authority and Political Thought in Twelver Shi'ism: From Ali to Post Khomeini.