Mehran Esmaeili

About

In pursuit of a more profound comprehension of early Islam, I embarked upon a rigorous academic journey. This intellectual journey commenced with a systematic study of pre-Islamic Arab history and the late antiquity context. In the year 2000, I culminated my undergraduate studies by undertaking an extensive research endeavor titled "The Status of Women during the Prophet's Era: An Analysis of Women's Education, Punitive Measures, and Societal Engagement Beyond the Domestic Sphere." Subsequently, my scholarly pursuits led to active involvement in the editing of historical articles within the Qur'an Encyclopedia (Qom. Iran), a commitment spanning from 2004 to 2017. This significant engagement served as a catalyst for a concentrated focus on the early Islamic period. During my graduate studies, my academic interests shifted toward the discipline of historical sociology. In 2010, this academic evolution reached its zenith with the successful completion of a doctoral dissertation titled "The Impact of Tribal Relations on Religious Groupings in Medina during the Prophetic Era." It is also noteworthy that before my Ph.D. study, for a brief period, my academic interests veered towards the subject of tradition and modernism in West Asia. This exploration yielded my master's thesis, titled "Egyptian Intellectual Currents in the 19th Century," an achievement that garnered recognition as the distinguished historical thesis of 2013, as awarded by the Ministry of Culture. Concurrently, my curiosity extended to interdisciplinary studies, prompting participation in courses offered by Prof. Ahmad Pakatchi. This multifaceted education encompassed subjects such as Semitic languages, Qur'anic interpretation, and the historical analysis of Hadith, commencing in 2007 and persisting thereafter. Notably, my scholarly journey had commenced much earlier, with active participation in Islamic courses at the Qom Islamic Seminary since 1990. My current academic focus centers on an extensive project dedicated to the examination of Arab society during the formative years of Islam. The origins of this endeavor trace back to my contributions in crafting articles within the Qur'an Encyclopedia. Subsequently, my research trajectory was honed to scrutinize the intricate societal dynamics of Medina during the early Islamic era. The meticulous revision and culmination of my doctoral thesis spanned numerous years, ultimately culminating in its publication as a book in 2021, under the title "Social Structure of Yathrab in the Foundation of Madina al-Nabi." In 2011, I embarked upon an academic career as an Assistant Professor at Shahid Beheshti University, located in Tehran, Iran. This academic role was situated within the Department of Islamic History and Civilization, housed within the Faculty of Theology and Religions. Notably, in 2016, I assumed the position of departmental chair, a role that held for a tenure spanning four years.

Education

Publications