The topics of Jihad and Shahadat, struggle and martyrdom in Islam, are widely misunderstood in the West, although, due to the prominence of the Islamic world in contemporary international politics, they have aroused considerable interest, and perhaps fear. Each of the authors whose thoughts are presented in this volume helped to set the stage for the Islamic revolution in Iran. They were popular lecturers who attracted especially large following among the youth because they preached Islam as a vibrant ideology with obvious relevance for contemporary world and national political life. No topics are more important than those of jihad and shahadat. Thus, the writings translated here are essential for an understanding of contemporary of Shi’ite political thought, and for an understanding of the ideological developments which made possible the Islamic revolution in Iran. But these works have a worth beyond what we may learn from them about Iran, or Shi"ism or Islam. The questions raised in this volume about martyrdom, about struggle against oppression and the role of religion in this struggle, are questions which must be raised by all people.