The National Library and Archives of Iran (NLAI) has organized an exhibition of old dissertations from the Qajar era (1785-1925).
The subjects of the dissertations revolve around Iranian studies. Among the most significant theses is that of lawyer, author and parliament member Mohammad Mossadeq (1882-1967) who was democratically elected as the Prime Minister of Iran, but was overthrown in 1953 by a British-American coup, according to the website of the National Library (nlai.ir).
Mossadeq’s dissertation is titled ‘Islam and Shia in Front of European Laws.’ It was printed in 1914 in Paris, France. While studying law in Switzerland, Mossadeq chose his doctorate thesis on the subject of wills and testaments in Islamic law. To confirm the accuracy of his writing, he traveled back to Iran to consult experts on the matter, writing it first in Persian before its translation into French.
The exhibit is underway at the Museum of Book and Documented Heritage, established in February last year at the NLAI which is located on Haqqani Highway near Haqqani subway station.
The exhibition will run through January 19, from 9 am-3 pm. In addition, it also features a number of old books on Iranian studies, history, archaeology and art, written by foreign authors.
