Shariati argues that over time, religious elites (clerics) created a "right-wing" version of Islam that made peace with capitalism, teaching the poor to accept their lot as "God-given" while the rich "cleansed" their wealth with minor rituals.
For Shariati, history is a battlefield between two types of religion: Tawheed (unicity) and Shirk (polytheism/idolatry). In his view, Tawheed is the original message of all prophets—a call for a classless, just society where humans are God’s "vicegerents". On the other side, Shirk has historically been used by ruling classes (Pharaohs and oligarchies) to justify inequality by claiming that God ordained some to be masters and others to be slaves. Kapitalizm - Ali Ећeriati
In his modern "story," Shariati describes how the Machine (industrial production) fell into the hands of the bourgeoisie. Shariati argues that over time, religious elites (clerics)
Shariati believed that to truly fight capitalism, a society needs two concurrent revolutions: National Revolution: To end imperial domination. On the other side, Shirk has historically been
To eradicate poverty and establish a classless society.
He highlights Abu Dharr , a close companion of the Prophet, who stood against this accumulation, arguing that wealth must serve the people.