a Lebanese professor and researcher specialized in the Middle East and Islamic affairs. He has published several books, the most prominent of which are The Israeli Labor Party (1968-1999), The Evolution of the Marja`iyya in Twelver Shi'ism: From the occultation of Imam to the Velayat-e faqih, and How Do Revolutions Happen? He contributed to an additional 12 books on Islamic and Jihadist movements.