This article critically reviews Colin Turner’s perspectives on Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi in his book, Islam Without Allah: The Rise of Religious Externalism in Safavid Iran. It argues that Turner perpetuates an Orientalist tradition—relying on flawed accounts by earlier scholars like Malcolm, Browne, and Lockhart—which inaccurately depicts Majlisi as a dogmatic, power-hungry cleric responsible for the Safavid dynasty’s collapse. The first section examines Turner’s concepts of “Islam without Allah,” externalism, and the alleged shift from a God-centric to an Imam-centric paradigm. It critiques his flawed dichotomization of the exoteric (zahir) and esoteric (batin), as well as his misreading of Shi’i intellectual history. Drawing on Shi’i biographical (rijal) and historical sources, the article then clarifies Majlisi’s true scholarly stature, his moderate position between the Akhbari and Usuli schools, and his rigorous hadith authentication methodology. It reintroduces Bihar al-Anwar not as an arbitrary compilation, but as a systematic academic endeavor. Finally, the study challenges Turner’s claims about Majlisi and the Safavids’ role in Iran’s “de-Sunnification.” Emphasizing the historical depth of Iranian Shi’ism, the author highlights the true drivers of its spread: cultural initiatives, Persian text translations, and the expansion of religious seminaries. Ultimately, the article concludes that Turner’s portrayal of Safavid Shi’ism is reductionist, biased, and rooted in preconceived socio-political notions.