فصلنامه شیعه شناسی
پیاپی 15 (زمستان 1385)

This research is an analysis of the concept of "individual's relation to God", under various value orientation systems in Iranian society. For this purpose, a theoretical model, inspired by Imam 'Ali's teachings in Nahj-ol-Balagha, has been devised. The research method in this study has been the content analysis of value terms in the most popular newspapers in the last forty years. It is concluded that the religious-cultural value system in Iran has turned from a pre-Revolutionary ritual and emotional model to a post-Revolutionary intellectual and consequentialist model. The cluster analysis and their algorithms indicate that whenever a consequentialist value orientation becomes prevalent, other values in the religion realm are overshadowed.

Forging hadith is an undeniable fact which goes back to the early years of Islam and Prophet Mohammad's life. The Prophet and Imams, who are the sources of authentic and rightful hadith, have warned people not to get involved in forging hadith. In this paper, the Prophet's and Imam's teachings with regard to the issueof forging hadith are explained. The accusation that the Shiaare reluctant to denounce the issue of forging hadith is also responded to.

In this article, the literary style of the Persian poet, Kasā'i, are discussed, and particularly his interest in the nature is stressed. Kasā'i has also been a painter of natural scenes. The author has tried to shed a light on the events of his time through his poems. Later in his life, Kasā'i turned away from lauding worldly issues and started praising Ahl al-Bayt and calling people to turn towards God. His later poems include one that is the first lamentation of the Karbalā event in Persian poetry.

Worshipping God is the basis of Prophet's Teachings. Exploring the notion of worship in the holy Qoran, the author, in this paper, assesses the views put forward by ibn Taymiyya, whose approach has deeply influenced the Wahhabis. The author argues that the Wahhabi's are mistaken in trusting only Arabic grammarians, and not referring to Qoranic verses themselves, an approach leading to their antagonism to other Muslim communities.

Imam Khomeini is one of the greatest Shiite scholars of our time, who employs mystical approaches in interpreting the Qoran. According to him, the best way for understanding Qoranic lofty concepts is mysticism ('Irfān). No interpretation of the Holy Book can afford to ignore the mystical delicacy of its content. Imam Khomeini's insistence on such a mystical interpretive approach has led to the expansion of such interpretation among Shiite scholars.

The story of Prophet Mohammad’s last Thursday (the Event of Thursday), when he asked for pen and inkpot to write a document, after which Muslim would not go astray, is an important part of Muslim history, and another reason to prove that Imam ‘Ali was his rightful successor. The Prophet intended to put in writing what on many occasions during his life-time he verbally expressed, in order to secure the unity and salvation of the Muslim community after himself. However, realising the Prophet’s intention, the opponent of Imam ‘Ali claimed that the Prophet is delirious because of fever, and denied his request for a pen and inkpot.

After the overthrow of the Āq Qoyunlus by the Qarā Qoyunlus, an Āq Qoyonlo prince called Quli came to Deccan in Southern India to serve the Bahmani Sultans. Later, he was promoted to high-ranking positions, and finally was appointed as the governor of Golcanda. In 918 Lunar Hijri, when the Bahmanis experienced serious weakness, he declared the independence of his realm, and established the Qutb Shahi dynasty. Following the Safavid pattern, he declared the Shi’ite faith as the official religion of his kingdom, and preceded his own name by the name of Safavi rulers of Persia in official Friday Sermons. The Qutb Shahis set up Shiite religious institutions and promoted Shiite teachings and rituals. In 989 Lunar Hijri, when Mir Mohammad Momeen Astarābādi joined the Qutb Shahi administration, the Shiite faith flourished in the kingdom. However, Shah Jahan's conquest of Hyderabad in 1046 Lunar Hijri was the beginning of the decline of the faith in the area. In 1098, Aurangzeb defeated the Qutb Shahis and captured Golcanda and Heyderabad. Nevertheless, the Shiite faith has survived, and the Shia still form a significant community in Deccan.

In Imam Bāqir's and Sādiq's era, there were five groups of the Shia. First, there were a group of people rejecting the first three Caliphs, before Imam 'Ali, and above all policies affiliated with 'Othman. They advocated the return of the political leadership of the Islamic society to Prophet Mohammad's Household, and believed that, under the Twelfth Shiite Imam, Mahdi, such an ideal will be materialised. The second group consisted of moderate and conservative Islamic jurisprudents, or foqha, such as Abān ibn Taghlab, Zorāra, and Aboo Baseer. Shiite theologians such as Qays Māsser, Hishām ibn Hakam and Momin formed the third group. The fourth category consisted of the extremists (the Ghalis) like Moghayrat ibn Saeed, Bayān ibn Sam'ān and, particularly, Abo al-Khattāb Asadi. Finally, there was a group of the extremists called Mofavvadha, who believed Imams do God's jobs on His behalf, though their power is contingent on God's power.