An Introduction on the Evidences and Indices of the Reference Groups in the Holy Qur ān

In addition to drawing attention to the individual and social responsibilities، the Holy Qur’ān has also talked about the importance of the social groups and emphasized on the efficacy of groups on individuals and other groups and the impressionability of those individuals and other groups. In the meantime، the reference groups have a significant role in the development and degeneration of individuals and communities. A reference group is a group whom one would set as a criterion for comparison، judgment، and decision making about one’s beliefs and behavior، whether one is a member of that group or not. Reference groups have also been talked about in the Holy Qur’ān، too. The Holy Qur’ān divides reference groups into two general categories: the true reference groups and the false reference groups; and provides indices and evidences for each category to place human beings in a realistic atmosphere so that they may make a true decision on a rational and spiritual basis about becoming a member in any group of the reference groups. Accordingly، the most important indices of true and false reference groups that have a bipolar nature were examined، including: guidance/misguidance، knowledge/ignorance، serving God/serving oneself، justice/injustice. In various verses، the Holy Qur’ān has brought up these indices next to one another so that while drawing attention to the relationship between them، it would emphasize their coherence and influence and effects on one another as subsystems in line with the social and cultural changes of society. According to these indices، the evidences of “the truthful”، “the pious”، etc. can be placed in the true reference groups and the evidences of “the affluent”، “the [Pharaoh’s] elite”، etc. in the false reference groups.