Islamic-Iranian Community in the Eyes of the British Orientalists of the Qajari Period, with Emphasis on Itineraries

Foreign itineraries were often written by political officials and missionaries whose main concern was pursuing their special interests, political-religious thoughts, and purposes and those of their countries. This is reflected in their reports about the social conditions of the Islamic community in the previous centuries, particularly Iranian community. English orientalists are among those who embarked on writing such itineraries. Partiality, fanaticism and conveying the impression that the English have control over the Islamic world are the distinctive features of their works.This research seeks to answer the question as to what picture English orientalists present in their itineraries of the Islamic community, particularly Iran in Qajar period. In addition to proving the mentioned view about foreign itineraries, the research findings show that, these orientalists do not have true understanding of the religious and Islamic-Iranian community, and the colonial- exploitative vision of the English caused them to present in their itineraries a kind of report in which they regard the culture of our country and community in the mentioned era with contempt and in different aspects and this, in fact, is contrary to historical realities. These itineraries are insulting to Islamic communities which are introduced as being decologue, archaic, superstitious, ignorant, extremist, double spatial, untruthful, using flattery, and in brief, woebegone and regressive in morality, rites and religious beliefs. Nevertheless, the partial-superficial look as well as, the generalization about the vileness in Iranian communities call into question their impartiality and fairness. Unlike the Europeans, who notice the beauties and attractiveness of Islam world, English orientalists propogate according to a one-sided view in this regard and refuse to mention the positive aspects of the life and culture in Iran.