A Study on Mahdavi Functions in Razavi Thought

In nowadays world, the discussion about functions or domain in religion has an increasing and very big growth. Despite the pessimistic approach of some like Feoud and Jean Paul Sartre, a large number of religion researchers have a new approach namely “Functional Approach” toward religion. These people emphasize on the functional approach in religion, and do not see the religion to be responsible for a mere individual relation or worship. They believe that religion effects and appears in all aspects of human’s life such as training, ethics, governmental-social issues, cognitive issues and so on. This issue is so clear and visible in all Islamic teachings. Because the value of its teachings can be seen in the mirror of its benefits and functions. This fact is very noticeable about the subjects on the “Last Days” and human’s future namely the subject on the “Promised One” in religions and in particular “Mahdaviyat” in Islam. One can deduce these functions in different ways from important and authentic sources on Mahdaviyat. The writer in this article does not attempt to look over all aspects of this topic completely. The aim of this research is to look over and discuss only those which are the most important with the emphasis on the thoughts of the Knowledgeable Imam of the Household of the Prophetp.b.u.h- his Excellency Imam Rezaa.s.. Based on this, we have tried to point out some of the important functions like cognitive, training-social, political, managerial and historical functions. Of course all of them will not have the same value in our research. Some of these functions have introductory values but some have the special and fundamental values. The important result of these functions in general, will cause the appearance of the truth and overcoming the vain in the globe.