Support measures and mechanisms for urban subalterns in the Safavid period

As a Muslim government, the Safavid government usually followed a number of religious teachings, Salaf governance practices, political ethics, and the legacy of the writings on the importance and necessity of poverty alleviation and support for the inferior groups. The main point in paying attention to these issues was a discourse that encouraged the political authorities and social groups to do justice and promote charity in accordance with the Islamic verses and hadiths and of course the cultural contexts in the society. Social support was basically provided by public resources and mainly by the government and through taxes as well as improving governance procedures, and its extent could be increased or limited with any economic, social or political change. This research is looking for the answer to this question, how were the patterns and procedures of supporting Farudestan during the Safavid rule period? And what changes did these procedures enjoy with respect to the establishment of the religious government? By adopting the "history from below" approach and based on the qualitative-interpretive method based on data analysis, this research explains the social support status of the urban slums of the Safavid period. The findings of the research indicate that during the periods of stability of the Safavids, support policies were implemented in two dimensions, official and unofficial. In the official dimension, establishing tax exemptions, paying long-term loans and even free of charge, reforming economic procedures, establishing a cruel court and punishing civil offenders, providing urban and civil services, strengthening the idea of justice and meritocracy, expanding endowments and feeding the needy. The unofficial side of spreading religious teachings in the form of kindness and honor, charity and charity, vows and gifts, rejecting oppression and feeding the poor was promoted and paid for.