The Concept of Batil and Its Application in Ayatollah Khamenei's Social Thought

In Ayatollah Khamenei’s Quranic studies, Quranic concepts and terms have a determining role and place in complementing the process of Quranic contemplation. Based on this Quranic attitude, reidentifying linguistic features of the Holy Quran is- to a large extent- dependent upon the conceptology of Quranic terms. Accordingly, Ayatollah Khamenei’s semantic analysis of Quranic terms is a necessity. The broad term of Batil (falsehood) is one of the concepts which has been reidentified in Ayatollah Khamenei’s Quranic studies. Elaborating on the method employed by Ayatollah Khamenei in semantology – the term of Batil and the Leader’s reasons for the reidentification of this concept have been addressed in this article through an analytical-descriptive method. The result of this research shows that Ayatollah Khamenei’s method of studying the terms is based on Quran’s collective identity. Based on this method, most of the Quran’s verses imply semantic implications and therefore the text of the Holy Book could be a basis of knowledge for elaborating on its own terms. In the Quran, the term Batil is used as the opposite of Haq (truth) which can be used to describe nullified or invalid. Hence, Batil lacks an independent identity and merely can be meaningful when Haq is not present. Conceptual implications used by Ayatollah Khamenei have created strategic propositions in the areas of culture, politics, and society. The value-based principles of this issue in the social arena support the theories of “progress", "resistance" and "power" in the socio-political thought of Ayatollah Khamenei and emphasize the role of epistemological authority of the Quran in the type of governance that he favors.