Social Classes in the Viewpoint of Khwāja Nasīr al-Dīn tūsī

Khwāja Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī is one of the greatest thinkers of the middle centuries (AH), who enjoys a high status in science and literature and has a worldwide reputation. Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī did not suffice himself merely with science (‘ilm) and thought and was involved in practical politics, too. The last two decades of Khwāja Naṣīr’s life in Ilkhanids courts was his period of scientific and practical activities and played an influential role in controlling the Mongols’ conducts and the revival of the Iranian culture. His tolerant and ideologically lenient personality, which paved the way for interaction with the scientists of other countries and nations greatly contributed to his success and the promotion of his position. Khwāja Naṣīr was a comprehensive scientist and fully erudite in different sciences, including theoretical and practical philosophy. In practical philosophy, Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī has examined various aspects of social life structure and in politics he has dealt with the social classes and their status in society. Among the Muslim philosophers and thinkers of the middle period (AH), Khwāja Naṣīr al-Dīn Ṭūsī has had the most perfect viewpoint towards justice and has dealt with social classes and their status in the middle period by taking into consideration the practical and theoretical aspects of the concept of justice. To my opinion, the status of justice in Iranian thoughts and the more important emphasis of Islamic foundations, and especially the Shī‘ism, on this category has prompted a more specific attitude in Khwāja Naṣīr towards social classes and their status in society (from the practical philosophy point of view). Having taken a brief look at the society and rule (ḥukūma) in Khwāja Naṣīr’s era, this article addresses his cultural position and performance and then reviews the class structure from his point of view.