فصلنامه شیعه شناسی
پیاپی 53 (بهار 1395)

The Shiite jurists’ view on legitimacy of Islamic rulers is one of the important subjects in the Shiite political jurisprudence. The Shiite jurists regard the right to caliphate as legitimate just for Infallible Imams after the Prophet. Thus, after the period of Imams’ presence, one of the issues always considered by the Shiite jurists was the way they would confront or interact with Muslim rulers. After Imams, the first confrontation of the jurists with that issue was under the Abbasid dynasty. Meanwhile, Sharif Razi was one of the scholars who cooperated and interacted closely with Abbasids and was nominated for administrative positions by them. This apparently caused a paradox in the spheres of theory and practice. This is not, however, the reality; rather, Sayyid’s practice was firstly supported by theoretical basis; and secondly, it seems that his practice in broad interaction with Abbasids may be analyzed as aimed at preparing the ground for regaining the Alawids’ rights. In the present study, we have tried to report and analyze the condition of that period as well as the importance of Sayyid’s positions to resolve some of the ambiguities in this regard.

Distinguishing human phenomena from natural ones, the interpretive methodology is based on the principle that the subject of religious sociology is the mental and semantic dimension of the forms of religion manifested in history, society and humans’ behavior. Unlike affirmative model that considers the origin of religion and its functions in the macro level of society, this model investigates the nature of religious symbols and beliefs and their role in giving meaning to individual and social life. The present study uses Clifford Geertz’s interpretive approach to do a case study on Nakhl-Gardaani rite in the village of Abyana. It uses two brief and detailed methods of describing the rites to indicate the representations of conscious meanings and hidden symbols of Nakhl (palm tree). The most important methods of gathering data in this study were the methods of collaborative observation, interview and library research; and the results show that Nakhl (as Imam Hussein’s coffin) carries a much broader meaning in the social life of Abyana people than in real life. Indeed, it is a symbol of concepts such as freedom, healing power, resurrection, and an everlasting return to one’s origin. This has not lost its effect in the course of time; rather, it serves as a factor for preserving one’s lineage, commemorating the elements of nature, and recreation of the sanctity of religious places on the scene of the Shiite beliefs and rites.

Tawwabin Movement, led by Suleyman bin Surad Khuzaee, began in Rabi’ al-Akhar of 64 AH and was defeated in Jamadi al-Awwal of the same year. Had the time of the uprising been chosen properly? The possible times for the uprising included the following ones: the first forty days after Yazid bi Mu’awiya’s death; three months after his death; just before Ramadan 64 AH; between 15 and 22 of Ramadan 64 AH; just before Shawwal 64 AH; before Dhil-Qa’da 3 of 64 AH; and before Muharram of 65 AH. The present article is seeking to deal with a comparison between the time of the uprising and the possible times before it as proper times and optimal conditions.

What is legitimacy? Can one present a comprehensive and widespread reading of legitimacy? The common views on legitimacy have often regarded it as a simple and mono-causal phenomenon, considering it generally in relation to the ruler, while it is necessary to consider the contents of the policies, practices, and normative aspects of the order and obedience to justify legitimacy of any government. The present article, while explaining the views on legitimacy, attempts to adduce religious texts to present a justice-based reading of the concept of legitimacy. The importance of justice in the Quran and traditions, especially in the Shiite tradition, leads us to that reading. Based on the findings of this study, justice can be considered as a far-reaching criterion for legitimacy. Justice-based legitimacy makes our attention shift from form to content, opening an interstice for passing from formal individual legitimacy to content legitimacy. Besides, making legitimacy contingent upon justice highlights moral aspects of politics and elevates the logic of order and obedience.

The discussion on illegitimacy of cooperation with an oppressive ruler is closely related to Islamic Awakening. The definition of an oppressive ruler in Shiite jurisprudential sources is more specific and different from that in Sunnite sources. Such a ruler has been reprimanded in Islamic traditions and cooperation with him has been considered illegitimate if it leads to strengthening the political system. The present writing is seeking to investigate the most important reasons for illegitimacy of cooperation with oppressive rulers and its legitimate instances from the Shiite jurisprudential viewpoint in order to set a positive step towards stating the foundations of Islamic Awakening.

Imaduddin Nasimi, a Shiite committed poet with a true emotion and simple fluent pen, has composed some beautiful and pleasant eulogies in Turkish for the Prophet and his Household. The collection of Turkish poems of this well-known Iranian poet shows some parts of the culture and literature of this country. However, it has not been investigated scientifically and has somehow sunk into oblivion. The present study, conducted on the basis of description and analysis, analyzes the Shiite themes and deals with a literary review of Nasimi’s collection of poems to introduce a part of the Shiite culture and literature crystallized in a non-national language. In his Turkish collection of poems, Nasimi has called himself an adherent of Wilayat (authority of the Infallibles), speaking of the authority and rightness of the Prophet’s Households and composing poems on the grandeur of the Prophet and his households as well as the oppressions they, especially Imam Hussein, underwent. He is a Sufi poet and uses the Quranic verses and mystical terminologies such as tajalli (“manifestation”), wahdat wujud (“unity of existence”), kashf wa shuhud (“discovery and intuition”), etc. Due to his realistic attitude, Nasimi’s Shiite poetry has an oratory form and lacks much poetic imagination. Besides, he – influenced by doctrines of mystical literature – has composed some poems in praising the Prophet’s Households. His sonnets, while having a tint of humane and earthly atmosphere, are considered mystical and spiritual sonnets due to being intermingled with the Quranic verses and celestial traits.

With the dominion of a new conceptual system in the Safawid period, the previous elements of art and architecture accepted new meanings and forms. Accordingly, two prominent domes in Abbasid Collective Mosque and Sultani School in Isfahan represent a new image created with a change in the city view as well as the form, structure and internal and external decorations of those two buildings. The present article serves as an introduction to studying the meaning of Safawids’ prominent domes to re-identify the concept of Tuba tree in the Shiite culture. To do so, we have investigated the main sources that form the Shiites’ intellectual and cultural world in Safawid period through a descriptive-analytical method. Qualitative analysis and comparison of the descriptions and interpretations of the above sources would lead to a perception of the meaning of Tuba tree in its historical context and introduction of its features. The final findings of the study would prepare the ground for a more precise understanding of Safawids’ prominent domes in future researches.