نشریه مطالعات تربیتی و اجتماعی قرآن و عترت
پیاپی 7 (بهار و تابستان 1400)

The purpose of this study is to define the meaning of man as the vicegerent of God and to find out what its effects and blessings are from the viewpoints of Shia and Sunni exegetes. The most comprehensive Quranic verse touching on this issue is verse 30 in chapter 2. Before mentioning man’s creation in this chapter, God refers to man’s spiritual status, i.e. his position as the vicegerent of God. This indicates the importance of this issue in man’s fate. Man’s status distinguishes him from other creatures, determines his position in the universe, and makes other creatures submissive to him. According to the apparent meaning of some other verses, this position is not limited to certain few people, namely Adam and the infallibles among his progeny. Of course, this high status does not belong to those who have fallen from the position of humanity. Therefore, fallible humans, depending on their capacity and provided that the necessary conditions are met and there are no obstacles, are vicegerents of God proportionate to their positions. The highest level of caliphate, however, belongs to perfect humans, the best example of whom are the infallibles. The outcomes of this study shows that being the manifestation of God, being revered by angels, becoming a role model for angels, living a spiritual life, being calm, having light to find the right path in the dark, salvation, getting the way out of darkness, felicity, entering Paradise and attaining eternal bliss are the effects of man’s caliphate from the viewpoint of Shia exegetes. Considering that Sunni scholars and commentators confine the effects and blessings of caliphate only to the ruler of the faithful community, therefore, from their point of view, the most important effect of caliphate in the society is securing social justice by implementing Islamic laws, providing social security for the ease and calm of the faithful community, guarding the Islamic borders and preaching and propagating Islam. The data in this research have been gathered by library research from printed sources, computers and scientific software and then organized following an analytical-descriptive method.

In the present world, many women play simultaneous roles in the family (as mother/ spouse) and in society (by being socially/politically/culturally active). With the aim of analyzing women’s family and social roles from the viewpoints of Islam and the West and evaluating their corresponding theoretical perspectives, and to study the conflicts between women’s family and social roles and try to create a balance between them, the current study tries to answer the question that whether or not monotheistic-based spiritual health can, in the most perfect way, create a balance between women’s family and social roles. There are four perspectives in studies relevant to women’s family and social roles. The first perspective holds that women’s family and social roles are essentially contradictive. According to this perspective, family roles are delegated to women based on sexual clichés and have priority over social roles. The second perspective maintains that, though the two roles are contradictive, since sexuality is a socio-cultural construct and emphasis is put on social roles; therefore, social roles take precedence. The third perspective, which is based on balance theory, supports the idea that both roles are equally important. This perspective has received criticism because of its inattention to cultural, social, age, and gender grounds. According to the fourth perspective, a monotheistic-based spiritual health system is utilized to create balance between the woman’s family. and social roles. According to this perspective, women’s family and social roles are not essentially contradictive and become contradictive only if their respective value systems become non-functional. The value laden system of monotheistic-based spiritual health is based on three principles: correct prioritization of values (giving precedence to spiritual values), determining the criterion of prioritizing the values (in the order of their closeness to the ultimate goal), and choosing the right value when there are conflicting values. When conflicting values occur for women, first their primary roles should be determined and then the right value should be chosen based on the necessities defined by these values like society needs, individual needs, and internal characteristics of women.

The characteristics of a teacher in general and a revolutionary teacher in particular have since long been the center of attention for scholars. The purpose of this paper is to find out the social characteristics of a revolutionary teacher from the Quran and the traditions. In this research, the data have been gathered by conducting library research, taking notes and then processing the data employing a descriptive-analytical method. According to significant findings of this research, the characteristics of revolutionary educators according to the Quran and the hadith include enjoining good and forbidding evil, having a competitive spirit, being open to counselling, seeking justice, wanting to guide others, pursuing unity, accepting advice, readiness to give advice, not expecting compensation from other than God, timely use of strong arguments, insight, and foresightedness. Raising a revolutionary generation depends on having teachers with necessary characteristics one of which is the teachers themselves being revolutionary. As for how to achieve each of the above, further research is required.

The goal of this research is to outline and explain man’s relationships in building new Islamic civilization based on the teachings of the Quran. According to religious teachings building a civilization, designing the proper system to achieve this goal, creating the necessary institutions, and finally, establishing the ideal society begin with man’s self-construction since man is the basic unit of change that contributes to building of a new Islamic civilization. Though a lot of scholarly work has been carried out about man’s relationships as well as about Islamic civilization, there is still need for scientific study and explanation of man’s relationships in the new Islamic civilization based on the Quran. The present study aims at conducting an in-depth such study by adopting a qualitative approach and following the method of content and network of contents analysis. The findings of this research show that, according to the Quran, man’s relationships can be studies and analyzed from five aspects: man’s relationship with himself, his relationship with other people, his relationship with nature, his relationship with the hereafter, and his relationship with God. Man’s relationship with himself has been divided into two systematizing contents: knowing oneself and self-construction. Man’s relationship with other people has been divided into two systematizing contents: justice and doing good to others. Man’s relationship with nature has been divided into four systematizing contents: exploitation, domination, destruction, and putting in danger. Man’s relationship with the hereafter has been divided into two systematizing contents: taking responsibility and attaining reward. Man’s relationship with God – which is the base for all his other relationships – means his servitude to and worship of God. Each of these contents consists of several sub-contents. The basic contents enumerated in this research are 46 contents all of which are derived from the Quran. All these contents have been used to design a network of interrelated contents. This network can be used to create the new Islamic civilization.

Family is the ground for expanding man’s capabilities and has an important role in actualizing children’s material and spiritual potentials. Sometimes, the occurrence of calamities or crises may destroy the morale of the members of the family and ultimately lead to the family falling apart. The doctrine of Mahdism and Waiting have the capacity to strengthen family ties in the face of such crises like the Corona disease. Therefore, in this paper this subject is put under research. One important feature of this research is expounding on impacts of Mahdism and Waiting on the family in three arenas of beliefs, values, and behaviors. As for beliefs, the doctrine of Mahdism strengthens one’s faith and belief in imamate. As for values, it emphasizes the spiritual characteristics of those who are waiting for the Imam (as). As for behavioral norms, it regulates the behaviors of the family members and give their behaviors a trace of the belief in Mahdism. In the present study, rational and textual reasons as well as explaining and analysis of Quranic verses and traditions have been exploited to explain the effects of Mahdism on those arenas.

The family is a sacred institution that greatly affects the spiritual health of people, the improvement and strengthening of the culture and beliefs of the society, and the transfer and spread of the Islamic civilization. Today, the imperialist powers of world try to desacralize the institution of family. Certain schools of thought like liberalism propagate individualism and discourage taking responsibility, both of which are counter to the foundations of the family. These beliefs have become so prevalent that their traces can be found even in the Islamic society. By conducting a qualitativeinductive analysis of traditions narrated from the infallibles especially from Imam Reza (as) and having a holistic and strategic outlook at the institution of family, this paper tries to solve the problems the family faces. In a general perspective, the sayings of Imam Reza (as) on the subject of family can be divided into three groups: theoretical views of Imam Reza (as) about the family, practical methods suggested by the Imam (as) for strengthening the institution of family, and the duties of the members of the family outlined by the Imam (as). It has to be noted that seeking help from the methods the infallibles suggested for bringing change to views and policymaking regarding the family is a huge step in guiding the society toward perfection and would provide us with the outlines of an exemplary Islamic balanced family.

The purpose for which this research was conducted is to introduce the ethical and legal criteria of a functional family based on the Islamic teachings derived from authentic Islamic sources. These criteria and characteristics have been obtained by adopting a descriptive-analytical approach at the traditions and Quranic verses on the subject of family. The outcomes of this research show that religious sources are full of moral instructions covering all aspects of family life – which is the center of material and spiritual improvement of an individual and the society. If observed and implemented properly, these instructions will guarantee the functionality of the family and improvement of its members. Telling the truth, optimism, expressing love, mutual respect, forgivingness, greeting each other, being caring, kind and patient are among the most important teachings and moral behaviors that have direct impact on the functionality of the family. The outcomes of this research also indicate that the religious sources have established rights for each member of the family including the husband, wife, child, father, and mother. Correspondingly, the religious sources have assign each member certain duties. Observing these rights and performing these duties contribute to functionality of the family.

Personality psychology is an important branch of psychology. Evaluating the improvement and health of the human being would be fruitless without conducting a foundational study of his personality. Since Islam considers life in this world a requisite for eternal life in the hereafter, it considers man’s healthy personality a requisite for a healthful life in the hereafter. The present paper aims at studying psychological and Islamic views about the characteristics of a perfect and spiritually healthful man. Having this goal in mind and doing library research, I have studied the views of prominent psychologists specialized in personality. With a focus on the characteristics of a perfect man, I have studied the views of such psychologists as Allport, Rogers, Fromm, Jung, Maslow, Frankl, Seligman, and Perls. I have also studied the Islamic views about the characteristics of a perfect man. Undoubtedly, the Quran and the sayings and conduct of the Infallibles are the main sources of studying the perfect man. In this regard, al-Sahifah al-Sajjadiyyah in many places speaks of the characteristics of an ideal person and how he can attain spiritual transcendence and thus reach perfection and eternal felicity. The Sahifah, though apparently just a book of supplication, is in fact an encyclopedia of science inside which profound teachings regarding monotheism, prophethood, imamate, and the perfect man are presented in the form of supplications. The findings of this research show that Sahifah al-Sajjadiyyah puts forth the characteristics of a person with a healthy personality in three domains: one’s relationship with God, one’s personal life, and one’s social life. From the viewpoint of Imam Sajjad (as) one of the ways of man’s improvement is his selflessness and doing good to people. According to Imam Sajjad (as), achieving perfection requires living in a healthy and united society and having love for and devotion to God.