Journal of Al-Mustafa International University
Volume:4 Issue: 1, Autumn 2021

This research scrutinizes the impact of the cultural approach of the Islamic Revolution of Iran in the international arena. It aims to help the research literature and explain the impact of the cultural approach of the Islamic Revolution on theorization and behavioral area in the international arena. (Goal) This study has been made with the help of a constructivist approach in the field of international relations. (Method) The main question of this research is: What impact has the cultural approach of the Islamic Revolution of Iran had on the international arena? (Question) From a negative point of view, the Islamic revolution is critical of the globalization process, Western cultural hegemony and Western identity as well as of the West’s disregard to the role of religion and morality in the international arena. From an affirmative viewpoint, the Islamic Revolution of Iran underscores the role of religion, religious and Islamic identity, ethics and spirituality in the area of international relations. (Hypothesis) Regarding the research findings, it can be said that the approaches and theories that highlighted the importance of culture in the international arena were reinforced and strengthened following the Islamic Revolution. (Findings)

Spirituality has an important status in the [supreme leader’s] statement on the second phase of [the Islamic] revolution. This is because the promotion of spirituality has been one of the achievements of the Islamic revolution over the past forty years. In addition, the promotion of spirituality in Iran is one of the main goals of the statement on the second phase of revolution. The promotion of spirituality in the second phase of revolution is however faced with certain challenges top among which is the prevalence of the new spirituality in Iran. The present article thus aims to assess the epistemic consequences of the new spirituality and the ways for encountering it. The new spirituality has various consequences including propagating humanism, falsifying teleologism, promoting immoral spirituality, giving materialistic interpretation of love and spiritual tranquility etc. The best way to face these consequences is to promote public awareness. That is why increasing the quality of awareness about the negative consequences of modern spirituality and giving awareness about the positives of Islamic spirituality are considered as a major approach towards the realization of Islamic spirituality in the statement on the second phase of the revolution. One can thus allude to three strategies: short-term strategy that aims at relating the ‘epistemic, cultural and social defects of the new spirituality’,mid-term strategy that aims at changing Iranians’ approach towards modern spiritualism and long-term strategy that focuses on promoting awareness concerning the demerits of the new spirituality and the merits of Islamic spirituality with the aim of encouraging Iranians to rely on Islamic spirituality.

One of the goals of the Islamic Revolution in the Second phase statement is to expand and strengthen spirituality at the international level. Considering the position of the family as the focal point of society, the present study has been conducted with a descriptive-analytical method to explain the role of the family at the level of the Islamic Revolution in the spiritualism of the international community. The present study, while presenting the characteristics of the family at the level of the Islamic Revolution and the harms of family spiritualism, has presented the strategies used by the family to spread spirituality in the international community in two steps. The research results show that in the first step, using solutions such as; Emotional, behavioral, cognitive and motivational strategies can develop spiritual orientation in the family and in the Second phase, the spiritual family can strengthen spirituality directly and indirectly in the international community.

The purpose of this article is to explain the discourse of resistance in the international arena by emphasizing the statement of the second phase of the I. R. Revolution and views of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. To this end, an attempt has been made to present the discourse of resistance by using the theoretical framework of “principal issues” via application of inductive method reasoning. Resistance in this discourse is meant to be a structural concept necessitated by Qur’anic, scriptual, intellectual, experimental reasoning as well as rational argument. Accordingly, its application relies on [religious elements like] spirituality, piety, mosques, moderate living, avoiding extravagance, organization, Prayer, strengthening intellectual independence and not being afraid of loneliness, etc. In resistance discourse, from the perspective of Ayatollah Khamenei, the Messenger of God in the first place, and Imam Hussein in the next stage, and Imam Khomeini in the lower stage, are introduced as role models.

In two separate parts, the second phase of [Islamic] revolution statement first explains the blessings of the Islamic revolution under seven headings and then with an optimistic outlook presents seven recommendations with the aim of preserving the Islamic revolution and guaranteeing it a clear and happy future. This article aims to explain the natural and theological foundations of the first seven points. It refers to the Holy Quran and the infallibles’ traditions as their main sources and the directions of the late Imam Khomeini and the supreme leader as their upstream documents. All the seven axes mentioned in the statement are in accordance with human nature and are rooted in Islamic theological principles. This statement is authoritative for all human beings who judge and behave on the basis of their natures and similarly for those who endorse Islamic theology and abide by its principles. In order to present a clear analysis of the said principles on the basis of the Holy Quran and traditions, this article makes use of a descriptive analytic methodology with a heuristic– inferential attitude.

Among all the nations suffering from oppression, few make an effort to launch a revolution; and among those nations that have risen and launched a revolution, few have been witnessed to have pursued it to the end, or moved beyond merely changing the government and safeguarded their revolutionary values. However, the auspicious Revolution of the Iranian nation—which is the greatest and most popular revolution of the contemporary era—is the sole revolution that has persisted forty years of pride, saved from betrayal to its values, and it has preserved its dignity and original slogans against all the temptations which seemed irresistible; hence, entering the second phase of self-development, society-processing and civilization-building.