فصلنامه مطالعات تاریخ اسلام
پیاپی 57 (تابستان 1402)

The Justanid dynasty (2nd-5th century AH) and Musafirid dynasty (4th-5th century AH) were among the first dynasties of Daylam with Shiite tendency who propagated this denomination in Daylam and Azerbaijan. Despite the role of these dynasties in the expansion of Shiism, no research has been conducted in this context yet. This paper, using descriptive-analytical method, aims to deal with the political and military roles of these dynasties in the expansion of Shiism in Daylam and Azerbaijan from the second to the fifth centuries AH. The main question of this research is: What is the role of the Justanid and Musafirid dynasties with regard to the expansion of Shiism in these areas? The findings of this research show that the kings of these dynasties, by inviting Zaydi and Ismaili preachers and missionaries to their territory, provided a suitable environment for their activities and provided political and military support to them, helping the spread of Shiism in Daylam and Azerbaijan, and some of the Shia rituals were popularized in these areas.

After encountering modernity, the Islamic society experienced important changes, an example of which is the formation of various intellectual movements. Neo-Mu'tazilism is one of the important Islamic movements that was formed based on some concepts such as rationalism and humanism and gradually expanded. Although this movement took root in the Islamic world, the branch of the North African Neo-Mu'tazilism gained considerable variety and abundance, and its affiliated branches had their intellectual principles. The present research aims to recount the intellectual types of Neo-Mu'tazilites in North Africa using Skinner's intentional method of historical inquiry and to describe the discourse contexts that created it to explain the intellectual frameworks of Neo-Mu'tazilism in that geographical area. Examining the works of the Neo-Mu'tazilites shows that the intellectual typologies of the Neo-Mu'tazilism in North Africa were influenced by contemporary and geographical requirements, political structures, and their intellectual sphere, and they can be distinguished according to substantive differences such as the diversity of the intellectual context and the multiplicity of specific epistemological frameworks.

After the fall of the Sassanids, the Iranians did not succeed in creating a political order for a long time. The first government they established was outside the borders of Iran. This government had no Iranism tendency, however, emphasis of some resources on the race of its founder shows the effects of his historical background on the structure of the newly established government. The main issue of this paper is that “How Abd al-Rahman ibn Rustam was able to establish a hereditary government far beyond the political-geographical boundaries of Iran using Islamic teachings?” This research shows that Abd al-Rahman paved the necessary way for foundation of a new government in North Africa using the ideas of the Kharijites and especially Ibadi movement and its emphasis on the principle of virtue and the Arab-Berber conflict in the political-social environment. Perhaps he adhered to the principles of Ibadism at first, however, by choosing his successor, i.e., his son named Abd al-Wahhab, he followed a different path. Although, it cannot be definitely considered that this was influenced by his historical background.

A clear transformation has emerged in the thought of Imami jurisprudence and theology during the 4th and 5th centuries AH, and researchers have often investigated this issue and its factors using two different approaches. Some with a context-oriented approach have highlighted historical contexts and considered the evolution of Imamiyyah theology and jurisprudence in this period to be affected by the context and historical conditions, especially the rise of the Buyid dynasty. Some others, using an invariant approach, have emphasized on the stability of Imami thought from emergence to the period in question, and considered the Imami thought of that period to be merely an expansion of the previous texts of the Imamiyyah. In this paper, the first two approaches mentioned in the researches are introduced, then the third approach called “principle-reality” approach which is based on the tradition of Imamiyyah scholars has been concluded that in the analysis of the evolution of Imami theology and jurisprudence in the discussed period, neither contextualism nor pure invariantism was a comprehensive approach. Meanwhile, the "principle-reality" approach that takes contexts, requirements, historical variables of that era as well as preserving the principles and theological-jurisprudential principles of the Imams (AS) is more credible in explaining the issue.

The Covenant of Medina, which was concluded shortly after the Prophet (PBUH) migrated to Medina between him and the residents of Medina, is also known as the Constitution of Medina. This study, by applying the technique of typology for the provisions of this covenant, aims to gain better understanding of the Prophet’s performance in the management and law-making for Medina society. In this regard, Montesquieu's viewpoints are used as a basis for this inquiry. Montesquieu divides the laws into three categories: political-civil, moral and religious ones based on the origin of the issuance of such laws in the society. The Prophet also used all three aspects of his legitimacy for developing this covenant, since he had the role of social legislator, as well as moral teacher, and prophet in the society. The most common themes in the Covenant of Medina are political-civil issues with 55% frequency, followed by moral issues with 30% frequency and finally religious issues with 15% frequency.

The present research analyzes the historiography of Banakati, the historian of the last decades of the Ilkhanid era. The author of this research believes that the main issue in this regard is knowing the historian's viewpoints in understanding and narrating historical events and how they affect the historian's historiography method. Accordingly, this paper seeks to answer the main questions, i.e. “What are the principles and rules of Banakati's historiographical methodology”, and “What is its relationship with explanatory-critical insight based on historical fairness?” The findings of the research based on the historical method show that in his historiographical method, Banakati favors explanatory-critical insight for the pre-Ilkhanid period. However, he has distanced from this in the post-Ilkhanid period and has come closer to the descriptive vision. Therefore, the most important fixed features of Banakati's methodology in his historiography in both periods include his effort to avoid prejudice and partiality and approaching historical fairness on the one hand, and his worldview and the discussion of different nations in the form of world history, not mingling them with unrealities, including legends and superstitions, and bringing history closer to wisdom and identity-oriented view towards history and trying to continue and strengthen Iranian identity, on the other hand.