Journal of Contemporary Research on Islamic Revolution
Volume:6 Issue: 22, Autumn 2024

The seminary institution has long been influential in Iranian society and is recognized as a driving force behind Islamic culture. Consequently, it has played a significant role in the spiritual and ethical life of the community. At certain points in history, the seminary has taken on the banner of the fight against tyranny and colonialism, leaning on a religious culture. The present study aims to examine the historical role of the seminary in institutionalizing religious culture in Iranian society over the last century. The researcher focuses on the seminary before the Islamic Revolution, employing a descriptive-analytical approach and relying on an analysis of historical documents to interpret the collected data. The framework governing this research is derived from a definition of culture that aligns with the study's objectives. The findings indicated that the seminary has not only preserved its intrinsic mission of deepening religious understanding but has also worked to convey and disseminate Islamic teachings within society.

The concept of Mahdism is one of the most significant Islamic and Shia teachings, holding the potential to foster unity, cohesion, and security both domestically and internationally. The Islamic Revolution is also based on the theological and philosophical foundations of Mahdism. Various deviant movements and sects attempt to distort this teaching through different means; sometimes subtly, by fabricating and creating deviations in the defensive and security culture of Mahdism, and other times more violently, by instigating chaos and conflicts in the name of Shiism and Mahdism. These activities not only tarnish this exalted culture but can also create multiple security issues, with the trajectory of these sects showing a trajectory of conflict and destruction. Therefore, the main question is: ‘What are the current and future challenges posed by these deviant sects and movements, especially in opposition to the Vilayat-e Faqih?’ The present study uses a descriptive-analytical examination of written sources and the results of field research conducted by the Center for Mahdism. The results indicated that against these challenges, utilizing the rich Mahdism culture, appropriate education, and research on sects, as well as precise and organized planning and execution, can create resilience against these threats. Additionally, we must prepare both scientifically and practically against the ideologies that attack the teaching of the Vilayat-e Faqih and its resultant deviations.

One of the most important concerns in the realm of political thought among Jurists has been to explain their views on the establishment of an Islamic government and the Vilayat-e Faqih. Regarding the unfavorable political climate in previous eras, some Jurists could not explicitly articulate these views. Therefore, the present study aims to answer the question of ‘How the position of the Vilayat-e Faqih and the movement beyond monarchical thought has been presented in the political-social thoughts of Jurists from the Qom seminary over the last century?’ Using the theoretical framework of historical realism based on Strauss, content analysis, and library research methods, the political thoughts of three prominent Jurists in recent centuries are examined: Shaykh Abdul Karim Haeri, as the founder of the Qom seminary; Ayatollah Boroujerdi, as the stabilizer of Qom's seminary in the social sphere; and finally, Imam Khomeini (RA), who guided Qom's seminary from the social arena to the political one. Ultimately, in response to the above question, the findings of the research suggest that "Undoubtedly, the activities of these three great Jurists in the last century have been one of the most significant events in the re, liberating the Shia community from centuries of monarchical oppression and emphasizing the establishment of an Islamic government based on the Vilayat-e Faqih. Imam Khomeini continued the path of great jurists such as Shaykh Abdul Karim Haeri and Ayatollah Boroujerdi and other Jurists since the time of occultation."  alm of political and social thought within the Shia community. Their structured and uniform activities, despite differing methods, have brought about a tremendous transformation in the political and social landscape of Islamic Iran

The present study aims to elucidate the relationship between religion and development and to examine the role of religion as either an obstacle or a catalyst for development by delving into the thought system of Ayatollah Khamenei. In this regard, the ideas and thoughts of Ayatollah Khamenei regarding religion and development are analyzed to respond to the fundamental question of this research: ‘Is religion an obstacle to development or a driving force for it?’ He has presented his specific views on the role of religion in human development and progress. Ayatollah Khamenei's perspective is significant regarding his position as a contemporary religious thinker. This paper employs a mixed-methods approach to investigate the topic. In the first phase, a library research method was utilized to gather comprehensive and in-depth information. This involved systematically referring to existing sources, including books, articles, and statements by Ayatollah Khamenei, and collecting data. In the second one, a systemic analysis method was employed for a deeper interpretation and analysis of the research findings. The systemic analysis of political thinkers’ ideas is a novel method for examining and interpreting the thoughts of political thinkers, and it is designed in five key stages: Research design, data collection, data analysis, reporting findings, and research validation. The findings indicated that religion is not only an obstacle to development, but it also acts as a driving force for it. The religious teachings derived from Ayatollah Khamenei's thought system, which have their roots in his specific worldview, play a vital role in achieving development in both individual and social dimensions.

Before the introduction of modern Western civilization, education in Iran was primarily under the control of the clergy and considered one of their main responsibilities. With the arrival of Western culture and civilization in Iran, particularly during the Pahlavi era, formal education, like many official governmental institutions, came to be managed by graduates of the new educational system. As a result, today some people view the clergy's involvement in official education as unconventional. The central question of this research is whether, with the formation of new schools and the informal status of old schools during the Pahlavi period, the clergy still played a role in formal education. The author's investigation indicates that a comprehensive and focused study on this topic has not been conducted. Although various academic works have touched upon the role of religious movements and clergy during the Pahlavi era, as well as memoirs related to active clerics in this area, these references are scattered and lack coherence. The present study, by descriptive and historical analysis methods, aims to explore this issue in historical documents. The findings indicated that after the reign of Reza Shah and with the opening of the political and cultural atmosphere, Shia scholars and clerics undertook two fundamental actions to play their role in education: The first was a gradual reform of the government’s new education system, conducted in four stages: Requesting the inclusion of religious subjects in schools, selecting suitable teachers for instruction, separating girls' and boys' schools, and the writing of textbooks by clerics with their presence to teach these books. The second action was the establishment and management of new private schools by clerics. This involvement of the clergy provoked a reaction from the Pahlavi regime, resulting in pressure on these schools and even the closure of some of them.

The Islamic Revolution of Iran was a significant event that occurred in a dark world during the so-called age of enlightenment following the Renaissance. The revolution introduced a new discourse in an era of tyranny, atheism, and the opiate effects of religion against two major discourses: Liberalism and communism. The core of this discourse is shaped by the pure Islam of Muhammad (PBUH), and all the elements of this discourse stem from that foundation. On the other hand, the source of this discourse is the seminary, which, under the leadership of Imam Khomeini (RA), triumphed and established a luminous era against the prevailing humanistic and secular systems in the world. In this context, the seminary has played a fundamental role in the formation and realization of this discourse, to the extent that one could argue that the victory of the Usulis over the Akhbarism marked the beginning of this discourse's emergence. However, the question that this article addresses is the requirements and obstacles faced by the seminary in relation to the discourse of the Islamic Revolution. The author's hypothesis is that the expansion of Usuli thought and rationalism in the seminary represents the best condition, while the reproduction of Akhbarism and textualism could be the most significant obstacle in confronting this discourse. This research employs discourse analysis to substantiate the hypothesis