نشریه تاریخ اسلام در آینه پژوهش
سال هشتم شماره 1 (پیاپی 29، بهار 1390)

The basic assumption of this paper is that the development of Iran's cities goes back to the early centuries of Islam. One of the consequences of this assumption is the issue of boundaries of the mountainous district and the position of Hamadan in it. It is known that Hamadan as well as Isfahan and Ray are mountainous areas but Hamadan has always been called the center of Jibal. This, along with the confusion about determining the boundaries of Jibal, increases the importance of the study of these boundaries to understand the position of Hamadan. The development of new cities and accelerated urban development are among the factors which contributed to the change of the boundaries and development and formation of social and economic fabric of the ancient cities including Hamadan. The findings of the research can be summarized as follows: Hamadan was the center of a district which was called Jibal in the strict sense of the word. Towards the end of Sasanid period this city declined and had an inferior position to that of Isfahan and Rey, despite its relative growth in the early Islamic centuries. Besides, it was a vast and decentralized city whose urban and social fabric was influenced by the rapid development in the early Islamic period.

A careful study of the 'Allamah Tabatabai’s words in his commentary of, Al-Mizan, shows that, to him,history has special importance, necessity and usefulness, and it is valid in itself. No doubt, when the propositions about history contradict with the Quranic verses about history, they are rendered invalid. The late Allamah TabatabaI views history from a particular angle, and describes it as the knowledge of events, the causes and time of their occurrence. He also divides history into two types: narrative and terrestrial. He believes that many relevant questions and paradoxes can be resolved through history. He also considers the historical events whose occurrence is subject of no debate as " incontrovertible historical facts". He holds that the aim of referring to historical events by the Quran is to provide man with lessons and guide him. He attracts the attention to the factors which contribute to the distortion of history, warns the historians about their dangers, and urges them to recognize and avoid them when they dissect the historical propositions.

Beihaq is a name given to the ancient name of Sabzevar, which was, like Qom and Kashan, among the poineering cities that embraced Shiism. The roots of Shiism in Beihaq traces back to the first century AH. The present paper investigates the time of and the factors o bihind the spread of Twelver Shiite beliefs in Beihaq from early Islam until the Mongol's invasion in 617 AH. Among these factors are the presence of Qanbar’s clan and some of the holy Prophet's Companions in Beihaq, the arrival of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) in Neyshaboor and Tus which are near Beihaq, Beihaqi people's support for Yahya ibn Zeid's uprising, the presence of Shia scholars and books in this city, the migration of the descendents of the Prophet to this land, its people's love and affection for the holy Prophet's family, and the widespread of Shia poems.

Qusay ibn Kilab's most important achievement was the establishment of an assembly including the chiefs of the clans of the great Quraysh tribe in Mecca with the purpose of making decisions and exchanging ideas. This assembly, known as"Dar al-Nadwah", was attended by the nobles and dignitaries of the Quraysh tribe to discuss political, social, economic, and religious affairs. The establishment of such an assembly in Mecca, which enjoyed special significance because it embraces Kaaba and because it lies on the way of the trade caravans travelling between Yemen and Syria, is of great importance. The present paper investigates the history of Dar al-Nadwah, its jurisdiction, Qusay's role in its establishment and continuation, and its confrontation with Islam.

The Christian minority in Iran entered a new age after the spread of Islam in Iran. The Iranian Christians started to revitalize their religious and theological thoughts and reconstruct their society in this new stage which was characterized by the confusion in the social structure in Iran which followed the decline of Sasanid state. Due to the Islamic rules connected to dhimis (protected people) and some of the conventional rules of Islamic society, most of which contradicted Islam's doctrines, the Christian minority had some limitations after the consolidation of the edifice of Islam in Iran and the growing political authority of the Islamic world. Towards the end of fourth century AH and due to the new political and cultural atmosphere created by the Qaznavid state and some religious fanatics who were under its support, this minority entered a critical stage which continued until the sixth century AH. The present paper investigates the conditions of the Christian minority in Iran between the fourth century the sixth century AH providing a comprehensive (non-elitist) outlook with special emphasis on all the strata of this religious minority.

The birth and decline of civilizations are historical phenomena which happen ocasionally. Many civilizations have emerged, developed and finally declined throughout history. The Islamic civilization is not an exception after centuries of decline it is beginning to revive. Today, the question whether or not Islam can rebuild civilization is a controversial issue in the field of culture and civilization. Some claim that reconstruction of Islamic civilization and its development are costly imaginary and not congruent with the capacities and critical situation of Islamic societies. Others hold that reconstructing Islamic civilization demands some conditions which seem to be at the verge of realization in the world of Islam. The present paper studies the factors of reconstructing Islamic civilization.

The study of the social history of the followers of any religious school of thought needs close examination of their lives and of every detail of the process of the formation of their history including social symbols. The symbols are among the components which have influence on social history, which is affected by different factors. The study of Shia’s social history is not an exception. The present paper mentions some linguistic symbols of Shia’s social history at the time of the presence of Imams. There are some examples of Shia’s conduct which have a social nature to characteraze the Shia so much so that by observing their conduct, one can distinguish Shia’s beliefs and conduct from those of the non-Shia. There are other exampes which originate from religious obligations and Shiite beliefs and doctrines which have taken form and become Shiite symbols as a result of the occurrence of significance events in the Shia history.