پژوهشنامه خراسان بزرگ
پیاپی 8 (پاییز 1391)

Khorasan cultural history has always been associated with many ups and downs, but the Mongolian invasion to this territory should be considered as its turning point. With the rise of the Timurids, the Greater Khorasan, their government center, experienced relative peace and glory after the dark period of the Mongolian domination. It provided the necessary context for comprehensive developments including cultural and artistic development in this territory, hence it could be considered as one of the lively periods in Khorasan’s cultural history. This paper has tried to present a clear picture of Khorasan’s cultural situation in the Timurids era with emphasis on the developments of libraries as an expression of the ancient culture of this land. In this regard, during the classification of types of libraries in the Greater Khorasan in the Timurid era, some of the most important of them are mentioned.

Kramie is one of the most important religins in Islam which Mohammad bin Karram (died in 255 AH) is its founder.This sect of Islam began to spread in large areas at a short time. The most important zone of Kramie influnce was Greater Khorasan and especially Nishapur and Herat and some cities of Transoxiana. Also, his tomb in Jeruselam and Syria was under the influence of Kramie.The asceticism, mysticism and ascetic withdrawal of the convent were expansion factors of Kramie.The followers propaganda of this sect caused the spread Islam in the areas of Transoxiana and Khorasan which had not spread until that time. Kramie influence among the rulers Ghaznavi and Ghori was a factor to getting political gain for a short time. Family of Mohammad shah and Ibn Heisam were the most important of the followers in this sect. Sects are derived from aforementioned Kramie in books of Nations and Nahl. Muslim writers began to write refutation and charges against Mohammad bin Karram, from his life time. Lot of contents about their thoughts and ideas in Nations and Nahl resources, also ancient historical and theological works have been obtained which are mostly writtern in opposition and enmity with them. Kramie founded the monastery in Jowzajan, Khtl, Fergana, Merv, Samarkand and Nishapur which was an important center of their propaganda. The second half of the fifth century began with the arrival of Seljuks to Khorasan and Kramie weakness. They were in severe hardship and gradually were influenced by other sects.

In this research, we intend to find the position of Greater Khorasan by Ferdowsi `s views in Shahnameh; also we discuss it in historical accordance with the current borders of Iran and beyond Iran. In this land which is called Khorasan, races and species were grown of Aryan desent or mixing with neighboring different races. The traditions, customs, culture and mythic history of Iran has emerged in combinatin of these two cases.

Arid and semi-arid weather in some parts of Iran led the Iranian to think about supply drinking and fresh water. Construction of water storage was one of the manifestations of this idea. Many water storages have been built to satisfy thirst of travelers throughout trade route besides caravansaraas and eliminate the need of students, pilgrims and citizens in the cities throughout history (especially in recent centuries). Philanthropists tried to build water storages besides the Husayniyyahs, markets and mosques. So this architecture has been the best and most convenient way of the access to water. In addition to creating a beautiful and attractive landscape in the desert cities and North of Iran, water storages with remarkable architecture were supplier of cooling water during dehydration; so that each of its parts had a significant role. Water storage is composed of different parts, therefore water was transferred to it from aqueduct and mountain. Following these conditions and due to lack of water favors, construction of water storage was encouraged along with endowed tradition among local people at Birjand, Yazd, Kerman and Qazvin.

The greater Khorasan is a vast ancient region. It is an area with a great historical role in Iran, from ancient time. From the time that Aryan came to the top northern part of it and created the first Aryan settler of this part of the world and after a period of time that they came to Iran and India and to the time that they pushed out Parthian settlers to Greece and made Iran just as Iranian home to live. The greater Khorasan became a base in creation of Persian new culture and language in early Islamic centuries. The first Persian dynastic after Islam was Khorasanian Tahirides dynastic and following that Khorasanian Samanides made a very vast territory in there. Khorasan was the first arena for the raid and pillage of Turks, Turkmen and Mongols and after Mongols it experienced another fear and became weak step by step. Although it ruled on Iran for a while at the time of Nadir the King who had raised from there, but after that it was divided into several parts and the two Paris and Akhal treaties made it smaller. Khorasan has presented Ferdowsi, Rudaki, Nasir Khusraw, Abu Rayhan, Avicenna and tens and hundreds of famous people to Iran and the world. Khorasan is a very vast region in the history of Iran and the world as well. This study is a descriptive-analytical research and by means of maps, it tries to do a better analysis and shows the changes of this significant base. Paying attention to Geography and History of the greater Khorasan, this study is going to analyze the reasons of its vastness and the trends of its changes.

Afghanistan was formed around 250 years ago as an independent country, but the geographical structure of this country and its geopolitical environment has always prevented the establishment of a stable government in the country. From the very beginning of its history, the external factors on one hand and the internal factors on the other hand have always challenged the states, trends, and all individuals who intended to develop, Nation-building، Solidarity, and the formation of the nation-state in Afghanistan and in the most cases, such internal and external factors and forces have made the mentioned trends destructed and disappeared. Against these sorts of the failures, one can observe the extension of ethnocentrism، underdevelopment, and socio-political gaps in Afghanistan. Perhaps the most prominent element that represents the Afghanistan in the region and the world is so-called Extremist Islamism, or Religious Fundamentalism or Taliban Islam. This type of the thoughts roots in the exclusive geography of Afghanistan and its subsequent policies. In this research we are going to study and analyze the geopolitical backgrounds of the formation and extension of Taliban in Afghanistan. To meet such a goal, we have to answer the following question: "what geopolitical factors preparing the grounds for the formation and extension of Taliban in Afghanistan, and how? " This research is a descriptive-analytical study.