ماهنامه معرفت
سال بیست و سوم شماره 3 (پیاپی 198، خرداد 1393)

Remembrance of God, the Most High can either be verbal or from the heart, and either of them leads to a clearer knowledge of the Exalted God. Man’s knowledge of God varies in degree. The greater and deeper man’s knowledge of God and God’s names and attributes, the deeper his remembrance of God. If we truly seek to revive the remembrance God in our hearts and give our attention to it in the true sense of the word, we need to increase our knowledge of God, keep our minds and tongues safe from vices, and refrain from indecent behavior, especially verbal acts and then we will be able to seek proximity to the Exalted God.

The localization of the theories of human sciences is an important issue in fostering identity and strengthening the local culture and serves as a means to apply knowledge in practical domains. For developing a theory is the most important means of understanding and confronting problems. The theories of human sciences have two human and environmental aspects: in regard to the first aspect, they are beyond time and place, and in terms of the second aspect, they are limited to the specific exigencies of the society. Theories are human issues; however, in practical domain, they do not equally possess the necessary desirability for all societies. Therefore, localization is felt to be a necessity for the application of theories in special circumstances. Accordingly, our main question is on, what cultural and epistemological foundations should we rely for putting the theories into practice in our society?This research shows that what the theories teach us about the world can be applicable to the Iranian society and be compatible with our identity and our cultural doctrines only through localization. In this regard our viewpoint is based on moderation, virtue and adaptations to the identity of Iranian-Islamic culture, in line with production of desirable knowledge.

In the age of communication, the cyber space has created opportunities for the easier dissemination of different thoughts and cultures on national and global scales. As centers for production of Islamic thought, the Shiʻa seminary schools too have more or less been present in this area. Despite its importance, such cyber propagation has not been properly investigated so far by the researchers, and its weaknesses and strengths have not yet been made clear. Explaining the opportunities for and challenges to communicating religious messages in the Internet, this paper prepares the ground for cultural policy-making in this regard. This is a documentary- quantitative research in which, after presenting a conceptual framework, the opportunities opened up by the internet, the harms caused by the cyber space for conveying religious messages are mentioned.

Morality and media, their interrelationships, and the role of morality in media have always been among the attractive but challenging issues. In this regard, the main question is: can we assume some parameters and criteria in the field of morality as trans-spatio-temporal to which journalists are committed and thus having a moral media by acting on them? Or morality and moral values are relative and convey different meanings and concepts in different times and places and in relation to each individual and social circumstances? On the other hand, if one believes in fixed and trans-spatial moral principles and values then, in case there is an interaction between morality and media, to what principles, rules or criteria should journalists commit in terms of practice and when there is a clash of values? It seems that there are fixed and trans-spatio-temporal moral values in Islam. Therefore, the principles governing the media and moral values of society may clash with each other in practice. The present paper discusses the clash of moral values in media and provides some solutions to avoid such clashes.

This research seeks to investigate the relationship between religion and the media by focusing on two concepts "media religion" or "religious media". A theoretical reflection based on interactive view on this issue theoretically, shows that religion can be viewed as a perfect system of human life, which aims at achieving happiness in the hereafter and promoting the welfare of man's spiritual and material life, and, distinguishing between the levels of methods, concept and purpose of the mentioned realm, religion differentiates between religious media and media-based religion. Research results show that media–based religion is a show of rites and religious beliefs related to the channels of traditional communications in modern media. But the religious media take three levels the realm of religion, especially purposes and ends. Attention to the purposes and ends of religion is not only considered important in the process of delivering the message and media coverage, but it should also be given to the stages of the mechanisms dominating the media.

There is a mutual relation between religion which is one of the most pervasive characteristics of man's life, on one hand and the institutes and active forces of society on the other. This paper elucidates the development of sociology of religion and the process of development that are noticed by sociologists of religion in the area of the challenges between religion, social institutions and modernity in an attempt to clarify things to the Iranians who are interested. Generally speaking, experts of sociology of religion investigate the relationship between religion and society as well as the issue of secularism in the form of three paradigms: "secularization", "rational selection", and "plural modernities". It seems that what happens in the development of sociology is an increase in the understanding of the phenomenon of "modernity" over time, and each of the three above paradigms had better be called "quasi-paradigm".A documentary method and library-based survey with a descriptive and analytic approach are used for compiling of data which are based on a study of the written, printed or electronic works.

As admitted by sociologists and current sociology, the efforts made this age to meet human needs have failed. There is a general consensus of opinion among those who are interested, more than ever, that it is necessary to review the social sciences with the aim of resolving the inadequacy, whether in theoretical or practical aspects. This paper tries through a documentary and library-based method to investigate Mill's works and tackle this question. Thus, it reviews the thematic thoughts of this political sociologist, examines his criticisms and analysis of the social conditions prevailing in his life time, and offers some solutions. The result of the investigation shows that his thought and development of his views and any kind of independent and unlimited meditation within the dominant contexts of current sociology need establishing foundations for a modern paradigm of sociology based on a fundamental review of the principles of current schools and on the practical use of social views, while approving the current achievements.

Today, computer games are not intended only for entertainment. This new medium exerts effect on cultural and political aspects, too. The role of computer games in designing the thought pattern of people, particularly the elderly whom computer games target, can be explained in the light of Jean Baudrillard's theory of production of hyper-reality on media's portrayal of real world. Using a documentary method and citing some instances, the present paper reviews the messages suggested by these games which have been designed for the soft war of enemy, waged by the and provides some solutions for making good use of this new medium. Politically, computer games have become tools which imperialist powers use to serve their purposes. Introducing Muslims as terrorists and religious symbols as terrorist's symbols are among the ideas which these games suggest. Therefore, this problem should be encountered both negatively and positively. The government can contribute to the production of religion-oriented games and, as a center of religious thought, Hawzah can make the most use of this new medium.

Unity of Islamic world is one of the most important issues which have been dealt with in religious sources, especially the Quran. Contrary to unity, separation is a great obstacle to man's perfection. If the obstacles to unity are removed, Islamic society will be able to make real progress towards perfection. No doubt, the Holy Quran is the best, most complete and most reliable source which can contribute to creating an advanced society.Reviewing the available sources and using a descriptive- analytical method, the present paper seeks to identify the mechanisms for promoting unity from the view of the Quran and address the issue by referring to Quranic verses.Holding fast to the Divine cord, taking into consideration the areas of common ground, referring to the Holy Prophet and Infallible Imam's tradition, enjoining good and forbidding evil, observing the rights of others, correcting mutual relations, realizing an economic system based on the Holy Quran and luminous school of the Prophet's Household, unquestioning obedience to the guardian jurist of Islamic law, and avoiding separation are among the findings of this paper.