Religious intellectualism in Iran (in Persian: روشنفکری دينی) develops gradually and subtly. It reached its apogee during the Persian Constitutional Revolution (1906-11). The process involved numerous philosophers, sociologists, political scientists and cultural theorists. However the associated art, cinema and poetry remained to be developed.
Summary
The unifying traits of these intellectuals include their recognition of reform in the Islamic thought, democracy, civil society and religious pluralism and their opposition to the absolute supremacy of the Faqih. The rise of religious intellectuals can be followed through the writings of Abdolkarim Soroush. Soroush’s main idea is that there are perennial unchanging religious truths, but our understanding of them remains contingent on our knowledge in the fields of science and philosophy.
Influenced by Persian mysticism, religious intellectuals advocated a type of reformist Islam that went beyond most liberal Muslim thinkers of the 20th century and argued that the search for reconciliation of Islam and democracy was not a matter of simply finding appropriate phrases in the Qur'an that were in agreement with modern science, democracy, or human rights. Drawing on the works of Molana Jalaleddin Balkhi, Immanuel Kant, G.W.F. Hegel, Karl Popper, and Erich Fromm, Iranian intellectuals called for a reexamination of all tenets of Islam, insisting on the need to maintain the religion's original spirit of social justice and its emphasis on caring for other people.[1]
E'tezalieh movement
The glorious period of religious intellectual achievements was due to a well-known early school of thought known as "Mo'tazeleh". This school of thought flourished during the early Abbasid era. They adopted the method of applying rationality in the process of making interpretations of code of religion.
History of Religious Intellectualism in Iran
The history of Iranian religious intellectualism dates back to 19th century. Contrary to the famous opinion, Kazim Khorasani (1839-1911) reasoned that absolute guardianship belongs to God and absolute human (including the prophet) authority needs to be rejected.[2] Khorasani categorizes people's affairs into two areas:[3]
- Public ___domain, in that, what people refer to their chiefs or governments for which, is referred to as political issues or public ___domain or uncertain issues.
- Private issues or particular issues belonging to people. In this area some religious Judgments (Ahkam) such as ownership, marriage or inheritance have been laid down by the religion. To Khorasani, observing these canonical judgments is obligatory to all even to the Prophet or to the Imams.
Khorasani's ideas differed from the foremost theologian of his time, for example Allameh Naeini who was also very influential in the course of Persian Constitutional Revolution. [4]
In brief, Khorasani firstly considers judgment as a specific right for jurisprudents; secondly, he does not regard legislation as an obligation for jurisprudents, but their supervision over legislation as, necessary, so that no law enters a religious society against the religion; and thirdly, he denies specific right for jurisprudents in managing public ___domain. Absolute rejection of jurisprudents specific right in managing public ___domain makes it possible for all people to participate. On this basis, Khorasani announces his historical saying: "In Imam Mahdi's occultation, government belongs to the public". This statement is the foundation of democracy in an Islamic society, as seen by Iranian scholars.[5]
Phase I: The Ideological Discourse
Shariati thought that modernization might be consistent with traditional religious values. He also disassociated religion from the monopoly of the clerics. Not surprisingly, once in power, the Islamic Republic tried to counter his teachings. Nevertheless, his ideas have continued to have strong resonance within Iranian society.[6]
According to Ali Rahnema: "Shariati was a man of his times. He reflected the mood, conditions, problems, pains and conceivable solutions of his times . . . He does not fit into any classical stereotype. Those who try to portray him as such, simply deform the man."[7]
Phase II: Epistemologial/Democratic Discourse
Regarding the socio-political role of religion, the epistemological discourse has "minimalist" expectations. "Rationalism", Soroush states, "is one of the most sturdy elements of epistemological discourse," especially as it promotes democratic methods of governance. Further, the collective intellect of society should decide its administration, not a preplanned religious platform that is, in reality, the cumulative understanding of the fuqaha. The rhetoric of this democratic discourse is noncombative and emphasizes the personal "rights" of "citizens" and calls for the institutionalization of civil liberties. Therefore, people’s participation in politics should be based on their political rights and free will as citizens of the state, and not on the basis of their ideological/religious duties as subjects.[8] The philosophy of Abdolkarim Soroush can be summarized as follows[9]:
- Distinction between "religion" and our "understanding of religion".
- Distinction between "essential" and "accidental" aspects of religion.
- Distinction between "minimalist" and "maximalist" interpretation of Islam.
- Distinction between values and morals that are considered internal in respect to Islam and those that are external.
- Distinction between Religious "belief" and Religious "Iman".
- Distinction between religion as an ideology/identity and religion of truth.
Here is a sketchy comparison of several newly developed theologies:[10]
- Soroush theology: Variable nature of religious knowledge
- Kadivar theology: Plural nature of religious knowledge
- Shabestari theology: Limited nature of religious knowledge
Iranian intellectual Islam and Modernity
Characteristics of "Intellectual Islam" as defined by Iranian scholars or "the principles of compatibility of Islam and Modernity" can be mentioned as follows[11]:
- First Principle: Comparing with the Official Islam which had been "Formalist", the Intellectual Islam is "Teleological", and believes that all religious precepts, holy rites and propositions are in the service of a lofty goal.
- Second principle: In intellectual Islam this statement “The goal of no religious precept could not be understood by human reason” is not right.
- Third principle: The intellectual Moslems say that without respecting the individuality and freedom of choice human dignity cannot be respected.
- Fourth principle: The intellectual religious are distinguished from La’ic(non-religious) intellectuals at least in three cases:
- First, religious people including religious intellectuals (Moslem, Christian or Jewish) are living faithfully in their private lives, believe in God and in the other world, and follow religious styles in their moralities and are people of prayer, following God and religious rites.
- Secondly, the religious intellectuals are bound to religious morality in public ___domain and in interaction with the others. What is more important, is their practical adherence to religious criteria.
- Thirdly, The religious people and the believers try to observe human dignity, justice and morality in public policy making.
Secularization of religion
Abdolkarim Soroush believes that secularism is not fundamental to modernity and it is the Western case of modernity that is secular. According to Soroush secularism can be in two domains: in the mind and in social institutions. A secular mind cannot possibly be religious. However, it is possible to reconcile secular institutions with a religious society. He also put forward the idea of "minimal secularization".
Saeed Hajjarian allegedly showed the supremacy of politics as such over any religious norm when he said that the survival of the Islamic Republic was paramount and that no religious ritual should stand in its way. This kind of decision, he states, means that politics are more important than religion and that this acknowledges the secularization of religion. In this context, he argues, it is possible to reassess velayat faqih and to reject its supremacy within the political field in Iran.[12]
Religious pluralism and Rumi philosophy
Pluralism was introduced by Abdolkarim Soroush to contemporary Iranian philosophy. He got the original idea from Rumi, the Persian poet and philosopher.
Notable figures
References and Further reading
- Forough Jahanbakhsh, The Emergence and Development of Religious Intellectualism in Iran, Historical Reflections, Vol.30, No.3, Fall 2004, pp.469-490.
- Mahmoud Sadri, Sacral Defense of Secularism: The Political Theologies of Soroush, Shabestari, and Kadivar. International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society, Vol. 15, No. 2, Winter 2001.
- Ahmad Sadri and Mahmoud Sadri Reason, Freedom, and Democracy in Islam: Essential Writings of Abdolkarim Soroush. OXFORD University press. ISBN 0195158202
- Farhad Khosrokhavar, The New Intellectuals in Iran Social Compass, Vol. 51, No. 2, 191-202 (2004)
- Farideh farhi, Religious Intellectuals, the "Woman Question," and the Struggle for the Creation of a Democratic Public Sphere in Iran, International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society. Volume 15, Number 2 / December, 2001
- Jahanbakhsh, Forough, Islam, Democracy. and Religious Modernism in Iran: From Bazargan. to Soroush, Leiden: Brill (2001)
- Mirsepassi, Ali. Religious Intellectuals and Western Critiques of Secular Modernity, Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East - Volume 26, Number 3, 2006, pp. 416-433
Notes
See also
External links
- Abdolkarim Soroush: official website
- Mehdi Bazargan and religious tolerance (BBC Persian)
- Renewal of religious thinking in Iran (BBC Persian)
- Political philosophy of Akhound Khorasani (in Persian)
- The Critical Cleric, Reclaiming Islam for a new world
- Authority in Contemporary Shi'ism
- The Changing Approach to the Text: Iranian scholars and the Quran