Journal of Razavi Culture

Abstract Divine knowledge and the issues related to it have received profound attention in the intellectual and spiritual heritage of the Pure Progeny (ʿItrat Ṭāhirah, peace be upon them). One of the questions concerning the attribute of divine knowledge is the self-awareness of the Almighty God. Among the narrations that discuss the self-awareness of God, the negative response of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) to ʿImrān al Ṣābī regarding the question of “whether God, the Exalted, is known in Himself and to Himself” is a striking statement, whose meaning commentators have explicitly found difficult to interpret. In their efforts to elucidate this hadith, three main interpretive approaches have emerged: 1. Some scholars have regarded ʿImrān’s question as referring to a kind of awareness whose affirmation for God would entail imperfection. 2. Others have understood it as referring to awareness in its absolute sense, and have interpreted the Imam’s denial as a negation of the limitation that would arise from affirming such an attribute for God, given His absolute nature. 3. A third group has held that ʿImrān’s question is not, in fact, related to divine self-awareness at all. This article examines the existing interpretations of the narration primarily through the lens of the latter two approaches.

Abstract Language and its manifestation in speech and discourse, especially in a society whose people are famous for their literature and verbal art, cannot be free from political dimension and function. De bel Khozaee (256-148 AH) with a life span of nearly a century used speech and poetry to expand the culture of the Imams and Confront with the Abbasid political culture, and left behind an effective legacy. The present article, with a historical, descriptive, analytical approach and documentary method, seeks to present a vivid picture of the functions of the political speech act of De bel Khozaee, the poet of the Ahl ol-Bayt, during his long life, especially in the era of Imam Reza (AS). The theoretical framework of the present article is the relationship between language and ideology in the thought of Pierre Pierre Ansart t(1922-2016). Based on his thought, language gives meaning and direction to political action. Language is an important tool for political actors to realize the act of rebellion and revolution or stabilization. The findings of this article show that De bel’s political poetry, in the form of satire and criticism of the caliphs of the time, from the Umayyads to the Abbasids, and in the act of consolidation in the form of praise and lamentation of the Ahl ol-Bayt, and defense of their legitimacy, expressing the lamentations of the infallibles and praising the descendants, especially the praise and lamentation of Imam Reza (a.s.), has made De bel famous in consolidating the Razavi culture with revolutionary action and preventing the dominance of the culture opposed to the Ahl ol-Bayt. De bel ‘s poetic language depicts the legitimacy of the discourse of the Imamate, by depicting the legitimacy, competence, and at the same time the oppression of the infallibles, may God bless them and grant them peace, and exposing the injustices, betrayals, inadequacies, and cruelty and injustice of the Abbasid rulers. . De bel’s revolutionary action is in such a way that instead of a language full of mystery and obscurantism; By using clear and straightforward odes, he targeted a large audience in the vast Muslim lands of his time.

Abstract The bombing of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (P.B.U.H) by the Russians on the 10th of Rabi’ al-Thani, 1912, is considered a significant historical event in Mashhad. Known as the “Second Ashura,” the event was commemorated for a long time and poems were composed in its memory. In this regard, the current study sought to introduce and analyze the content of a newly discovered treatise concerning the bombing of Imam Reza’s shrine. To this end, the most reliable sources on this subject were identified and categorized into official sources, including documents, and unofficial sources, such as books and newspapers. Subsequently, to facilitate a comparative analysis of their content with the information in the treatise under discussion, the main topics were divided into several themes, including the types of financial and human damages, the method of attacking the shrine and the positioning of the cannons, the number of shells that hit the shrine and their locations. For each theme, the significance of the manuscript’s information was clarified in comparison to other sources. The codicological structure of the treatise and its informational value were also presented separately to further emphasize the importance of its content. The analysis of the research findings reveals that this manuscript has remained unknown until now, and its information has not been utilized elsewhere. Based on the style and manner of the information presented, the author was closely involved in the event and endeavored to provide an accurate depiction while fairly addressing its various dimensions based on personal observation and available evidence and documents. Some of the manuscript’s information, such as the way the event commenced and the incidents leading to the shrine being shelled, is consistent with other sources. In specific cases, such as the individuals involved, financial and human losses, the arrangement of military forces, and the method of bombardment, the treatise possesses informational value, and the sections concerning figures like Yusef Khan Herati’s fate are unique.

Abstract Given the important and sacred position of the Prophet of Islam and the Impeccable Imams within the realm of the Iranian people’s beliefs and spiritual values, religious art in this land starting from the early centuries of the Islamic era developed into a variety of visual subcategories, each seeking, in a comprehensive, desirable, and aesthetically pleasing manner, to depict the conduct of those great figures. Razavi art is among them; it took shape based on the life-story (sīrah) of Imam Reza and the principles governing his lived experience, and includes numerous visual works such as miniature painting. Among the remaining artworks and depictions from many historical centuries, the present study conducted as a case study focuses on contemporary miniatures centered on the historical event of Imam Reza’s arrival in Nishapur and the narration of the Ḥadīth of the Golden Chain by him. The study aims, through reading and analysis of these works as specific visual documents of the subject, to both reveal the thematic expressions of the ḥadīth and show how miniature painters have made evident the artists’ appropriation of the Imam’s thoughts, conduct, speech, and manner of living. The findings obtained from the description and interpretation of the visual structure of these works based on the theory of Wucius Wong indicate that although each of the miniature painters chose a particular approach from realism to abstraction to visualize this event and concentrated on one of the surrounding themes of the ḥadīth, they nevertheless all endeavored to create a spiritual and sacred atmosphere through it (inscription-writing and the design of an angel or angel’s wing in the background) and to apply visual principles similar to those such as “upright” (rank) perspective, as well as using gentle colors to depict faces and place the primary form (the Imam’s figure) within the key square of their compositional structure. In doing so, they emphasized the central theme of the ḥadīth: the inseparable bond between divine unity (tawḥīd) and imamate. They also portrayed the Imam’s way in confronting the community of Muslims his pleasant demeanor, kindness, and patience in an appealing manner.

Abstract The field of cultural economy is one of the new and profitable fields that can provide good solutions to solve the financial problems of cultural organizations with scientific study. Astan Quds Razavi organization is one of the organizations that is active in the field of cultural economy; But it has not yet been able to use the many capacities it has. On the other hand, due to the lack of research in this field and considerations related to the Astan Quds Razavi organization; For example: the image and brand of Imam Reza (PBUH), there is no research that can solve this need. The current research tries to extract the components of the cultural economy in Astan Quds Razavi by using thematic analysis method by emphasizing the narrations of Oyyun Al-Akhbar Al-Reza (PBUH) and using the statements of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the macro policies of Astan Quds Razavi and theoretical litrature. After extracting the texts related to the research from the mentioned sources, about 1200 initial codes were extracted. After screening and combining the initial codes, 99 basic themes, 20 Organizing themes and 6 global themes were extracted; global themes are including “productivity, cost reduction and revenue increase”, “image and prestige of Astan Quds Razavi”, “attention to synergy, coherence and coordination”, “strategic planning, foresight, rationality, and scientific awareness”, “creativity and innovation” and “contextual conditions and activity infrastructure”. Finally, the network of themes presented in this research can help policy makers of cultural economy in Astan Quds Razavi for successful planning in this field.

Abstract The Imami society of Razavi’s era was dynamic and had all political, social and religious capacities. The semantic and didactic centrality of Imam Reza (PBUH) led to the formation of a special model of worldview, beliefs, behaviors and actions in this society, which can be called Razavi culture. In a number of hadiths of Imam Reza (PBUH), which are available in the hadith collections of Imams, from Al-Tawheed by Sheikh Sadouq to Musnad al-Reza (PBUH), theological topics can be studied under the headings of principles of Imamiyyah. Based on a library and descriptive-citation method, benefiting from the historical analysis of the period of Imam Reza (PBUH) and using the concepts of Bourdieu’s capital theory, which defines the cultural demarcations within each society under the title of “social field”, this research has shown that the theological hadiths of Imam Reza (PBUH) are part of the main frameworks of the social field of the Imamiyyah, which are used to build or stabilize the different aspects of the Shiite religious principles such as monotheism, prophet hood and Imamate; by explaining the concepts of faith, beliefs and religious foundations of Shiism, these hadiths cause differentiation, a reformist attempt to explain, or an approach of rejection against deviant beliefs, as well as confrontation with hostile approaches of other religions, when the process have the ability to be analytically matched with the concept of social fields in Bourdieu’s capital theory. The social field of Imamiyyah in the Razavi era contributed to the consolidation of Shia belief as a dynamic belief-practice religion against the denial efforts of every competing social field, including Islamic and non-Islamic, and it was a part of the history of the survival of Imamiyyah culture.

Abstract Divine trials and afflictions are among the inevitable realities of human life. Hence, the prophets and awliyāʾ Allāh, as the chosen ones of God, are not and have not been exempt from this immutable divine tradition. In Shia doctrine, the prophet Muḥammad and the Ahl al-Bayt are introduced as exceptional models for religious upbringing. For the Shia, the Imam is the exemplary and perfect human being, a model in every respect, and is endowed with infallibility (ʿiṣma) and divine protection. Consequently, by adhering to the conduct of their leaders in similar situations—particularly during trials and hardships—the followers can learn from their Imams and apply these lessons in their own lives, thereby attaining desired perfection. Therefore, the manner in which the guiding Imams faced the afflictions encountered in their lives requires careful analysis and methodological study. This research endeavors to provide an appropriate model for coping with hardships and trials by examining the conduct and method of the eighth Imam in facing personal afflictions and difficulties. The imprisonment of his father and the consequent deprivation of his presence, the disobedience of certain relatives, false accusations—including the pursuit of power and the practice of sorcery and magic—the accusation of bringing ill omen and causing drought, remaining childless until the age of forty, and the imposition of restrictions (ḥaṣr) and lack of freedom of action, were among the personal trials in the life of Imam Riḍā. Finally, the Imam’s strategies for confronting the aforementioned afflictions have been indicated.