Matin Research Journal

Matin Research Journal

Relationship between the Components of the Islamic Revolution Discourse and Religious Democracy with Political Development

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Seyed Ghasem Mousavifard 1
manochehr pahlavan 2
Ali Rahmani Firouzja 3
1 PhD student in Political Sociology, Department of Sociology, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran.
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran.
3 Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran.
10.22034/matin.2025.486693.2318
Abstract
Revolutions, due to their founding nature, seek to establish a new political order. The Islamic Revolution of Iran, by presenting a new discourse, also tried to present an alternative model for political development based on religious democracy. The main question of this research is how the central components of the Islamic Revolution discourse can be effective in shaping and strengthening political development? The importance of this study stems from the fact that religious democracy, as a newly emerging model, needs to strengthen its theoretical and analytical support to demonstrate its effectiveness in comparison with common Western models. This research was conducted using a descriptive-analytical method and relying on documentary sources and scientific texts.
The most prominent components of the Islamic Revolution discourse are: monotheism and divine sovereignty, freedom-seeking, justice-seeking, fighting against arrogance and tyranny, and the revival of religious values. While these components are distinct from Western liberalism, they have a clear link with religious democracy and are manifested in the form of Alawite Shiism, the principle of Velayat-e-Faqih, and Islamic laws. Based on the findings of this research, there is a deep relationship and connection between the discourse of the Islamic Revolution and religious democracy on the one hand and political development in its modern sense on the other. Practical attention to this relationship can provide the necessary capacities to guide political development, increase the commitment of government institutions to accountability and responsibility, and provide a sustainable model for the advancement of the Islamic world.
Keywords
Political development
Islamic revolutionary discourse
religious democracy
guardianship of the jurisprudence
Islamic model of progress
Subjects
-      Abdollahyan, H. & Ojagh, S. Z. (2006). The Role of Identity-Making Intellectual Currents in the Development of the Iranian Public Sphere; Typology of Intellectuals. National Studies, 7(28), 3-26.  https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.1735059.1385.7.28.1.6
-       Aboutalebi, M. (September 8, 2013). A Note on the Religious Components of Democracy; Four Indicators for Religious Democracy. Available at: https://farsi.khamenei.ir/others-note?id=23847
-       Afsordeh, A., Jalalpoor, Sh., Ameri Golestani, H. &, Mohagheghnia, H. (2019). Discourse of the Islamic Revolution and drawing an alternative model for the government. Iranian Political Research, 6(20), 47-68. https://doi.org/10.22034/sej.2019.667452
-       Aghaei, S. (February 2009). The Discourse of Identity and the Islamic Revolution of Iran (Introduction and Critique). Social Science Monthly Book Review (New Series), 1(11), 63. http://noo.rs/w27dZ
-      Akhavan Kazemi, M. & Dehghani, R. (2015). Analysis of the Process of Transcendence of Islamist Discourse in the 57 Revolution. Iranian Social Studies, 9(3), 4-26. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.20083653.1394.9.3.1.8
-      Bashiriyeh, H. (2004). Political Ideology and Social Identity in Iran. Tehran: University Press. [In Persian]
-      Brakes, N. & Miles, Y. l. (2010) Fundamental methods for Documentary studies,Jornal of methods development. available in http://nensalamati.com.
-      Enayat, H. (1993). Modern Islamic Political Thought. Translated by Baha'uddin Khorramshahi, Tehran: Kharazmi Publications. [In Persian]
-      Fars News. (July 2, 2014). Democracy in the Supreme Leader's intellectual discourse. https://farsnews.ir/FarsNews
-      Fayyazi, S.A. (2002). Religious Democracy, the Discourse of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution. Book Critique, 4(20-21), 40-49. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/447637/fa
-       Fazeli, N. (2022). Dimensions of Political Development Culture in Iran. Translated by Vahid Shokati, Tehran: Sabzan Publications. [In Persian]
-       Foucault, M. (2000). Iran: The Spirit of a World Without Spirit. Translated by Niko Sarkhosh & Afshin Jahandideh, Tehran: Nashr-e Ney. [In Persian]
-      Hazavehei, S. M. (2012). Islamic Revolution, Awakening and the Future of Political Islam in the Region. Research Journal on Islamic Revolution, 2(4), 113-143. https://rjir.basu.ac.ir/article_286.html
-      Huntington, S. (1968). Political Order in changing Sociology.Yale Univercity Press.
-      Imam Ali. (1999). Nahj al-Balagha (Peak of Eloquence). Compiled by Seyyed Razi, Translated by Seyyed Jafar Shahidi. Tehran: Scientific and Cultural Publications Company. [In Persian]
-      Jahan Bozorgi, A. (2009). Discourse Analysis of the Theory of Islamic Revolution (Roundtable). Zamaneh, 8(84-85). https://ensani.ir/fa/article/10633/
-      Jalaipour, H.R. & Mohammadi, J. (2017). Late Sociological Theories. Tehran: Nashr-e Ney. [In Persian]
-      Ketabi, A. A., Sabzi, D. & Sheikh Mohammadi, A.R. (2018). The Realization of the Religious Democracy Discourse in the Islamic Republic and its Impact on Political Development. Islamic Revolution Research, 7(2), 97-119. https://www.roir.ir/article_81276.html
-       Khomeini, S. R. (1994). Islamic Government: Governance of the Jurist (Velayat-e Faqih). Tehran: The Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini's Works, First Edition. [In Persian]
-      Khomeini, S. R. (2001). Forty Hadiths: An Exposition. Qom: The Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini's Works. [In Persian]
-      Khomeini, S. R. (2010). Sahifeh-ye Imam (Collected Works/Speeches). Tehran: The Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini's Works. [In Persian]
-       Lipset, S. M. (1965). Political Man: The Social Bases of political. The Johns Hopkins University Press.
-      Lucian, W. Pye. (1965). The Politics of Modernization. Princeton University Press.
-      Majidi,M. R. & Eqbal, H. (2014). Model of System Making in Post-Revolutionary Iran; an Evaluation of Religious Democracy in Iran. Islamic Revolution Research, 3(1), 139-164. https://www.roir.ir/article_63306.html?lang=en
-      Mannheim, K. (2001). Ideology and Utopia: An Introduction to the Sociology of Knowledge. Translated by Fariborz Majidi, Tehran: Samt Publications. [In Persian]
-      Memar,R. (2007). A Comparative Study of Liberal-Democratic Theories and Religious Democracy from the Viewpoint of Imam Khomeini. Matin Research Journal, 10(38), 97-122. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.24236462.1387.10.38.5.2
-      Mojtahed Shabestari, M. (2005). A Critique of the Official Reading of Religion: Crises and Challenges. Tehran: Tarh-e No Publications, Third Edition. [In Persian]
-      Moradian Morad Haseli, B., Azin, A. & Jafarinejad, M. (2020). The Theory of Religious Democracy in the Thought of Imam Khamenei. Quarterly Journal of Political Research in Islamic World, 10(3), 197-223. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.23222980.1399.10.3.1.6
-      Motahhari, M. (1996). Collected Works. Tehran: Sadra Publications. [In Persian]
-       Pye, Lucian W. (2001). Crises and Sequences in Political Development. Translated by Gholamreza Khajehsarouri, Institute for Strategic Studies. [In Persian]
-      Ritzer, G. (2018). Sociological Theory. Translated by Houshang Na'ini, Tehran: Nashr-e Ney, Fifth Edition. [In Persian]
-       Sariolghalam, M. (2002). Rationality and the Future of Development in Iran. Tehran: Center for Scientific Research and Strategic Studies of the Middle East. [In Persian]
-       Sen, A. (1999). Development as Freedom. Vintage.
-      shadmani, F., Ghorbani, A., Khormashad, M. B. and Safaverdi, S. (2021). The position of religious democracy in the components of soft power of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Research Journal on Islamic Revolution, 11(38), 161-186. https://doi.org/10.22084/rjir.2021.23952.3303
-      Tabatabai, M. H. (1996). Al-Mizan: An Exegesis of the Qur'an (Translated). Qom: Islamic Publications Office. [In Persian]
-      The Office for Preserving and Publishing the Works of Ayatollah Khamenei. (April 26, 1997). Statements in a Meeting with Government Officials. Available at: https://farsi.khamenei.ir/speech-content?id=2834
-      Whitehead, L. (2004). The uncivil Interstices between Civil and political Socety, in Peter Bunell & Peter Cavert (eds), Civil Society in Democratization. USA, Frankass ublication.
-      Yousefi, B. (2022). Investigating different readings of the theory of religious democracy and explaining autonomous discourse with emphasis on the thought of the leaders of the Islamic Revolution. Islamic Revolution Studie, 3(6), 71-95. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.27172945.1400.3.6.3.2
-      Zargar,A. (2018). A Study of the Impact of Imam Khomeini’s Islamic Political Discourse on Illumination of the Islamic Ummah. Matin Research Journal, 20(78), 33-52. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.24236462.1397.20.78.3.0
 
Matin Research Journal
Volume 27, Issue 109
Winter 2025
Pages 151-181