Matin Research Journal

Matin Research Journal

Realism in Imam Khomeini’s Reading of Religion: Nature and Rationale

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Khalil Aghili faraj 1
Mahdi Abdollahipoor 2
shirody shirody 3
1 Graduated from the field of comparative exegesis of the Holy Quran University of Sciences and Education
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Quran and Hadith Sciences, University of Holy Quran Sciences and Education, Qom, Iran.
3 Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Civilization and Politics, Islamic Civilization Research Center, Qom, Iran.
10.22034/matin.2024.464988.2272
Abstract
Within debates on the language of religion, realism constitutes a pivotal issue. If religious texts are assumed to lack representational capacity, a substantial portion of revelatory guidance loses epistemic credibility, thereby undermining the political, social, and cultural structures grounded upon it. This concern becomes particularly acute when the legitimacy of religious propositions in shaping the foundations of religious governance and the Islamic state is conditioned upon their realism.
From this perspective, interpreting the language of religion as non-cognitive would render Imam Khomeini’s reliance—along with that of other Islamic political thinkers—on religious sources theoretically flawed and practically ineffective. Employing both intra-religious and extra-religious methodologies, this study first conceptualizes the notion of realism, then argues for the cognitive and realist nature of religious language. Finally, it examines why realism constitutes a foundational principle in Imam Khomeini’s reading of religion.
The findings demonstrate that a realist reading of religion is supported by rational, commonsensical, and scriptural evidence, particularly in the context of establishing and administering an Islamic state within Imam Khomeini’s intellectual framework.
Keywords
Realism
Imam Khomeini
language of religion
Qur&‌‌‌rsquo
an
Islamic state

Subjects

-         Abdollahipour, M., shiroodi, M. & Aghili faraj, K. (2022). Why Is the Wise’s Explaining and Understanding a Basis in Interpreting the Qur’an? Researches of Quran and Hadith Sciences, 19(1), 189-218. https://doi.org/10.22051/tqh.2021.35331.3156
-         Alizamani, A. (1996). God, Language and Meaning. Qom: Ayat-e Eshq Publications. [In Persian]
-         Anis, I., et al. (1988). Al-Mu'jam al-Wasit. Tehran: Daftar-e Nashr-e Farhang-e Islami. [In Arabic]
-         Asghari, M. (2019). The Priority of literature to Philosophy in Richard Rorty. Journal of Philosophical Investigations, 13(28), 207-219. https://doi.org/10.22034/jpiut.2019.36395.2437
-         Ayatollahy, H. (2005). A Philosophical-Islamic Viewpoint to the Problem of Meaninglessness of Religious Statements. Language and Linguistics, 1(2), 57-72. https://lsilinguistics.ihcs.ac.ir/article_1594.html?lang=en
-         Ayer, A. j. (1936). Language Truth and Logic. London: gollancz Ltd.
-         Babaei, A. A. (2011). Schools of Qur'anic Exegesis. Qom: Research Center of Hawzah and University. [In Persian]
-         Babaei, A. A. (2015). Rules of Qur'anic Exegesis. Qom: Research Center of Hawzah and University. [In Persian]
-         Barbour, I. (2000). Science and Religion. Translated by Baha'eddin Khorramshahi, Tehran: Academic Publishing Center. [In Persian]
-         Donyavi, M. & Moghaddam Heidari, G. (2018). The concept of reality in Wittgenstein's attitude. Philosophical Meditations, 7(19), 89-106. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/ 20.1001.1.22285253.1396.7.19.4.5
-         Durant, W. (1983). The Story of Philosophy, Translated by Abbas Zaryab Khoei, Tehran: Danesh, 7th edition. [In Persian]
-         Fakhlai, M. T. (2010). An Introduction to the Quiddity of the Attitude of the Intellectuals and its Relation to Intellectual Judgment. Fiqh and Usul, 42(84),97-126.                                       https://doi.org/ 10.22067/fiqh.v0i0.3165
-         Farahidi, K. (1990). Kitab al-'Ayn. Qom: Hijrat Publications. [In Arabic]
-         Geisler, N. (1974). Philosophy of Religion. Michigan: The zondervan Corpoation Grand Rapids.
-         Hartnack, J. (1977). Wittgenstein. Translated by Manouchehr Bozorgmehr, Tehran: Kharazmi Publications. [In Persian]
-         Hosseini, S. H. (2002). The Meaningfulness and Provability of Religious Propositions. Qabasat, 7(25), 16-25. https://qabasat.iict.ac.ir/article_17204.html
-         Ibn Faris, A. (1984). Mu'jam Maqayis al-Lughah. Qom: Maktab al-A'lam al-Islami. [In Arabic]
-         Ibn Manzur, M. (1994). Lisan al-'Arab. Beirut: Dar Sadir. [In Arabic]
-         Javadi Amoli, A. (2000). Shari'ah in the Mirror of Knowledge. Tehran: Raja Cultural Publishing Center. [In Persian]
-         Karimi, M. & Amrai, R. (2010). Investigation and Criticism of Late Wittgenstein view concerning Language of Religion. Philosophy of Religion, 7(5), 5-17. https://jpht.ut.ac.ir/article_22392.html?lang=en
-         Kaveh, M. (2020). An analysis of the movement of the sun in the Quran from the perspective of commentators. Comparative Interpretation Research, 5(2), 151-172. https://doi.org/10.22091/ptt.2019.3759.1453
-         Khomeini, S. R. (1999). Etiquette of prayer. Tehran: The Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini's Works. [In Persian]
-         Khomeini, S.R. (1993). Anwar al-Hidayah fī Taliqa ʻala al-Kifaya. Tehran: The Institute for Compilation and Publication of Imam Khomeini's Works. [In Arabic]
-         Khomeini, S.R. (2002). Tafsir Surah al-Hamd, Tehran: Institute for Compilation and publication of Imam Khomeini's works. [In Persian]
-         Lacoste, J. (1996). Philosophy in the Twentieth Century. Translated by Reza Davari Ardakani, Tehran: Samt. [In Persian]
-         Mahmoodikia, M. (2024). Fundamentals of Epistemology in Imam Khomeini’s Political Thought. Matin Research Journal, 26(104), 81-110. https://doi.org/10.22034/matin.2023.396245.2161
-         Makarem Shirazi, N. (1995). Sample interpretation. Tehran: Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyyah. [In Persian]
-          Ma'rifat, M. H. (2007). Al-Tamhid fi 'Ulum al-Quran. Qom: Al-Tamhid Cultural Publishing Institute. [In Persian]
-         Ma'rifat, M. H. (2008). Tafsir and the Interpreters. Mashhad: Razavi University of Islamic Sciences. [In Persian]
-          Mojtahid Shabestari, M. (2005). Critique of the Official Reading of Religion (Crises, Challenges, Solutions). Tehran: Tarh-e-No, Third Edition. [In Persian]
-         Mousazadeh, I., Asghari, M. & Abdollahnejat, M. (2021). Linguistic nature of reality in Richard Rorty. Journal of Philosophical Theological Research, 23(4), 103-120. https://doi.org/10.22091/jptr.2021.6954.2544
-         Mousazadeh, I., Asghari, M. & Abdollahnejat, M. (2021). Linguistic nature of reality in Richard Rorty. Journal of Philosophical Theological Research, 23(4), 103-120. https://doi.org/10.22091/jptr.2021.6954.2544
-         Motahhari, M. (1995). The Problem of Knowledge. Tehran: Sadra, 9th edition. [In Persian]
-         Mozaffar, M. R. (2007). Principles of Jurisprudence (Osul al-Fiqh). Translated by Mohsen Gharavian and Ali Shirvani. Qom: Dar al-Fikr. [In Persian]
-         Qomi, A. (1988). Tafsir al-Qomi. Researched by Seyyed Tayyeb Mousavi Jazayeri, Qom: Dar al-Kitab, fourth edition. [In Arabic]
-         Raghib Isfahani, H. (1992). Al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Qur'an. Damascus-Beirut: Dar al-'Ilm / al-Dar al-Shamiyyah. [In Arabic]
-         Rezaei Isfahani, M. A. (2005). A Research on the Scientific Miracles of the Qur'an. Rasht: Ketab-e Mobin. [In Persian]
-         Rezaei Isfahani, M. A. (2012). The Logic of the Qur'an. Qom: Al-Mustafa International Translation and Publication Center. [In Persian]
-         Rezaei Isfahani, M. A., et al. (2011). New Doubts (Shubuhat). Qom: Publications of Researches on Interpretation and Sciences of the Quran. [In Persian]
-         Sadr, S. M. B. (1986). Durus fi 'Ilm al-Usul. Beirut: Dar al-Kitab al-Lubnani. [In Arabic]
-         Sa'idi Roshan, S. M. B. (2012). The Language of the Qur'an and Its Issues. Qom: Research Center of Hawzah and University. [In Persian]
-         Soroush, A. (May 23, 2016). Soroush's Qur'an: Muhammad's Troubled Dream-Book. Radio Zamaneh. Available at: www.radiozamaneh.com
-         Tabarsi, F. (1993). Majma' al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an. Tehran: Nasir Khosrow Publications. [In Arabic]
-         Tabataba'i, S. M. H. (1997). Al-Mizan fi Tafsir al-Qur'an. Qom: Islamic Publications Office of the Qom Seminary Community of Teachers. [In Arabic]
-         Turayhi, F. (1996). Majma' al-Bahrayn. Tehran: Mortazavi Bookstore. [In Arabic]
-         Vaezi, A. (2013). Theory of Text Interpretation. Qom: Research Center of Hawzah and University. [In Persian]
-          Velaei, Isa (2008). Explanatory Dictionary of Fundamental Terms. Tehran: Ney Publishing. [In Persian]
-         Wittgenstein, L. (2001). Philosophical Investigations. Translated by Fereydoun Fatemi, Tehran: Markaz Publishing House. [In Persian]
-         Yousofi, H., Abdolkarimi Natanzi, M., Nessaiy Barzoki, H. (2020). The principles of spiritual health in the Quran. Feyz Medical Sciences Journal, 23 (7), 810-816.http://feyz.kaums.ac.ir/article-1-3787-fa.html
Matin Research Journal
Volume 27, Issue 108
Autumn 2025
Pages 55-82