
The link between the theological seminary and the university is a blessed phenomenon which bears significant and numerous wholesome fruits. Along this line, for more than a year, a number of concerned and committed scholars in the university has set up a center with the aim of holding cultural activities. One of its activities is to hold monthly sessions in the presence of Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi. In these sessions, the distinguished professor tackles issues suggested by the other professors. Nine of these lectures are presented in this book.
- Investigations And Challenges
- Publisher’s Foreword
- Preface
- Chapter 1: Our Responsibility in the Sphere of Culture (Part 1)
- Responsibility Conscious or right-seeking man
- The Principle of Balance between Responsibility and Capability
- The Extent of Capability and Responsibility in the Sight of University and Seminary Professors
- The Present Cultural and Moral Degeneration
- Preservation of the Relative Balance between Elements of Guidance and Deviation in Every Age
- Most of the Great Transformations Owed to the Ideas of Thinkers
- Importance of the Cultural Revolution
- The Role of Cultural Movements in the Perpetuity of the Revolution
- Chapter 2: Our Responsibility in the Sphere of Culture (Part 2)
- An Image of Iran Prior to Bahman 1357 AHS (February 1979)
- The Most Serious Menace of the Monarchial Reign
- Imam Khomein’s (r) strategy in initiating political change
- The Degree of Conviction of The Officials of The Islamic System to the Pristine Precepts and Values of Islam
- Program of the Enemies of the Revolution in Undermining the Islamic Values
- The Enemy’s Infiltration In to the Executive and Planning Organs in the Country
- Summary and Conclusion
- Chapter 3: Religious Pluralism (Part 1)
- Chapter 4: Religious Pluralism (Part 2)
- Involvement of the Psychological Factor in the Emergence of Pluralism
- The Social Factor in the Emergence of Pluralism
- Assessing the Psychological Motive in Presenting Pluralism
- Assessing the Social Factor in Presenting Pluralism
- Historical Account of Islam’s Treatment of Non-Muslims
- First Interpretation of Religious Pluralism
- Assessment
- Second Interpretation of Religious Pluralism
- Assessing the Second Interpretation
- Third Interpretation of Religious Pluralism
- Assessing the Third Interpretation of Religious Pluralism
- Chapter 5: Religious Pluralism (Part 3)
- A Review of the Psychological Motive in Presenting Pluralism
- Explaining the verse, “Should anyone follow a Religion other than Islam, it shall never be accepted from him”
- Our Responsibility toward Freedom of Religion and the Ruling on the Followers of Other Religions
- A Psychological Point
- Which philosophical or Epistemological Foundation Can Logically Lead to Pluralism?
- Explaining Pluralism by Using the Similitude of a Prism
- The Theory on the Unity of Truth in the Realm of Religious Knowledge
- The Difference of the Maraji‘ At-Taqlid’s Religious Edicts as Nothing to do With Pluralism
- Absence of Difference in the Domain of the Essentials and Fundamentals of Islam
- Difference in the Domain of the Disputable Matters in Islam and its Explanation
- Negation of Pluralism in the Declarative Accounts and Acceptance of it in Ethical and Moral Issues
- Critique of Pluralism in the Realm of Ethics and Moral Values
- Moral Decrees of Islam as Consonant with the True Expediencies and Corruptions
- Summary
- Chapter 6: Religious Pluralism (Part 4)
- The Relationship between Pluralism and Liberalism
- A Review of the Motive behind the Emergence of Religious Pluralism
- Founding the Universal Unified Religion
- An Examination of the Theory of Founding the Universal Unified Religion
- Presenting the Common Moral Principles as Constituting the Universal Unified Religion
- A Summary of the Critique of the Theory of Universal Unified Religion
- Chapter 7: The Limits of Attraction and Repulsion (Peace and Violence) in Islam (Part 1)
- Explaining the Concepts of “Attraction and Repulsion” and “Islam”
- Is the Assumption on Repulsion about Islam Possible?
- A Historical Example of Repulsion in the Laws of Islam
- Islam’s Injunction on Attraction and Repulsion in Behavior
- Examples of Islamic Attractive Behaviors
- Does Islam always enjoin the Policy of Attraction in Behavior?
- Summary of the Discussion
- Chapter 8: The Limits of Attraction and Repulsion (Peace and Violence) in Islam (Part 2)
- Three Types of Questions about Attraction and Repulsion in Islam
- The Development of Man Depends on Attraction and Repulsion
- Self-Purification as Attractions and Repulsions Necessary for the Perfection of the Soul
- An Outstanding Example of Spiritual Attraction and Repulsion
- Interpretation of the Verse, “So Let Man Observe his Food”
- Spiritual Ailment and Wellbeing
- Summary of the Discussion
- Question and Answer
- Chapter 9: The Limits of Attraction and Repulsion (Peace and Violence) in Islam (Part 3)
- A Review of the Previous Discussion
- The Reference in Identifying the Useful and Harmful Elements in the Spiritual Perfection of Man
- The Overall policy of Islam in the Affair of Propagating Religion
- The Reason behind Refraining from Repulsion in the Islamic Call
- How Islam Deals with Personal and Private Behaviors
- The Islamic Approach of Dealing with Social Behaviors
- Penal laws as the Factor in Fostering Social Order
- Repulsion as the Natural Essence of the Penal Laws
- Assiduousness in Distinguishing between Personal and Social Dimensions of Action
- Islam’s Attitude toward the Non-Muslim Countries and their Citizens
- The View of Islam on Violent Actions and the Power of Repulsion
- Summary of the Discussion on Attraction and Repulsion in Islam
- Question and Answer
- Another Question and Answer
- Chapter 10: The Mutual Relationship between the People and the Government (Part 1)
- The Interrelatedness of Right and Duty
- Types of Interrelatedness among Concepts
- Two Types of Relationship between Right and Duty
- The Relationship between Right and Duty from the View Point of Imam Ali
- Right and Duty in Relation to God
- The raison d’être of Government
- The Right and Duty of Government in Relation to Providing Security and the Like
- Another Philosophy Means another Set of Duties
- The Impact of the Fundamental Difference in Determining the Rights and Duties of the People and the Government
- Ensuring the Spiritual Welfare as the most Fundamental Duty of the Government
- Questions and answers
- Chapter 11: The Mutual Relationship between the People and the Government (Part 2)
- A Review of the Previous Discussion
- The Relationship between Right and Justice
- The Criterion in Determining Right the Viewpoint of the Natural Law and the Positivist Law
- The Viewpoint of Islam on the Criterion of Determining Right
- The Fundamental Difference between Islam and the West on the Criterion of Determining Rights
- The Religious Law’s Remarks on Dealing with the Relationship of Actions with Welfare and Corruption
- The Exigency of Facilitation
- God as the sole original bidder and forbidder
- Questions and answers
- Chapter 12: The Mutual Relationship between the People and the Government (Part 3)
- The Different Approaches in Discussing the Mutual Relationship between the People and the Government
- Descriptive Study of the Mutual Relationship between the People and the Government in Islam
- Descriptive study of the Mutual Relationship between People and Government in the Democratic system
- To be a Mercenary of the Capitalists as the Real Role of the Governments in the Western Democracy
- Question and Answer
- Chapter 13: The Mutual Relationship between the People and the Government (Part 4)
- A Review of the Discussion in the Previous Session
- A Comparison of the Mutual Relationship between the People and the Government in Islam and the West a Descriptive Approach
- The Government People Relationship in Western Thought
- First Criticism to this Theory
- Second Criticism
- Third Criticism
- Fourth Criticism
- A Summary of the Criticisms to this Theory
- The Government-People Relationship in the Islamic Thought
- Questions and Answers
- Chapter 14: The Mutual Relationship between the People and the Government (Part 5)
- The People Government Relationship Subjection and Domination or what?
- The Status of the People and the Ruler in Islamic Political Thought
- Islamic Political Thought: The people and the Ruler as Responsible before God
- A Summary of the Discussion
- Examples of the Mutual Rights Between the People and the Government in the words of the Commander of the Faithful
- Chapter 15: The Mutual Relationship between the People and the Government (Part 6)
- A Review of the Discussion in the Previous Session
- The View of Islam on the People and the Government
- Ensuring the Spiritual Welfare as the Duty of Government and the Right of People in the Islamic Government
- The Duties of the Ruler and the People from the Viewpoint of the Commander of the Faithful
- Questions and Answers
- Chapter 16: Faith as the Essence of Invitation of the Prophets (Part 1)
- Introduction
- Faith as the Main Axis of the Invitation of the Prophets
- The Correct Method of Conducting Research on this Issue
- The Axis of the Invitation of the Prophets (‘a) from the Viewpoint of the Qur’an
- Denial as the Prime Origin of Deviation
- The Unbelievers from the Viewpoint of the Qur’an
- Some Fundamental Questions on the Issue of Faith
- Question and Answer
- Chapter 17: Faith as the Essence of Invitation of the Prophets (Part 2)
- The Truth of Faith
- Is to Confirm the Truth Behind Faith?
- Is Faith Correlative to Doubt and Ignorance?
- The Qur’an and the Alleged Contradiction between Knowledge and Faith
- The Correct Theory on the Truth of Faith
- Faith’s Relationship with Knowledge and Freewill
- Which is the Premise of Faith, Logical Certainty or Conventional Certainty?
- Two Contributory Factors in the Enhancement and Strengthening of Faith
- Summary of the Discussion
- Chapter 18: Faith as the Essence of Invitation of the Prophets (Part 3)
- The Jurisdiction of Faith in the Qur'anic Verses
- The Relationship between “Belief in the Angels” and the Discussion on “Prophetic Experience”
- Belief in all the Prophets as a Requisite of True Faith
- Other Viewpoints on the Jurisdiction of Faith
- The Relationship between Faith and the Acceptance of the Prophets Historically
- Chapter 19: Faith as the Essence of Invitation of the Prophets (Part 4)
- A Review of the Previous Discussion
- “Prophetic Experience” and “Hermeneutic Interpretation” as Misgivings Aimed at Weakening the Faith
- A Concise Reply to these Two Misgivings
- The Alleged Contradiction between Revelation, and Knowledge and Reason
- The Qur’an and the Nine Ptolemaic Spheres
- The Qur’an and the Theory of Evolution of Species
- Allegory and Metaphor in the Qur’an
- Reply to this Misgiving
- Summary
- Question and Answer
- Transliteration Symbols