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	== References ==		== References ==
	{{Reflist}}		{{Reflist}}

			[[Category:Concepts and Terms]]
			[[Category:Figures]]

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			[[File:Mutahhari.jpg\|frameless\|right]]
	'''Murtada Motahhari''' (1919–1979) was a leading Iranian cleric, philosopher, and a key theorist of the [[Iranian Revolution\|1979 Iranian Revolution]]<ref name="Davari2005">Davari, M. T. (2005). ''The Political Thought of Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari: An Iranian Theoretician of the Islamic State''. Routledge.</ref>. Central to his thought is the concept of faith (''iman'') as the primary engine for social and political transformation. Unlike passive or purely personal belief, Motahhari viewed authentic Islamic faith as an active, revolutionary force essential for creating a just society and opposing what he identified as the destructive influences of Western materialism<ref name="Chumaedi2018">Chumaedi, A. (2018). Pemikiran Murtadha Muthahhari Tentang Negara dan Masyarakat serta Pandangannya terhadap Revolusi Islam Iran. ''Journal of Government and Civil Society'', ''2''(1), 33-50.</ref>.		'''Murtada Motahhari''' (1919–1979) was a leading Iranian cleric, philosopher, and a key theorist of the [[Iranian Revolution\|1979 Iranian Revolution]]<ref name="Davari2005">Davari, M. T. (2005). ''The Political Thought of Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari: An Iranian Theoretician of the Islamic State''. Routledge.</ref>. Central to his thought is the concept of faith (''iman'') as the primary engine for social and political transformation. Unlike passive or purely personal belief, Motahhari viewed authentic Islamic faith as an active, revolutionary force essential for creating a just society and opposing what he identified as the destructive influences of Western materialism<ref name="Chumaedi2018">Chumaedi, A. (2018). Pemikiran Murtadha Muthahhari Tentang Negara dan Masyarakat serta Pandangannya terhadap Revolusi Islam Iran. ''Journal of Government and Civil Society'', ''2''(1), 33-50.</ref>.

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	=== Key Functions of Faith in Revolution ===		=== Key Functions of Faith in Revolution ===
			[[File:Enghelabe Islami- Mutahhari 2.jpg\|frameless\|right]]
	Beyond the basic model, Motahhari identified several specific functions faith performs in the process of social revolution:		Beyond the basic model, Motahhari identified several specific functions faith performs in the process of social revolution:

Peysepar: Created page with "'''Murtada Motahhari''' (1919–1979) was a leading Iranian cleric, philosopher, and a key theorist of the 1979 Iranian RevolutionDavari, M. T. (2005). ''The Political Thought of Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari: An Iranian Theoretician of the Islamic State''. Routledge.. Central to his thought is the concept of faith (''iman'') as the primary engine for social and political transformation. Unlike passive or purely personal..."

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Created page with "'''Murtada Motahhari''' (1919–1979) was a leading Iranian cleric, philosopher, and a key theorist of the 1979 Iranian Revolution<ref name="Davari2005">Davari, M. T. (2005). ''The Political Thought of Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari: An Iranian Theoretician of the Islamic State''. Routledge.</ref>. Central to his thought is the concept of faith (''iman'') as the primary engine for social and political transformation. Unlike passive or purely personal..."

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'''Murtada Motahhari''' (1919–1979) was a leading Iranian cleric, philosopher, and a key theorist of the [[Iranian Revolution|1979 Iranian Revolution]]<ref name="Davari2005">Davari, M. T. (2005). ''The Political Thought of Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari: An Iranian Theoretician of the Islamic State''. Routledge.</ref>. Central to his thought is the concept of faith (''iman'') as the primary engine for social and political transformation. Unlike passive or purely personal belief, Motahhari viewed authentic Islamic faith as an active, revolutionary force essential for creating a just society and opposing what he identified as the destructive influences of Western materialism<ref name="Chumaedi2018">Chumaedi, A. (2018). Pemikiran Murtadha Muthahhari Tentang Negara dan Masyarakat serta Pandangannya terhadap Revolusi Islam Iran. ''Journal of Government and Civil Society'', ''2''(1), 33-50.</ref>.

=== The Activist Core of Faith ===

A central pillar of Motahhari's political philosophy is his rejection of a quietist, legalistic interpretation of Islam. He argued that a faith focused solely on rituals and personal salvation was like a "dead and infested tree," devoid of social relevance. Instead, he contended that true faith possesses an "activist and revolutionary ideological core that must be revived"<ref name="ImamKhomeini2025">(2025, February 4). Ayatollah Motahhari, always considered himself a pupil of the great Imam. The Imam Khomeini Portal. http://en.imam-khomeini.ir/en/n52247/Ayatollah-Motahhari-always-considered-himself-a-pupil-of-the-great-Imam</ref>. This perspective reframed faith from a matter of private solace to a public force for societal change.

=== Motahhari's Theoretical Model of Revolution ===

Motahhari's original theoretical framework for understanding revolution, used to analyze the Iranian Revolution, explicitly outlines the pivotal functions of faith. According to this model, a revolution is driven by three key components<ref name="ImamKhomeini2021">(2021, March 6). The holy Quran and the Islamic Revolution with emphasis on the political ideals of Imam Khomeini and Shahid Motahari. The Imam Khomeini Portal. http://en.imam-khomeini.ir/en/NewsPrint.aspx?ID=40751</ref>:

'''Negation of the Status Quo:''' Faith in divine justice creates a profound dissatisfaction with oppression and tyranny. For Motahhari, [[Quran|Quranic]] teachings provided the moral imperative to reject the existing political order. His analysis identified the failure to form a government based on truth, the separation of religion from politics, and widespread oppression as key sources of this dissatisfaction that faith helped to crystallize<ref name="ImamKhomeini2021" />.

'''Vision of an Ideal Society:''' Faith provides the blueprint for a just society. The goal of revolution was not merely to overthrow the old order but to establish a "utopia" based on an [[Islamic state|Islamic government]] and the enforcement of [[Sharia|Sharia law]]. This vision, rooted in divine law, served as the criterion for judging the existing, corrupt situation<ref name="ImamKhomeini2021" />.

'''Mobilization and Energy:''' A "constructive" faith, framed as the expectation of emancipation (''entezar-e faraj''), created the "moving," "commitment," and "energy" that propelled society toward its revolutionary goals. This spiritual energy was crucial for sustaining the struggle<ref name="BotengaThesis">Botenga, S. (n.d.). ''The Political Thought of Morteza Mutahhari'' [Doctoral dissertation, IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca]. http://e-theses.imtlucca.it/68/1/Botenga_phdthesis.pdf</ref>.

=== Key Functions of Faith in Revolution ===

Beyond the basic model, Motahhari identified several specific functions faith performs in the process of social revolution:

Foundation for Justice and Rights: Motahhari viewed faith in God as the ultimate guarantor of justice and human rights. He argued that Islamic belief, in contrast to Western secular traditions, inherently supports "people's intrinsic rights" and serves as the "best law and justice implementation guarantor"<ref name="Chumaedi2018" />. A central principle of his ideology was the equality of all people and the absence of discrimination, which he rooted in the "universality of divine law"<ref name="Chumaedi2018" />. His thought is considered a "justice-centered discourse" that deeply influenced the constitution of the Islamic Republic<ref name="Vahedi2024">Vahedi, S., Hatami, M., & Mousavi, S. M. (2024). The Genealogy of Justice in the Discourse of Iran's Islamic Revolution with Emphasis on Motahari's Thought. ''Political Sociology of the Islamic Revolution'', ''5''(2), 113-129.</ref>.

Spiritual and Moral Transformation: Motahhari argued that a revolution's success hinged on changing the moral order of society. This required "spiritual purification" and a focus on Islamic spirituality, which calls for the reform of the "inside and outside of man"<ref name="ImamKhomeini2025" />. He made it clear that achieving social freedom was impossible without first achieving spiritual purification<ref name="ImamKhomeini2025" />.

Resistance to Western Influence: Faith was vital for achieving "cultural and school independence"<ref name="Chumaedi2018" />. Motahhari saw Western civilization as a materialist threat that destroyed human morality. He believed that a strong Islamic faith was necessary for a society to resist this "one-dimensional civilization" and assert its independent Islamic identity<ref name="Chumaedi2018" />.

=== Faith and the Islamic Republic ===

Motahhari's vision of the Islamic state reflects the centrality of faith in political life. He conceptualized a "theo-democratic" system where God is the supreme ruler, but humans, based on the principle of independence and the value of their endeavors, have the right to participate in determining the direction of the state, provided it remains grounded in divine law and principles of egalitarianism and justice<ref name="DOAJ2019">(2019). KONSEP MASYARAKAT DAN NEGARA TAUHIDI DALAM PEMIKIRAN POLITIK MURTADHA MUTHAHHARI. ''Directory of Open Access Journals''. https://doaj.org/article/48f25fa456b046a398b176e59c03d5b9</ref>. In his view, the legitimacy of the system comes from Islam, while its acceptance comes from the people; a "republic without Islam and Islam without a republic cannot be realized"<ref name="PSIRJ2024">(2024). The Sociological Explanation of the Duality of Republicanism and Islamism in Iran's Islamic Revolution... ''Political Sociology of the Islamic Revolution''. https://www.psirj.ir/article_208873.html?lang=en</ref>.

Motahhari famously warned that if the Islamic Revolution were to succeed, it could not "forget spirituality," because doing so would "deprive our revolution of a progressive factor"<ref name="Ensani2023">(2023). Pathology of the Islamic Revolution from the point of view of Martyr Motahari and Strategies to deal with them. ''Ensani.ir''. https://ensani.ir/fa/article/618301/pathology-of-the-islamic-revolution-from-the-point-of-view-of-martyr-motahari-and-strategies-to-deal-with-them</ref>. For him, the greatest threats to the revolution were ideological deviations, hypocrisy, dogmatism, and injustice—all of which were consequences of drifting away from the active, revolutionary faith he championed<ref name="Ensani2023" />.

=== Conclusion ===

For Murtada Motahhari, faith was the indispensable catalyst for social revolution. It provided the moral justification for revolt, the blueprint for a new society, the spiritual energy to sustain the struggle, and the cultural armor to maintain independence. In this framework, social revolution was the collective expression of a living, active faith seeking to manifest divine justice in the human world, making Islam and religion the "main and important cause for the victory and continuation of Islamic revolution"<ref name="Mohammadi2013">Mohammadi, M., & Golshanaba, M. Q. (2013). Islamic Revolution of Iran from Martyr Murtadha Mutahhari's Viewpoint. ''Islamic Revolution Research'', ''2''(3), 71-88.</ref>.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

Faith in Realizing Social Revolutions: Motahhari's Perspective - Revision history

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