JOURNAL OF IRANIAN ISLAMIC PERIOD HISTORY (JOURNAL OF FACULTY OF LETTERS AND HUMANITIES) (TABRIZ)
Year:2016 | Volume:6 | Issue:11 |Papers Count:9

Language is one of the most important elements of identity. Iran's minorities, including religious minorities, were faced with numerous challenges in their language teaching. Recognized religious minorities in Iran, namely Christians, Zoroastrians and Jews, in Reza Shah’s era and in the dominant nationalistic discourse of the government were not able to teach their own language at schools and even their schools were forced to close. With Reza Shah’s abdication, the educational status of the religious minorities gradually improved. New schools were established and their educational programs underwent fundamental changes. During this period, religious minorities had the right and privilege to teach their own language at schools for a few hours besides Persian, the official language of the country. Therefore, using a descriptive- analytical approach and relying on the archival documents, this study attempts to examine the situation of the religious minorities’ language teaching at schools during the second Pahlavi era.

Caucasia land, in the course of history, has been considered as one of the strategic regions of the world. Its geopolitical importance mostly pertains to the Caucasus Mountains dividing this region into two parts: north and south. The geopolitical role of this region became prominent once more after the foundation of the Ilkhanid dynasty in Iran, in south part of the Caucasus Mountains and the Golden horde dynasty in the north, i.e. Qepchaq plain. The feudal rulers of Golden horde who, prior to the presence of the Ilkhanid, had settled in the north part of the Caucasus kept encroaching upon the south Caucasia. After the foundation of Ilkhanid dynasty, the Caucasia land was added to the possessions of Hulagu. This caused an apprehension for the feudal rulers of Golden horde. Having noticed the importance of Caucasia, the Ilkhanid rulers constructed the capital city of their monarchy in the vicinity of this region so as to prevent the occupation of the land by their rival, i.e. Golden horde rulers. This rivalry led the two emperors to adopt special policies in the bilateral or international relations. The present research, taking a historical methodology, makes an attempt to investigate some of the most important policies and measures.

During Qajar era, Guilan became a gate to Europe because of its facile connections with Iran’s internal centers specially the capital and the Russian ports. This superior communication position, besides the economical condition of the region, attracted the Russians’ attention. Therefore, conquering this region became one of the most important purposes of Russian governors. The presence and influence of Russia in Guilan was accelerated after the wars between Iran and Russia. This caused many social-political consequences and led to the familiarity of the people of this region with the world’s new developments. This paved the way for some social-political movements. Under the influence of Iran’s relations with Russia and also Europe, Guilan was among the first regions witnessing numerous changes, such as the presence of Caucasus Armenian in Guilan, migration of Russian and Guilanese labors, Russian nationals’ interventions in the region, creation of the spirit of xenophobia, Guilan’s constitutional revolution and Rasht mutation.

Cholera and plague are among the destructive and fatal diseases that were common during the 18th and 19th centuries in different parts of Iran, and left a lot of casualties and damages behind. Prevalence of the disease in Iran seriously took victims until nearly a century after 1820. Every year a large number of youngsters, the old people and the children died in the country. However, the slightest measure was not taken to cure or reduce the diseases. The significance of the inadvertency and negligence of the agents towards this grave crisis becomes more apparent when we pay attention to the losses caused by the prevalence of these diseases. In some cases, up to a third of the region died because of the sufferings from this disease. Lack of sanitary facilities and quarantine of patients are the most common causes for the prevalence of these diseases and the most important consequence of it was the population decline in Iran during Qajar dynasty. In addition, the local protest and revolt against the rulers because of their attention to the people’s situation can be seen in the period. The social crisis although linked with other issues, but has its roots in this disregard. Accordingly, this study aims at finding information and carrying out some statistical analysis about the distribution of cholera and plague in the first half century of Qajar sovereignty over Iran. It also seeks to answer the question: “what were the effects of the Plague and cholera outbreaks in the first half century of Qajar sovereignty over Iran on the expansion of the social crisis? ” This study implements a descriptive-analytic approach to address this issue.

Since the establishment of the political power and after the war of Dandanaqan (431 BC.), Seljuks as supporters and protectors of "Sunni and Shariah" had challenging relations with different sects of Sunni. The Nishapurian Hanafis’ tension and dissension with Ash' aris, as one of the Shafi' i religion’s theology streams, as well as the cursing and excommunicating of Abul-Hasan Ash' ari and deporting a number of Shafi' i scholars in Nishapur, were among the most important and challenging political-religious crises in the early stages of the establishment of the Seljuks in Khorasan. The tension was the result of the fall of Ghaznavids and the disturbance of the role and presence equations of the followers of Shafi' i and Hanafi schools in the body of the political system in Khorasan. Shafi' i developers classes (tebeqatnevisan) in Seljuk era considered Hanafi- Shafi' i tensions in Nishapur as a "hardship" and a pervasive religious catastrophe for the scholars and followers of the Shafi' i school throughout the Muslim world; while the geographical location and time of the event was limited to Nishapur and not exceeded three years. Although this incident was introduced as a religious tension and crisis, more than the theological and ideological differences and consequently religious competitions, the political competitions of the religious elites in their attempt to participate in the political system of Seljuk played a decisive role in this event. With regard to what has been said earlier, this study tried to critically analyze and evaluate the various dimensions of Ash' ari -Shafi' i’s and Hanafi’s crisis and tension in Nishapur in relation to the role of the political competitions of the elites of these schools and the policies of Seljuk government in taking the advantage of such situation, relying on the historical traditions and their reflections in the works of some researchers.

Although women in Qajar period were confined to participate in the economical and social events, there are some evidences showing their economical participation in the society of that time. Among the available historical references, travelogues and records of foreign tourists and voyagers tackled this issue more. Research showed that rural, tribal and urban women in Qajar period participated in the economical activities according to their social ranks, abilities, and experiences. Among them, urban women who were influenced by the elites’ ideas and also Modernism expanded the areas of their economic activities. In some cases women in the media expressed their ideas in order to strengthen the local economy and self-sufficiency. The present study is based on a descriptive - analytic method aiming at analyzing various aspects of women's economic participation in urban, rural and nomadic lives in the Qajar era to explain the innovative ideas of urban class women.

Pandname-e-Yahyaviie written by HassanAlikhan Amirnezam-e-Garrusi, one of the dignitaries in the Naseri era, is considered as one of the advice books in the Qajar era. Reviewing, Reading out and analyzing it to determine its status in the Iranian traditional advisement works and familiarity with the author’s opinions and beliefs are the aims of this study. The need to recognize its importance lies in the understanding of the intellectual and political developments in Qajar period. Although one witnesses some archaism, nationalism or anti Islamic–Arabic approaches and tendencies in this period, Pandname-e-Yahyaviie adopts an Islamic approach. Pandname-e-Yahyaviie’s Islamic approach is a visible sign of the intellectual development in Iranshahr thought in the Qajar era. Keeping the format of an advisement book and using this language, concepts, religious, political, social, cultural, moral, literary and military doctrines and teachings are induced. This study uses library resources to address the issue under study. In this study, Pandname-e-Yahyaviie text was reviewed and analyzed as an advisement text.

In this study I have attempted to explain the standpoint of Shiites towards the government of Mongols in Iran. The Shiites had always been suppressed by the Caliphs and their dependent governments. So, the Shiites were the enemy of the Caliphs. Eventually the Abbasid Caliphate dynasty was collapsed by the Mongols. There is no doubt that the Shiites were happy. From the Shiites perspective both of them were the usurpers of the government. However, the Mongols were better for Shiites because the Mongols were more tolerant of all religions and treated the Shiites kindly. So, the Shiites relations with the Ilkhanids were closer than the Sunnis. The Shiites standpoint had historical, political and juridical reasons. Thus, the Shiites became closer to the Mongols government. They saved many Shiites and Sunnis lives especially the lives of the scientists. They also saved many books from destruction. They restored the endowments and established many scientific institutes across the country. Mongol policy of religious freedom and the Shiites’ political power and wealth were the reasons for the spread of the Shiism.