JOURNAL OF HISTORICAL STUDIES OF ISLAM
Year:2010 | Volume:2 | Issue:6|Papers Count:7

The concept of Justice in the Islamic Middle Ages thought was based on keeping order in society and having virtue politicians with high merit. Accordingly, based on this thought, the most important role of a ruler was to stand firm against the heretics and those broke the rule of law and order in society. In other words, suppression of the heretics was a kind of justice and brought the title of “the just” for rulers. The title of that Anushirvan has received from Moslem historiographers in the Middle Ages in fact, originated from such a kind of thought and idea; because he could suppress Mazdakians uprising as a heretic movement. It seems this factor has had an important role in calling Anushirvan as a just king, though other factors also can not be ignored.However, by using the hermeneutic methodology, in this paper it has been tried to examine the reflection of Anushirvan character as a just king in Islamic historiography in the Middle Ages and find out why and how he got such a position. In other words, in this paper the writer has tried to demonstrate that calling Anushirvan as a just king in Islamic historiography is not based on historical facts, but originated form the concept of justice among Moslem historians.

"Mosque" as one of the religious institutions of Islam- during the Prophet (PBUH) Era and then was not only the place of worshipping but also the center of many social and political affairs.Seljuqe Period (429-590 A.H./1036-1193 A.D.) is one the most important eras in the history of Iran and Islam, regarding its religious and political aspects. In this era "mosque" had a very important position, especially in the field of dissemination of information. Public invitation for many important events that required the people presence or awareness were managed through the mosque. So in the time ofjihad (holy war), mosques had the most important supporting role in advertising and promoting the people. However, according to historical approach less attention has been paid to the mosque and its functions in the Seljuqe era.The aim of the present article is to describe the most important preaching functions of mosque through analyzing the historical sources and narratives on the basis of political developments, and to explain the role of mosques in dissemination of information and informing the field of politics and society, then to examine the efforts of Seljuqe government, political opposition and general public to use the mosque as an instrument to expand their messages and wishes. Achievement resulting from this research shows that regarding the lack of public networks of communication in the past, mosques had a key role in giving or sending information and different groups of people, according to their needs, took advantage of it.

After the mongol onslaught to Iran, and during the seventh to tenth centuries A.H., uprisings occurred which were political-religious reflections to conditions and then they entred to political discussions with Shiite-Sufi approach.This article tried to understand the quality of basis of Shiite-Sufi movement, based on Lakla & Moofe dialogue and by analysing the Jame‘ul Athar & Manba‘ ul Anwar, compiled by Seyyed Heydar Amoli.By studing the three movements: Sarbedaran, Mara‘shian, Mosha‘sha‘eyan, as researching samples, the researchers have tried to express that existence of Shiite-Sufi dialogue (7th-10th centuries) caused those movements.

It seems very difficult to draw a comprehensive or even a semi-comprehensive model for Persian historiography during a long period of a thousand years. Because this model should be a very sophisticated and well-integrated one capable to include various factors such as: historians’ approaches, their attitudes toward historical events, their sources and documents, their methods in research and source using, their manners of evaluating historical data and finally the historians social background and their rhetoric. Factors may change according to the historians’ methods and attitudes. However, it would be possible to speak about a paradigm in Persian historical writing at conditions that one was able to construct a relatively comprehensive model which includes the common dimensions of these factors.The findings of this research based on a comparative survey of historical sources show that one could speak about a dominant model for Persian historiography. This model is, in turn, composed of eight component factors and we may call it the Persian writing history paradigm.

One of the most different figures of Ismailis, was introduced to the people of the world in Nizari Period, when the communities were led from the inside of unreachable castles above the mountains in Iran; a period that the tumultuous doctrine of the Resurrection was presented; which a little information about it was remained. The Mogols destroyed their castles, killed their Ismaili Imam and many of his family and massacred his followers; but their libraries were burned by the domestic enemies. In the absence of internal sources, remained scattered, one-sided and sometimes hostile narratives from outdoors and so according to these sources, the history of the Nizari Period was written. Now, a new found text, which was written in their castles, is peresented here to shed a light on the history and beliefs of Iranian Nizaries in the last decades of their life, especially on their relationships with Nimruzi Muluk. After a full introduction, the text edited by single version edition method, will be presented here with some enlightenments and additions. Here has been tried by using internal and external criticism the gained data from the text would be compared with other sources. In addition to giving some new information about the Iranian Ismailis in this period, the results, also bring up the fact that apparently the author of this text and Rauzat al-Taslim, which is attributed to Khwaja Nasir al-din Tusi, is the same and apparently that person must had been one of a residents of Damghan, Qumis or Shimiran.

In the administration of Safavid Period, there was a council, called Janki. It entered to the Safavid Rule from the Mongol and Timurid Periods, and evolved. The main tasks of the council were giving advice to the King and resolve the matters related to the war and succession of Safavid Kings. Some of the members of this council were senior and influential officials in the Safavid State that Grand Secretary (Vazir-e-Azam) has headed them. In the studies of Safavid Period, this council with other councils has been mixed and it is not considered as an independent council. This research is seeking to prove this hypothesis that Madjma‘of Janki was a complete independent Council and in various aspects was different from other concils. This study, relying on historical evidence, surveys on Janki Council, from the respect of name, members, functions and its importance in the bureacracy of Safavid State and as it turned out seven senior ranking officials of the Safavid organization were major and permanent members ofJanki. In record of this council is seen two topics: 1. Military affairs 2.Issue of succession appointment. Considering the importance of this two topics, political and administrative position of (the association) members, this council can be called as supreme council of Safavid Court.

In newly established Islamic society, the Right Guided (Rashidun) Caliphs designed and executed policies which indicated their kind of thinking and religious manners. The present writing has the intention of comparing their policy-makings with religious teachings. It is supposed that the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s Tradition (Sunnah) (May God Bless Him) are considered as sources of designating of the caliphs’ policies and a yardstick for measuring their religious manners. Methodically, the origin of the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s Tradition (Sunnah) are considered as “standard principles” in measuring the correspondence rate.The studies point out that in spite of resistance, some policies were made and followed, beside the pervious principles, as the Sirah of the two Sheikhs (Abu-Bekr and Omar). Giving preference and advantage to the Umayyads also, brought about appearance of questions and even protests by persons who tested the deeds of every body and especially of the Caliph based on religion. As a result, some of their acts were so far from the standard yardsticks that Ali’s attempts to return the society to the state of the Prophet’s Period and to persuade them practicing on the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s Sunnah was not so pleasant for those who had attained superiority and possibilities.