Cultural Reform and Spiritual Transformation within the Framework of the Rationality and Spirituality Project: A Study of the Political Stances of "Mostafa Malekian
Subject Areas : Research in Theoritical Politicsmajid sarvand 1 , Aliashraf Nazari 2
1 - Ph.D in Political Science, University of Tehran, Iran.
2 - Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Tehran, Iran.
Keywords: Malekian, Cultural Reform, Spiritual Transformation, Rationality And Spirituality, Reformism.,
Abstract :
For those who observe the intellectual developments of contemporary Iran, the connection between the concept of "spiritual enlightenment" and the name "Mustafa Malekian" is a clear and accepted matter. When it comes to Malekians, more than anything else, the expression of the truth and the reduction of suffering are familiar terms. Malekian considers the last two matters to be the moral duty of every intellectual, which causes tragic aspects in his life. From this point of view, the changes in Malekian's life and the course of his intellectual development can be justified; Thus, his main concern, truth-seeking and reducing human pain and suffering, prompts him to experience different spaces and great thought transformations. From mechanical engineering to seminary education and Islamic philosophy and mysticism, and Islamic fundamentalism and Islamic traditionalism to religious intellectualism and divine existentialism, a path of ups and downs is followed in search of truth and finding a way that ends in liberation and the seal of salvation. In the end, for Malekian, none of the mentioned schools has reached his goal, and his journey in the sphere of life leads him to a destination that he considers to be his own: the project of "rationality and spirituality" and the combination of the two; That is, the thing that can make the "spiritually enlightened" useful in presenting the truth and reduction of suffering, and achieve the aspirational hadith in educating spiritual people and enjoying an authentic life.
According to Malekian, "spiritual man" and "genuine life" are the only situations in which human pains and suffering are as low as possible. But to reach that situation, there is a difficult and tortuous path ahead, which can only be passed through "cultural reform" and "spiritual transformation". These last two things are also things that are realized on a subjective/psychological/mental/individual level; Because according to Malekian, social problems and human pains and sufferings in the universe - which for modern man are caused by materialism, science, and crisis of meaning - have a cultural and spiritual solution, and according to his definition and understanding, culture is "individual culture" and It is related to the inner space of a person (mind), it is related to the beliefs, emotions and desires of a person.
Also, the change in the field of mind based on the "motivation theory" and "desire-belief theory" leads to a change in human behavior (speech and action) which has its effect on society and its institutions - which according to Malekian, are all abstract matters and They are delusional - including political institutions. Therefore, Malekian believes in the "authenticity of culture", which means that culture has more authenticity, priority, and impact than other areas and areas of individual and collective life - including politics or economy. Therefore, until the element of culture does not change, no fundamental and meaningful transformation can be expected. In this regard, we can refer to the idea of the priority of culture over politics, which is the main focus of the owners' political opinions. Based on this, he emphasized the progress of cultural reforms over political reforms and believes that the change of individual members of the society has priority over superficial and top-down transformations. From this point of view, he uses the term "cultural reform" according to which, "no reform will happen outside unless a transformation and reform has already taken place inside us". Therefore, the transformation in the subjective and personal sphere or the beliefs, feelings, and wishes of the citizens, and other words cultural development, is superior to any transformation in the objective and spatial sphere and the development of civilization.
Moreover, in Malekian's thought, cultural reform in the sense of the past will not reach the desired end by itself, unless it is accompanied by "spiritual transformation" which means moving towards "spiritual man" and "spiritual life". It is worth mentioning that Malekian, with the "Rationality and Spirituality Project", considers the function of "religion" to be lacking in the necessary power to meet the problems of today's mankind, and therefore proposes its alternative, which is spirituality. Now, in this cultural reform which has a spiritual direction and is a movement in the direction of the inner transformation of a person and self-fulfillment and realization of his real and original self, the human-centered, individualistic, moral, and psychological aspects become very clear and prominent.
From this point of view and in line with the necessity and priority of personal reform and education of healthy and spiritual people, Malekian refers to psychological issues, especially the school of "humanistic psychology" and people like Jung, Maslow and Rogers and topics like Self-actualization, individuality, wholeness and mental health occur. Of course, the opinions of the great philosopher-psychologist William James and also the American moral philosopher, Thomas Nigel, have clearly inspired him in spiritualism and the idea of the authenticity of culture. Also, the opinions of existentialist philosophers such as Heidegger and Kierkegaard, as well as mystical schools and various religions, are his intellectual sources in expressing the characteristics of spiritual man and authentic life. With the explanation that authentic life is the spiritual life of a spiritual person who has achieved the combination of rationality and spirituality, and has achieved a level of self-knowledge, self-development, self-foundation, self-control, and self-fulfillment that can personally give meaning to his life. With his own will and authority, he should step in the direction of his goals make decisions, and act only based on his own understanding. In this way, he overcame his own and his society's problems and reduced the intensity of life's pain and suffering to a minimum.
In Malekian's human-centered approach, each human being is unique, the growth of individuality, self-realization, and the flourishing of talents - in fact, the possibility of their potential to act - is one of the necessities of any healthy society. On the other hand, mass society is planned in the direction of assimilation and homogenization of people, and in it, the gradual assimilation with the group and middleness make a person lose self-recognition. And self-improvement and as a result, living based on one's own will and authority and self-understanding is hindered and disrupts the process of individuality. In this way, Malekian's approach can be considered individualistic, so that, in his opinion, all the spiritual people of the world are individualistic, that is, their audience is the individual and not the society. Therefore, their difference with intellectuals and social reformers is that most of them are aimed at reforming society and social institutions, but according to spiritualists, a person's goal should only be to reform himself, and reforming society will be the result of his work.
Also, in Malekian's opinion, everything comes back to man. Humans did not come for principles, but principles came for humans and should serve them. Our concern should only be human beings and not any other abstract matter such as tradition, innovation, culture, and even religion; Because religion also came for man, its main concern is his salvation and therefore it is the servant of man. In his view, the institution is also an abstract concept and an imaginary entity, and from the ontological point of view, apart from individuals and human beings with flesh, skin, and blood, there is no such thing as an institution and, accordingly, society, and the change and reform of any institution It is dependent and depends on the reformation of the people who were involved in it and has a role. On this basis, the political transformation is not through a revolution with force and violence and only the transformation of the political regime and macro-structures, but in a reformative and gradual approach through changing the attitude of people creating civil institutions, and adopting democratic and peaceful methods. It will be possible.
As a result of what is meant by the authenticity of culture in Malekian's approach, it is important that culture has more authenticity, priority, and impact than other areas and domains of individual and collective life - including politics or economy. Therefore, until the element of culture does not change, no fundamental and meaningful change can be expected. It should be noted that pessimism about politics aversion to politics or lack of interest in interfering in political affairs due to sensitivity to one's own fate and that of one's fellow men are not mentioned here. Also, according to Mustafa Malekian, denying the influence of the political regimes ruling the societies on the nature and fate of the citizens is not the point of the opinion, but it is the basic position in opposition to "politicization" which means to believe that the only problem of the society or big The biggest problem of the society or the cause of the problems of the society is the political system ruling the society, by overthrowing and changing it, all the individual and social issues and problems can be solved.
Also, in the opinion of the author of this article, it must be added that in the approach of culturalism that is proposed here, the "political matter" is also not questioned; In such a way that it can be seen as an intellectual-cultural-political current that seeks to challenge the official and dominant discourse from the standpoint of politics, by creating otherness, by organizing the society in its own way. The rejection and negation of the hegemonic model, according to Heidegger, seeks to project other types and ways of being-in-existence and choosing a way of life in which, in its text, individual subjects, while transforming themselves, realize their true self. Self-discovery and individuality, the right to self-determination, and the creation of meaningful and purposeful alternatives for the existing situation are also possible.
Finally, Malekian, as one of the most prominent cultural intellectuals, emphasizes the importance of cultural reforms over political reforms and believes that the spiritual transformation and the change of individual members of the society are based on superficial and top-down transformations. It has priority. From this point of view, he uses the term "cultural reform" which means that "no reform will happen outside unless a transformation and reform has already taken place inside us". Therefore, the transformation in the subjective and personal sphere or the beliefs, feelings, and wishes of the citizens, and in other words, cultural development, is superior to any transformation in the objective and universal sphere and civilizational development, including political development, which itself precedes economic development. Has superiority Also, according to him, cultural development in relation to the fight against tyranny is also a priority; Because in some countries like Iran, people are not only tyrannical, but also tyrannical, and there is no guarantee that tyranny will not be reproduced by replacing one political system with another.
Keywords: Malekian, Cultural Reform, Spiritual Transformation, Rationality And Spirituality, Reformism.
References
Ahmadi, Fereshte (1392 [2013]) "Individuality is the cornerstone of democracy", Social Science Monthly Book, No. 79, April, pp. 37-41. [In Persian]
Fokuhi, Nasser (1392 [2013]) Anthropology and Culturalism. Accessible at: https://rasekhoon.net/article/show/905839 [In Persian]
Fromm, Erich (1388 [2009]) Psychoanalysis and Religion, translated by Arsen Nazarian, Tehran, Morwarid. [In Persian]
Fromm, Erich (1941) Escape from Freedom, translated by Ezzatullah Fouladvand, Tehran, Morwarid. [In Persian]
Fokuhi, Nasser (1392 [2013]) Anthropology and Culturalism. Accessible at: https://rasekhoon.net/article/show/905839 [In Persian]
Hałas, Elżbieta (2010) Towards the World Culture Society: Florian Znaniecki's Culturalism. Peter Lang. ISBN 978-3-631-59946-4.
- Petri, Herbert (1382 [2003]) "Abraham Maslow and self-actualization", translated by Jamshid Motahari-Tashi, Marafet, No. 69, Shahrivar, pp. 94-100. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1375 [1996]) "Man's Expectation from Religion", in: A Way to Liberation: Essays on Rationality and Spirituality (1390 [2011]), fifth edition, Tehran, Negahemoaser. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1376 [1997]) "Know Thyself", in: A Way to Liberation: Essays on Rationality and Spirituality (1390 [2011]), Fifth Edition, Tehran, Negahemoaser. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1377 [1998]) "Holiness, rationality, secularism", in: Mushtaghi & Mahjuri: Dialogue about Culture and Politics (1394 [2015]), Fifth Edition, Tehran, Negahemoaser. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1379a [2000]) "Secularism and religious government", in: Sunnah and Secularism (1388 [2009]), fifth edition, Tehran, Serat. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1379b [2000]) "Dialogue about religious sovereignty", in: Moshtaqhi & Mahjuri: Dialogue about Culture and Politics (1394 [2015]), Fifth Edition, Tehran, Negahemoaser. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1379 [2000]) "Spirituality and love are the summaries of all religions", in: Mushtaqhi & Mehjuri: Dialogue on Culture and Politics (1394 [2015]), fifth edition, Tehran, Negahemoaser. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1380d [2001]) "Preparing the truth and reduction of suffering; The moral and tragic aspect of intellectual life", in: A Way to Liberation: Essays on Rationality and Spirituality (1392 [2013]) fifth edition, Tehran, Negahemoaser. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1384 [2005]) "Reviewing Historical Religion", Reflection of Thought, No. 71, pp. 1231-1225. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1385 [2006]) "Compatibility of spirituality and modernity", Sharq newspaper, No. 835, 05/25/1385, p. 5. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (2008) "Questions about spirituality", in: Tradition and Secularism (2008) fifth edition, Tehran, Serat. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (2008) "Spirituality of the Essence of Religions (1)", in: Tradition and Secularism (2008), fifth edition, Tehran, Serat. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (2008) "Spirituality of the Essence of Religions (2)", in: Tradition and Secularism (2008), fifth edition, Tehran, Serat. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (2008) "Religion and the Crisis of Meaning in the Contemporary World", Strategic Studies, No. 15, pp. 211-201. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1387a [2009]) "Religious Enlightenment in Conversation with Mustafa Malekian", Etemad Melli Newspaper, 10/21/1387, p. 3. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1387b [2009]) "Rationality, Spirituality and Enlightenment", in: Arzumandi Hadith (1389 [2011]), Tehran, Negahemoaser. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1389 [2010]) "Rationality and spirituality after ten years", accessible at: https://3danet.ir/rationality-and-spirituality-after-ten-years [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (2013 [1392]) "Religion and Religiosity in the Contemporary World", in: A Way to Liberation: Essays on Rationality and Spirituality, fifth edition, Tehran, Negahemoaser. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1395a [2015]) "Reconcilability/incompatibility of spirituality with rationality", accessible at: http://neeloofar.org/1395/12/04/041295 [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (1395b [2015]) "Politicization or depoliticization; The debate between Saeed Hajjarian and Mostafa Malekian", Andishe Poya, No. 33, Special Nowruz, pp. 15-22. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (2016) "The Existential Philosophy of Religious Enlightenment, Its Achievements and Solutions", Accessible at: https://www.dinonline.com/6545 [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (2016) "In the necessity of a spiritual solution", Etemad newspaper, 02/09/2016, p. 4. [In Persian]
Malekian, Mustafa (2018) Earth through the window of the sky, second edition, Soroush Rumi Publications. [In Persian]
Mohajeri, Mohammad Mahdi (2014) "The charm and myth of culturalism; A critique on the spiritualist culturalism of Mustafa
Malekian", accessible at: B2n.ir/a18967 [In Persian]
Rogers, C. R. (1961) On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View on Psychotherapy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Nye, D. Robert (1381 [2002]) Three Schools of Psychology, Freud's, Skinner's and Rogers' Perspectives, translated by Ahmad Jalali, Tehran, Padrah. [In Persian]
Udainik, Vladimir Walter (1379 [2000]) Jung and Politics, translated by Alireza Tayeb, Tehran, Ney. [In Persian]
Sanaei, Baqer (1393 [2015]) "Psychology and mental health according to Maslow", Al-Zahra University Journal of Humanities, No. 20, Winter, pp. 13-34. [In Persian]
Sharbatian, Mohammad Hassan (1386 [2007]) A reflection on the school of culture and personality or psychological anthropology. Accessible at: https://anthropologyandculture.com [In Persian]
ال.
پتری، هربرت (1382) «آبراهام مزلو و خودشکوفایی»، ترجمۀ جمشید مطهری¬طشی، معرفت، شماره 69، شهریور، صص 94-100.
احمدی، فرشته (1383) «فردیت، سنگ¬بنای دموکراسی است»، کتاب ماه علوم اجتماعی، شماره 79، اردیبهشت، صص 37-41.
اوداینیک، ولادیمیر والتر (1379) یونگ و سیاست، ترجمۀ علیرضا طیب، تهران، نشرنی.
ثنایی، باقر (1375) «آسیب¬شناسی و سلامت روان از نظر مازلو»، مجلۀ علوم انسانی دانشگاه الزهرا، شماره 20، زمستان، صص 13-34.
دي.
ناي، رابرت (١٣٨١) سه مکتب روان¬شناسي، ديدگاه فرويد، اسکينر و راجرز، ترجمۀ احمد جلالي، تهران، پادراه.
شربتیان، محمدحسن (1386) تأملی بر مکتب فرهنگ و شخصیت یا انسان¬شناسی روان¬شناختی، قابل دسترسی در: https://anthropologyandculture.
com فروم، اریک (1388) روان¬کاوی و دین، ترجمۀ آرسن نظریان، تهران، مروارید.
--------- (1941) گریز از آزادی، ترجمۀ عزت¬الله فولادوند، تهران، مروارید.
فکوهی، ناصر (1393) انسان¬شناسی و فرهنگ¬گرایی، قابل دسترسی در: https://rasekhoon.
net/article/show/905839 ملکیان، مصطفی (1375) «انتظار بشر از دین»، در: راهی به رهایی: جستارهایی در عقلانیت و معنویت (1390)، چاپ پنجم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1376) «خود را بشناس»، در: راهی به رهایی: جستارهایی در عقلانیت و معنویت (1390)، چاپ پنجم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1377) «قداست، عقلانیّت، علمانیّت»، در: مشتاقی و مهجوری: گفت¬وگو در باب فرهنگ و سیاست (1394)، چاپ پنجم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1379الف) «سکولاریسم و حکومت دینی»، در: سنّت و سکولاریسم (1388)، چاپ پنجم، تهران، صراط.
------------- (1379ب) «گفت¬وگو دربارۀ حاکمیّت دینی»، در: مشتاقی و مهجوری: گفت¬وگو در باب فرهنگ و سیاست (1394)، چاپ پنجم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1379ج) «معنویت و محبّت چکیده همۀ ادیان است»، در: مشتاقی و مهجوری: گفت¬وگو در باب فرهنگ و سیاست (1394)، چاپ پنجم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1380الف) «پرسش¬هایی پیرامون معنویت»، در: سنت و سکولاریسم (1388)، چاپ پنجم، تهران، صراط.
------------- (1380ب) «معنویت گوهر ادیان (2)»، در: سنت و سکولاریسم (1388)، چاپ پنجم، تهران، صراط.
------------- (1380ج) «معنویت: گوهر ادیان (1)»، در: سنت و سکولاریسم (1388)، چاپ پنجم، تهران، صراط.
------------- (1380د) «تقریر حقیقت و تقلیل مرارت؛ وجه اخلاقی و تراژیک زندگی روشنفکری»، در: راهی به رهایی: جستارهایی در عقلانیت و معنویت (1390)، چاپ پنجم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1381) «دین و بحران معنا در جهان معاصر»، مطالعات راهبردی، شماره 15، صص 201-211.
------------- (1384) «بازنگری در دین تاریخی»، بازتاب اندیشه، شماره 71، صص 1225-1231.
------------- (1385) «سازگاری معنویت و مدرنیته»، روزنامه شرق، 835، 25/05/1385، ص 5.
------------- (1387الف) «روشن¬فکری دینی در گفتوگو با مصطفی ملکیان»، روزنامۀ اعتماد ملی، 21/10/1387، ص 3.
------------- (1387ب) «عقلانیّت، معنویت و روشن¬فکری»، در: حدیث آرزومندی (1389)، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1389) «عقلانيّت و معنويّت بعد از ده سال»، قابل دسترسی در: https://3danet.
ir/rationality-and-spirituality-after-ten-years ------------- (1390) «دین و دین¬داری در جهان معاصر»، در: راهی به رهایی: جستارهایی در عقلانیت و معنویت، چاپ پنجم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1391الف) «اقتراحیه دربارۀ دین و بهداشت روانی»، در: مهر ماندگار: مقالاتی در اخلاق¬شناسی، چاپ سوم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1391ب) «درد از کجا؟ رنج از کجا؟»، در: مهر ماندگار: مقالاتی در اخلاق-شناسی، چاپ سوم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1391ج) «ملکیان، دائوی فرزانگی»، در: مهر ماندگار: مقالاتی در اخلاق¬شناسی، چاپ سوم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1393) تقدیر ما، تدبیر ما، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1394الف) «چه باید بشود»، در: مشتاقی و مهجوری: گفت¬وگو در باب فرهنگ و سیاست، چاپ پنجم، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1394ب) «زندگی اصیل»، در: در رهگذار باد و نگهبان لاله (1394)، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1394ج) «معنویّت و انسان متجدّد»، در: در رهگذار باد و نگهبان لاله (1394)، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1394د) «ویژگی¬های انسانِ معنوی»، در: در رهگذار باد و نگهبان لاله (1394)، تهران، نگاه معاصر.
------------- (1395الف) «آشتی¬پذیری/ ناپذیریِ معنویّت با عقلانیّت»، قابل دسترسی در: http://neeloofar.
org/1395/12/04/041295 ------------- (1395ب) «سیاست¬زدگی یا سیاست¬زدایی؛ مباحثۀ سعید حجاریان و مصطفی ملکیان»، اندیشه پویا، شماره 33، ویژۀ نوروز، صص 15-22.
------------- (1395ج) «فلسفۀ وجودی روشن¬فکری دینی، دستاوردها و راهکارهای پیشِ رو نهادۀ آن»، قابل دسترسی در: https://www.
dinonline.
com/6545 ------------- (1396) «در ضرورت راهحلّ معنوي»، روزنامه اعتماد، 09/02/1396، ص 4.
------------- (1398) زمین از دریچه آسمان، چاپ دوم، تهران، سروش مولانا.
------------- (بی¬تا) «رابطه دین و سیاست در اسلام»، بی¬جا.
مهاجری، محمدمهدی (1394) «افسون و افسانۀ فرهنگگرایی؛ نقدی بر فرهنگگرایی معنویتگرای مصطفی ملکیان»، قابل دسترسی در: B2n.
ir/a18967.
Hałas, Elżbieta (2010) Towards the World Culture Society: Florian Znaniecki's Culturalism. Peter Lang. ISBN 978-3-631-59946-4.
Rogers, C. R. (1961) On Becoming A Person: A Therapist's View on Psychotherapy. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
