Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• ali rahimi shahrakht ¹
• Ali Haggi ²

¹ M A of Islamic Philosophy and Wisdom, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies (Shahid Motahari), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

² Associate Professor of Islamic Philosophy and Wisdom, Faculty of Theology and Islamic Studies (Shahid Motahari), Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

Abstract

One of the theories in the field of contemporary religious studies is the Mustafa Malekian’s project of ‘rationality and spirituality’. Focusing on the inevitable components of modernity, and comparing these components with the main characteristics of traditional religion, the theory claims that religiosity and modernity are incompatible. The traditional understanding of religion in the modern world is not efficient, so the theory introduces a new understanding of religion (spirituality) which is compatible with the components of modernity. This article attempts to point out the main pillars of the theory, namely rationality, spirituality and genuine life, and also presents some criticisms against it. In the beginning, Malekyan’s mean of religion is expressed, then an expression of the theory of rationality and spirituality is offered, and finally we, in brief, present some criticisms the titles of which are as follows:
1. Ambiguity in the religion division;
2. Departure from the base;
3. The incorrect formulation of reasoning and adherence to reasoning and its incompatibility with all forms of worship;
4. Historical Religion;
5. Ambiguity at the point of distinction between spirituality and rationality;
6. There is no program for community and collective work;
7. Severe spiritual conditions for the public.

Keywords

• Religion
• Spirituality
• rationality
• Modernity
• Malekyan