چکیده:
The dominant perception in the 19th and 20th centuries seemed to indicate that the march of modernity would lead to the marginalization of the role of religion in the public sphere، including in the realm of politics. Many scholars of international politics and International Relations (IR) have also argued along the same lines. The emergence of a strong counter-trend، a religious-based outlook، since the early decades of the 20th century، especially in the waning decades of the century، appeared to challenge that seemingly entrenched conviction. The establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979 – as full-fledged religious state – served as the climax of that counter-trend with significant implications and repercussions، for the region، for the Muslim world، and also for international relations. The present essay is an attempt to look into these issues. It will be argued that the new religious counter-trend، particularly the revival of Islam، represents a process across the Islamic world geared to the preservation and revival of the Islamic identity، and also relying on Islam and its teaching to shape and guide governance in Muslim lands. The essay will also try to have a look at some of the challenges involved in the process; that is، the challenges Islamic governance will face in dealing with others – the dominant secular international system and its components
خلاصه ماشینی:
Keywords: Religion, Secularism, InternationalRelations, Islam, Religious Outlook, Identity Introduction A panoramic view of the development of the Western societies during the past centuries, at least since Westphalia the gradual in 1648, would point in general terms to and progressive waning of the role of religion [Christianity] – and religious thought – in the public sphere in general, including in particular the realm of politics, and a as a corollary in affecting the course of international relations.
The new line of Islamic thinking and the political struggles associated with it in Iran led in the early years of the twentieth century to the Constitutional Revolution (1905-06), in which the Shi’ite ulama played a pivotal role – a historical development that left its lasting impact on the Iranian society only to come full fruition over seven decades later.
The lively debates during the past few years in both Afghanistan and Iraq, while still under foreign occupation, on the extent of consideration of the role of religion – Sharia – in the drafting of the new constitution, including on the title of the new regime – republic versus Islamic republic - clearly point to a number of important factors in both societies, inter alia, the level of popular sensitivity to the issue and also the clear religious outlook and orientation of active and influential organized political-ideological forces and currents.