Abstract:
Sociology of religion is one of the important interdisciplinary branches in the field of religious studies that examines the subject of religion from various social angles. Max Weber is one of the great theorists of the sociology of religion, and religious rejuvenation is one of his important theories. Briefly, this theory refers to the idea that sometimes, due to various political, social, and even external reasons, a religion or religious sect that had general legitimacy and high power in a society is forced, due to the hostility of the ruling class, to move away from its dominant position and suffer severe damages. However, through specific measures taken by important individuals of that religion or sect, the political capacity and performance of that sect or religion are revived in another form or in another place. In this article, with reference to this theory, the performance of Shia scholars during the interregnum period after the Safavids, namely the Afaghaneh and Afsharid periods in Iran, is examined. It should be noted that this article does not seek to explain the causes of the actions of the Afaghaneh and Nadir against the Shia, but rather examines the reactions of the leaders of Shiism to the specific actions of these two governments in order to escape those fatal actions. The important achievement of this article is that, contrary to the opinion of researchers that Shiism completely declined during this period, it actually, through the calculated plans of prominent Shia scholars and custodians, was able to emerge from weakness and even expand its sphere of influence to other parts of Asia such as India and China.
Machine summary:
Max Weber's Theory of Religious Restoration and Analysis of the Performance of Shia Scholars During the Interregnum Period of the Afghans and Afsharids Nasrollah Poormohammadi Amelshi / Associate Professor at Imam Khomeini International University; Qazvin / poormohammadi@ikiu.
In other words, various researchers have unanimously admitted that the position of the Shia during the era of the Afghans, the Afsharids, and to some extent the Zands, was a position of low prosperity and unfavorable conditions compared to the Safavid era; however, by relying on some important primary sources related to the aforementioned period and Max Weber's theory, we understand that the main leaders of Shiism in this period, by taking certain measures, ensured that Shiism continued its influence and prevalence in other forms.
The following works are about examining the situation of Shiism during the period of the interregnum in question: The article "Examining the Situation of Shiism in the Afsharid Era" by Saeed Nazari and Mehdi Asil has addressed Nader Shah's way of thinking regarding the concept of religion in general and Shiism in particular, and the main conclusion it has drawn is Nader's lack of inclination toward the Shia school of thought due to his militaristic spirit and also his hatred for the Safavids, who were the supporters of the Shia.
266) Conclusion In this article, based on Max Weber's theory of religious revitalization, the approach of prominent Shia scholars during the Afghans and Afsharid eras to improve the situation of Shiism was examined.
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