A Sociological Formulation of Morteza Motahari’s Descriptions of the Iranian Revolution

Introduction: Ayatollah Morteza Motahari is among the most pivotal thinkers and activists of the Islamic Revolution, and understanding his views is essential for grasping the revolution's identity and guiding its path according to its original essence. This research was conducted to reconstruct his scattered reflections into a native, non-modern social science framework, representing a successful endeavor in the field of Islamic humanities.
Objective: The primary objective of this study is to extract Morteza Motahari's sociological formulation regarding the attributes, laws, and distinguishing characteristics of the Iranian Revolution in comparison to other global revolutions.
Methodology: This is a theoretical and epistemological study that utilizes "Qualitative Content Analysis" to gather data from Motahari's extant texts and speeches. For data analysis, the study employs "Historical Sociology," specifically focusing on the formulation of meaningful interpretations and conceptual dualities.
Findings: The findings identify seven core characteristics presented through conceptual dualities: conscious action (as opposed to blind movements), divine self-awareness (versus materialist thinking), broad-based and consensual social mobilization, religious leadership emerging from social choice, the guiding presence of divine assistance (metaphysical causes), an identity-based challenge to the hegemony of modernity, and its civilizational and transnational nature.
Conclusion: Motahari’s framework, termed the "Theory of Innate Revolution" (Fitrat), emphasizes the primacy of culture, knowledge, and human will within a sacred context. This integrative explanation rejects secular Western theories and paves the way for religious theorizing and the realization of a new Islamic civilization.