The Rationale and Consequences of Oppression and Anti-Oppression in the Razavi Teachings: A Civilizational Approach

In a civilizational reading of the Razavi teachings (the teachings of Imam Reza, AS), one encounters various topics whose analysis and contemplation provide a suitable way to grasp the systemic thought of Imam Reza (AS) regarding civilization. This study aims to examine the issue of oppression and anti-oppression a phenomenon that is ancient and manifests in the smallest to the largest levels of human individual and social life—within the scope of Razavi teachings. This was achieved by selecting 26 propositions related to this subject from the collection of narrations transmitted from Imam Reza (AS) and indexing them in the Maxqda software. Subsequently, the 38 indices obtained were categorized into four main axes: The Rationale for Oppression, The Consequences of Oppression, The Rationale for Anti-Oppression, and The Consequences of Anti-Oppression. After explaining and elaborating on the sub-axes under the four main themes, a civilizational approach was used to investigate the factors influencing the emergence and prevalence of both oppression and anti-oppression within the framework of three important civilizational components the System of Thought, the Government, and Social Relations. Considering the pivotal position of the System of Thought within a civilization, and the central role of theism and atheism within it, it can be concluded that, from the perspective of Imam Reza (AS), belief in God is the most fundamental factor in oppression and anti-oppression, while weakness in belief in God is the most fundamental factor in oppression within a civilization.