Religion Provides Style for Life through Social Institutions
Religion presents a style of life for us through social institutions, a seminary and university scholar said.
Addressing the 6th forum on faith-based lifestyle, held at the Iranian Academics Quranic Activities Organization, Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Taqi Fa’alli added that religion provides meaning for life and without it, life is meaningless.
He said whatever happens in this world has two dimensions, the Zaher (apparent, exterior) and Batin (inner).
“The Holy Quran and humans also have these two dimensions. In the verses of the Quran and in Hadiths, it has been emphasized that the Quran has a Zaher and a Batin and contemplating the Quran means going from the Zaher to the Batin.”
He underlined that the Quran has urged humans not to look at the Zaher of the events but to go deeper into the Batin.
Referring to verse 216 of Surah Baqara “Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not,” he said that sometimes incidents happen to us that we consider to be bad but when we look at the Batin of those incidents they are good for us.
He further referred to sociological and psychological approaches to lifestyle, saying that based on these approaches, religion is one of the major players that determine the style of life.
“Through conveying awareness and knowledge to religious people, religion can give a style to their individual and social identity.”
The scholar referred to the important position of feelings in life and said religions give some feelings to human beings and take some others away from them. “By managing the feelings, styles can be given to people’s behaviors.”
He pointed to the position of feelings such as peace, happiness, fear, etc, according to the Quran, saying that the Holy Book certainly favors peace and happiness not sadness and fear.
Hojat-ol-Islam Fa’alli underlined that religion presents a style of life to human beings through social institutions and that it provides meaning for life.
Elsewhere in his remarks, he regarded the media as one of the influential factors shaping people’s lifestyle, saying that today there is talk of media’s colonization and cinema’s dictatorship.
He further elaborated on the boundaries and different dimensions of lifestyle and the Iranian society’s move from one social and personal lifestyle to another.
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He said whatever happens in this world has two dimensions, the Zaher (apparent, exterior) and Batin (inner).
“The Holy Quran and humans also have these two dimensions. In the verses of the Quran and in Hadiths, it has been emphasized that the Quran has a Zaher and a Batin and contemplating the Quran means going from the Zaher to the Batin.”
He underlined that the Quran has urged humans not to look at the Zaher of the events but to go deeper into the Batin.
Referring to verse 216 of Surah Baqara “Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not,” he said that sometimes incidents happen to us that we consider to be bad but when we look at the Batin of those incidents they are good for us.
He further referred to sociological and psychological approaches to lifestyle, saying that based on these approaches, religion is one of the major players that determine the style of life.
“Through conveying awareness and knowledge to religious people, religion can give a style to their individual and social identity.”
The scholar referred to the important position of feelings in life and said religions give some feelings to human beings and take some others away from them. “By managing the feelings, styles can be given to people’s behaviors.”
He pointed to the position of feelings such as peace, happiness, fear, etc, according to the Quran, saying that the Holy Book certainly favors peace and happiness not sadness and fear.
Hojat-ol-Islam Fa’alli underlined that religion presents a style of life to human beings through social institutions and that it provides meaning for life.
Elsewhere in his remarks, he regarded the media as one of the influential factors shaping people’s lifestyle, saying that today there is talk of media’s colonization and cinema’s dictatorship.
He further elaborated on the boundaries and different dimensions of lifestyle and the Iranian society’s move from one social and personal lifestyle to another.
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