AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The press conference for the opening ceremony of the conference “The Social Extension of Mysticism in the Civilizational Sphere and Its Relationship with the Governance System of the Islamic Republic of Iran; Challenges and Opportunities” was held in the conference hall of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) International News Agency – ABNA, attended by scholars and researchers in the field.
This scholarly event, organized by the Baqir al-Ulum (a.s.) Institute for Islamic Propagation and Studies—affiliated with the Islamic Development Organization—has been designed in response to the demands and directives of the Supreme Leader in recent years, with the aim of examining new capacities in the subject analysis of mysticism and revitalizing its strengths within a civilizational framework.
The ultimate objective of the conference is to align the discipline of mysticism with addressing the challenges of the Islamic Republic and the threats and obstacles confronting the process of civilization-building.
At the outset of the session, Hojat al-Islam Mohammad Hossein Alijan-Zadeh, the conference’s executive secretary, explained the executive dimensions of the project, stating that the studies for this initiative commenced two years ago within the Social and Mystical Thought Group of the institute.
He noted that the central inquiry of this initiative seeks to determine whether mysticism possesses the capacity for scientific development as an interdisciplinary field capable of addressing contemporary challenges. He emphasized that this endeavor follows the directives of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution in 2012 concerning the development of extensions for applied wisdom and philosophy.
Alijan-Zadeh further stated that in-depth interviews have thus far been conducted with more than eighteen distinguished scholars in Qom and Tehran, and that their collective views have been compiled into a special issue scheduled for publication in the near future.
Hojat al-Islam Sayed Ali Mousavi, head of the Baqir al-Ulum (a.s.) Research Institute and the president of the conference addressed the session by referring to the historical trajectory of mystical knowledge in Iran. He stated that mysticism has achieved a distinctive civilizational realization throughout the country’s history and has manifested itself in fields such as art, architecture, literature, and the general way of life of the people.
He added that the immense phenomenon of Shiite Islam was strengthened within this civilizational heritage and presented its unparalleled outcomes to society, noting that Iran’s civilizational ecosystem has consistently preserved its foundational orientation toward mysticism and that this extension has deepened through the blessings of the Islamic Revolution and the heritage of the AhlulBayt (a.s.).
Mousavi further stated that at the present stage, described as the stage of the “Islamic State,” the relationship between mysticism and governance must be examined to determine the services this discipline can provide to the system’s administrative model.
Addressing potential challenges in the field, the conference president emphasized that every valuable asset faces the risk of deviation. If such deviations are not carefully examined, the original capital may be distorted, generating dangers that lead to disregard for this profound heritage. He stated that deviant currents have caused some to overlook this powerful civilizational foundation for the next phase of the Islamic Revolution.
Hojat al-Islam Mousavi expressed hope that the conference, drawing upon the sacred legacy of the late Imam (r.a.) and the guidance of the Supreme Leader, would take a significant step toward the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s.).
In another part of the session, Hojat al-Islam Dr. Habibollah Babaei, a prominent scholar in civilizational studies and deputy for research at the Women’s Seminaries, elaborated on the theoretical dimensions of the social extension of mysticism.
Rejecting perceptions that regard mysticism as a secluded or monastic phenomenon, he stated that concepts such as monotheism, guardianship, vicegerency, love, and beauty all possess intrinsic civilizational dimensions. The director of the Civilizational Studies Research Center of the Research Institute of Islamic Sciences and Culture affirmed that Islamic mysticism, through the authentic interpretation of Ruhollah Khomeini (r.a.), has created a semantic universe that connects heaven to earth and religion to life.
He stressed the necessity of identifying contemporary priorities in mystical studies, noting that scholars must determine where mysticism can effectively address the condition of modern humanity, which is afflicted by anxiety and loneliness.
Referring to the trend of “practical theology” in Western academic institutions, including those in the United States and England, Dr. Babaei called for the localization of this approach within the domain of mysticism. He explained that in this model, issues are derived from the realities of society and reinterpreted within theological frameworks, adding that theological clinics now exist to address problems such as divorce, violence, and generational disintegration.
Dr. Babaei emphasized the capacity of mysticism to respond responsibly to social and communal issues, asserting that mysticism must remain accountable to its surrounding environment.
In the concluding part of the session, Hojat al-Islam Alijan-Zadeh outlined the principal themes of the conference “The Social Extension of Mysticism in the Civilizational Sphere and Its Relationship with the Governance System of the Islamic Republic of Iran; Challenges and Opportunities,” including:
Theoretical challenges and opportunities: the relationship between mysticism, modernity, and rationality
Cultural perspective: spirituality, globalization, and engagement with secularization.
Social perspective: social capital, ethics, and social justice within Iran’s civilizational ecosystem.
Reconceptualizing mysticism: political and governance-related challenges and opportunities.
Educational dimension: the pedagogical aspects of mysticism.
Economic and legal dimensions: the relationship between market ethics and mysticism, with attention to the traditions of futuwwah.
Civilizational futures studies: future-oriented perspectives and related security issues.
He further noted that five specialized working groups, “Mysticism and Society,” “Mysticism and Politics,” “Mysticism and Art,” “Mysticism and the Development of Sciences,” and “Mysticism and Economic Propositions”, have been established to examine these themes.
Alijan-Zadeh announced that the conference’s official website is now ready to receive scholarly submissions and that consultations have been conducted to register accepted works in reputable citation databases, including ISC and Civilica.
According to the executive secretary, the deadline for submitting papers is October 22, 2026, and the conference secretariat is based at the Baqir al-Ulum (a.s.) Research Institute, located at Quds Musalla in the city of Qom.
At the conclusion of the session, the conference’s poster and website for “The Social Extension of Mysticism in the Civilizational Sphere” were unveiled. Participating scholars formally inaugurated the event’s academic activities by signing the conference poster.
The organizers emphasized that the conference does not seek merely rhetorical answers but aims to extract scientific paradigms of the mystic’s social conduct to address the major challenges of the Islamic system and civilization.
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