Assistant Professor of Political Science, Imam Hossein (AS) University, Tehran, Iran
10.22084/nahj.2026.32714.3304
Abstract
In contemporary Islamic societies, political development - as a key pillar of good governance - faces a fundamental tension between the instrumental and technocratic rationality of modern theories and the ethical and divine rationality of the Islamic tradition. This study aims to explain the components of political rationality in Nahj al-Balaghah and to examine its relation to the indicators of contemporary political development. The main research question is: What are the characteristics of political rationality in Nahj al-Balaghah, and how can it serve as a foundation for indigenous political development in Islamic societies? Employing a qualitative content analysis method with an analytical–interpretive approach, the study analyzes selected sermons, letters, and aphorisms from Nahj al-Balaghah related to politics, justice, and social responsibility, and compares them with theories of rationality (Weber, Habermas) and political development (Huntington, Pye). The findings reveal that rationality in Nahj al-Balaghah is not merely instrumental or functional but grounded in divine values, centered on justice, and oriented toward human perfection. Components such as social justice, meritocracy, conscious public participation, and the accountability of rulers constitute the structure of Alawi rationality. Consequently, political rationality in Nahj al-Balaghah presents an integrative model of religious rationality and social efficiency that can serve as both a theoretical and practical foundation for political development in contemporary Islamic societies.
Moradi Bahmaei, A. (2026). Political Rationality in Nahj al-Balaghah and Its Relation to Contemporary Political Development. (e6838). Quarterly Journal of Nahj al-Balagha Research, (), e6838 https://doi.org/10.22084/nahj.2026.32714.3304
MLA
Moradi Bahmaei, A. "Political Rationality in Nahj al-Balaghah and Its Relation to Contemporary Political Development" .e6838 , Quarterly Journal of Nahj al-Balagha Research, , 2026, e6838. doi: 10.22084/nahj.2026.32714.3304
HARVARD
Moradi Bahmaei A. (2026). 'Political Rationality in Nahj al-Balaghah and Its Relation to Contemporary Political Development', Quarterly Journal of Nahj al-Balagha Research, (), e6838. doi: 10.22084/nahj.2026.32714.3304
CHICAGO
A. Moradi Bahmaei, "Political Rationality in Nahj al-Balaghah and Its Relation to Contemporary Political Development," Quarterly Journal of Nahj al-Balagha Research, (2026): e6838, doi: 10.22084/nahj.2026.32714.3304
VANCOUVER
Moradi Bahmaei A. Political Rationality in Nahj al-Balaghah and Its Relation to Contemporary Political Development. Quarterly Journal of Nahj al-Balagha Research. 2026;():e6838 (In Persian). doi: 10.22084/nahj.2026.32714.3304