Document Type : Original Article
Author
Scientific Department ofTeaching Theology and Islamic Studies, Farhangian University of Yazd, Yazd, Iran
Abstract
“National identity” is a compound term and a conceptual construct formed through the integration of various elements, signifying the identity of a society at the national level—that is, the entirety of a country. In its positive dimension, a cohesive national identity fosters individual and collective self-confidence, enhances social dignity, and strengthens national unity and solidarity. Conversely, the weakening of national identity leads to division and fragmentation within society.
Identity manifests in various forms, such as religious, national, ethnic, and racial identity, among others. Each type, according to its particular definition, possesses its own distinct sphere of reference, and tensions or conflicts may arise among them. The present inquiry, therefore, seeks to determine— from a jurisprudential (fiqhī) perspective— the ruling concerning the cultivation of national identity among a country’s citizens. Furthermore, in cases of tension or conflict between fostering national identity and nurturing citizens’ religious identity, which of the two takes precedence?
This study, through recourse to authoritative juristic evidence—including Qur’anic verses and transmitted narrations (riwāyāt)—endeavors to articulate the Islamic viewpoint on this issue. The evidentiary bases examined in this research include the Qur’an’s references to nations and peoples, the verse prohibiting combat during the sacred months, the narration “Love of homeland is part of faith” (ḥubb al-waṭan min al-īmān), as well as countervailing proofs concerning the obligation of migration (hijrah).
The findings of this research indicate that the national identity of citizens is subsumed within the composite structure of religious identity. Its cultivation, when aligned with religious objectives, may be regarded as a commendable matter (rājiḥ). The scope of such commendability, however, is contingent upon its conformity with overarching religious principles, including the prohibition of innovation in religion (bidʿah), the avoidance of actions that demean or undermine the faith, and the obligation to uphold religious rites.
Accordingly, within the framework of primary rulings (aḥkām awwaliyyah), precedence and normative criteria are determined by religious standards. Nevertheless, in light of societal interests and harms under secondary rulings (aḥkām thānawiyyah), as well as governmental ordinances (aḥkām wilā’iyyah), circumstances may at times warrant a ruling that emphasizes attention to national identity and national observances.
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