| چکیده انگلیسی مقاله |
Introduction The intellectual heritage of Iran and Islam, despite its weaknesses and contradictions, possesses abundant capacities. By rereading this heritage and understanding its strengths and weaknesses, a more accurate understanding of Iran's history can be achieved, and the necessary theoretical preparations and provisions for addressing Iran's current challenges and crises can be provided. Seyar al-Muluk by Khwaja Nizam al-Mulk, the prominent vizier of the Seljuk dynasty, is one of the significant works within this heritage that has attracted scholars from various perspectives. Nizam al-Mulk Tusi, the adept vizier of the Seljuk era, undertook the task of organizing the fledgling Seljuk state during a period when many royal customs were outdated and social chaos was prevalent. He authored Seyar al-Muluk as a manifesto for establishing order and just governance. This important work has been examined from multiple angles, and in this study, Thomas Spragens' theoretical approach has been employed to reread, analyze, and understand the text of Seyar al-Muluk. Methodology Given the nature of the topic, the method employed in this article is textual analysis. This approach aims to interpret the propositions and themes within Seyar al-Muluk as the foundation for understanding its complexities, avoiding the imposition of contemporary semantic horizons on the text. The textual analysis method rests on the fundamental premise that to uncover the hidden meaning in the text, the concepts and themes need to be examined independently of other elements or factors. Results and Discussion A careful reading of Siyasatnama reveals that Nizam al-Mulk, with regard to his ideal and archetypal model and reflection on objective historical conditions, distinguished and depicted two contrasting states and periods: the state of good governance and prosperity, and the state of decline and decay. Essentially, Nizam al-Mulk’s conceptual cycle portrays these two conflicting states, which did not necessarily have direct and concrete realization in his time; instead, he first delineates an ideal, prosperous state, then imagines its opposite. For each, he provides evidence from both his era and previous periods and traditions. The ideal state, or era of prosperity and power, is characterized by the ruler fulfilling his core duties—including establishing justice, maintaining peace, preventing corruption, upholding law and order, supporting obedience, restraining overreach, and ensuring societal stability—thus "building the world" and preventing chaos and misconduct. Conversely, the decline and decay are marked by disorder, the rise of unworthy individuals to positions of power, marginalization of virtuous figures, disobedient subjects, and the eventual spread of chaos, injustice, and oppression. Conclusion If political thought is defined as the effort to determine realistic goals and the means to achieve them, then Nizam al-Mulk Tusi undeniably holds a distinguished place in the history of political thought. His reflections on governance—its realities, goals, and the means of survival, stability, decline, and destruction—offer solutions aimed at preventing deterioration and collapse. From Khwaja’s perspective, the primary aim of politics is to ensure societal welfare and peace among subjects, to eradicate corruption and disorder, and to establish good governance. His prescriptive solution for state longevity emphasizes the importance of establishing justice, which fundamentally involves understanding and acting according to justice. Notably, Khwaja’s concept of justice encompasses a broad conceptual network—including order, measure, arrangement, limit, condition, and system—paralleling the ancient Iranian concept of Asha, which signifies the force maintaining cosmic order, natural law, and sacred harmony. The lasting nature of justice depends on the preparations that secure it, chiefly through a monarchy that, in its ideal form, embodies virtues such as piety, vigilance, chivalry, and a love of knowledge. Other officials in the political hierarchy must also possess or adhere to these qualities, as neglecting them inevitably leads to decline and ruin in governance. Therefore, Nizam al-Mulk Tusi rightly deserves recognition as a thinker of good governance and order. |