The Role and Contribution of Prayer in Realizing the New Islamic Civilization in the Thought of Ayatollah Khamenei

Abstract

Islamic civilization in society is established based on Islamic principles and values. In its second phase, the Islamic Revolution has entered the second stage of self-purification, societal construction, and civilizational development. In this process, spirituality and religiosity are among the most prominent slogans of the revolution. Here, the main question arises: what role can prayer (ṣalāh) play in enhancing spirituality and religiosity and in achieving the new Islamic civilization? Undoubtedly, prayer is the best and most effective means to assist society in reaching the new Islamic civilization and serves as a pillar and necessity for civilization. However, this article seeks to examine how and why prayer is effective in this process from the perspective of Ayatollah Khamenei's thought, using a descriptive method and Fairclough's critical discourse analysis. Our hypothesis is that in the thought of Ayatollah Khamenei, prayer—due to its distinct characteristics—leads human beings to complete felicity and enables them to attain the pinnacle of civilization. Prayer has numerous individual and social effects that facilitate both individuals and society in achieving their desired objective, namely the new Islamic civilization. According to Ayatollah Khamenei’s perspective, some of the individual effects of prayer include: reaching the peak of success, bringing peace to hearts, being a source of true joy and happiness, increasing familiarity with Islamic teachings, contributing to the strengthening of patience, maintaining one’s connection with God, and preventing moral and spiritual corruption. The social effects of prayer, as seen in his thought, include: shaping the architecture of the Islamic system, establishing a religious society, forming an enlightened community, acting as the most critical factor in the reform of individuals and society, reducing social harms, serving as an essential element of order and discipline in society, and fostering the community’s ḥayāt ṭayyibah (pure and wholesome life).

All of these aspects play an influential and pivotal role in guiding society toward the realization of the new Islamic civilization.