Translate this page:
Please select your language to translate the article


You can just close the window to don't translate
Library
Your profile

Back to contents

World Politics
Reference:

The Iranian concept of an Islamic university (on the example of the place and significance of Imam Sadiq University and its influence on the government of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi)

Avarskii Roman Ismailovich

ORCID: 0009-0003-2310-112X

Senior translator, MTM LLC

108811, Russia, Moscow region, Moscow, Khabarovsk str., 2​9, office 11

ravarskiy@gmail.com
Dzhabbarinasir Kh. R.

ORCID: 0000-0003-3181-6101

PhD in Politics

Senior Lecturer, Department of Indo-Iranian and African Languages, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

76 Vernadsky str., Moscow, 119454, Russia, Moscow region

hjabbarinasir@gmail.com

DOI:

10.25136/2409-8671.2023.4.69336

EDN:

JMEUIA

Received:

14-12-2023


Published:

31-12-2023


Abstract: The objectives of this work are to consider the features of the activities of Imam Sadiq University and highlight the specific features of an Islamic university. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study was the works of Russian and foreign scientists devoted to the analysis of the activities of Imam Sadiq University and its place in the structure of the modern political course of Iran. The study identifies the general features of the Islamic concept of a humanitarian university, defined by the activities of Imam Sadiq University. The existence of significant contradictions that arise when the values of the Western and Islamic worlds collide during the development of the humanities is highlighted. The relevance of the topic under consideration is also emphasized by the growing conflict of interests of the Western and Islamic communities under the influence of the worsening Crisis in the Middle East, which has obviously increased the gap and confrontation between the two vast cultures. In the study, the authors note that today Iran is strengthening its course “to the East”, making a significant contribution to the development of the activities of Islamic universities and strengthening the integration of Islamic and humanitarian knowledge. The authors’ scientifically significant contribution to the study of the characteristics of Islamic universities is the identification of the general features of the concept of an Islamic university using the example of Imam Sadiq University, its activities and the opinion of the country’s spiritual leaders. The article emphasizes that graduates of Imam Sadiq University make a significant contribution to the current course of the Iranian government, since they form the structure of high-ranking officials - in the new government, the influence of Imam Sadiq University, whose graduates have penetrated into all spheres of the highest government power in Iran, is increasingly evident.


Keywords:

Iran, Iranian university, Government of Ebrahim Raisi, Islamization of universities, Imam Sadiq University, Iranian government, Iranian education system, Institutional structures of Iran, theory of new institutionalism, Domestic policy

This article is automatically translated.

THE IRANIAN CONCEPT OF AN ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY (USING THE EXAMPLE OF THE PLACE AND IMPORTANCE OF IMAM SADIQ UNIVERSITY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE GOVERNMENT OF IRANIAN PRESIDENT EBRAHIM RAISI)

 

 

Introduction

University education has a multifaceted significance for the development of society and the economy of the country, strengthening its international positions and external relations, joining emerging political alliances, as it provides training for managerial personnel and future leaders at the head of development. Iran's experience in building a university system of humanities shows the trajectory in which the university education system should move in order to preserve its own cultural and historical identity under the influence of globalization trends, and at the same time ensure independent growth and training of new managerial and political personnel to establish new external contacts. In this context, the activities of Imam Sadiq University aimed at creating a reference Islamic university become noteworthy.

Imam Sadiq University is a higher education institution in Iran, one of the most important goals of which is to conduct extensive Islamic humanitarian scientific research to bridge the gap between Islamic and international science. The historical roots of the formation of Islamic governance date back to the 1960s, when management was formed into an independent discipline, gradually penetrating the territory of Iran from the West. At the same time, the prominent Iranian theologian and philosopher Mortaza Mottahari introduced the concept of Islamic growth, which assumed the construction of the country's governance based on the norms of Islam. Due to this, Mortaza Mottahari tried to build a parallel in interaction with the new Western culture and open civilization.

Subsequently, after the Islamic Revolution in Iran, there was a global Islamization of all spheres of the state, which stands in contrast to the concepts of the world order of the West. The supporters of the revolution raised the issue of the formation and development of Islamic management, in which they faced the problems of global liberalization and the penetration of Western values that directly contradict Islamic culture.

The central theme of this study is to identify the common features of the Islamic concept of the University of the Humanities, aimed at overcoming acute contradictions between the values of the Western and Islamic world in the development of humanities [13; 21]. The relevance of this topic is emphasized by the increasing conflict of interests between the Western and Islamic communities under the influence of the aggravated Crisis in the Middle East, which has obviously increased the gap and confrontation between two vast cultures. Strengthening the trajectory of Iran's movement "to the East" and strengthening relations with Russia determines the applied value of studying the Iranian experience and the possibility of interpreting it taking into account Russian specifics in the future.

In the domestic research practice, the issues of the development of Islamic humanitarian universities are indirectly addressed. For example, the work of I.A. Vaskin highlights the prerequisites for the purposeful organization of Islamic humanitarian universities to eliminate disparities between members of the Iranian governments with humanitarian and technical education. The author points out that in 1979-1989, in the government of Iran, about 55-65% of ministers had a technical education with a tendency to displace specialists with a humanitarian education [2]. This problem has a root character from the point of view of the development of Islamic humanities and the provision of the state apparatus and the elite with managerial personnel.

Certain aspects of Iran's institutional structures involved in the development of foreign relations are highlighted in the work of M. Hagbin, who mentions the activities of Imam Sadiq University as deepening, contrasting Iran's aspiring views "to the East" with Western politics. The author also points out the obvious connection between the branches of sovereign organizations and the Institute of government of the Government of Ebrahim Raisi in Iran, emphasizing that Imam Sadiq University plays a key role in training political and managerial personnel for the current government in Iran [9]

In foreign literature, the activities of Imam Sadiq University and its impact on the Institute of Government of Ebrahim Raisi have been studied in more detail. A special role is played by the research of Iranian authors such as Alireza Chitsazian, Keramat Mahammadi [11], Mohammad Said Taslimi, Khalil Nourouzi, Nader Jafari-Hafthani [22], Vahid Tarvirdizadeh, Mohammad Ali Sadiki-Kia [23], and others. The authors' research focuses on certain issues of the formation of an Islamic university using the example of Imam Sadiq University and its independent areas of work.

The purpose of this study is considered relevant, which is to determine the specifics of the activities of Imam Sadiq University and its influence on the government of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. The objectives of this work are to consider the specifics of the activities of Imam Sadiq University, highlighting the specific features of the "Islamic university".

The hypothesis of the study is the assumption that Imam Sadiq University has a significant influence on the government of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and plays a leading role in the formation of the Iranian concept of an Islamic university. In this case, Imam Sadiq University becomes the leader among other Islamic universities, which has the most global impact on the state of social, economic, cultural, political and other spheres in Iran.

The methodological basis of the research was the provisions of the theory of new institutionalism. The new institutionalism is considered from the point of view of the functioning of institutions that are able to have a decisive impact on various aspects of socio-economic processes [10; 16]. The theory of new institutionalism allows, using a historical approach, to identify the ways of interaction accepted by society, in which both formally established laws and norms and informally expressed components operate [14; 15; 20]. Considering the activities of Imam Sadiq University based on the theory of new institutionalism will allow us to focus on both formal and informal components. Moreover, if the formal aspects are clearly regulated by the charter and other constituent documents of the university, then the informal aspects are revealed in the structure of rules, values, ideology and traditions that can have a significant impact on thoughts, behavior and the course of political life in the country. Since the current government of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi provides training at the university (despite the fact that the university is not a government one), the activities of Imam Sadiq University can be attributed to an informal institution. The theoretical basis of the research was the works of Russian and foreign (Iranian) authors devoted to the analysis of the activities of Imam Sadiq University and its place in the structure of Iranian politics. Methods of comparative analysis and bibliographic description played a significant role in the study.

Imam Sadiq University is the standard of an Islamic university

The prerequisites on the way to becoming the standard of the Islamic university were the emerging conflicts and problems caused by the incompatibility of Western ideas, views on governance, and Islamic values. Some of the incompatibilities arise in the structure of the psychological and sociological foundations of Western management theory, coming into direct conflict with the original religious principles of management in Iran [11]. All this necessitated the development of one's own Islamic humanitarian knowledge, with the allocation of a special place for management in its structure, for the transmission of knowledge to society.

Among all the humanitarian universities in Iran, it is Imam Sadiq University that is considered the source of Islamic sciences, due to the unique goals and objectives that consist in activities dedicated to the study of Islam, expanding the boundaries of Islamic sciences, developing interdisciplinary research between Islamic sciences and socio-humanities, presenting achievements, as well as constantly strengthening relations with other scientific centers, in particular in particular, with joint scientific centers, universities, institutes, institutions of Iran, with communities of Muslim peoples and other Muslim countries. It can be stated that the activities and structure of Imam Sadiq University are special, different from other humanitarian higher educational institutions in the country [23]. Imam Sadiq University has become a source of managerial training for the needs of the country, combining management theory with Islamic values and tradition.

It should be noted that spiritual thinkers and academic figures ranked among the elite also played a decisive role in the development of Islamic management. They responded effectively and quickly to the needs arising in the governance structure of the Islamic Republic of Iran, guided by Islamic values. Thus, the integration of humanitarian and Islamic knowledge at the university has always been accompanied by heated discussions among professors responsible for the preparation and publication of educational materials. Summarizing the results of the work carried out, despite the complexity and controversial nature, the faculty of Imam Sadiq University managed to complete the task set for them at a fairly high level. Paying attention to details that meet the needs of the Islamic State, while integrating Islamic sciences with other academic ones, played a key role in these processes, along with scientific and managerial activities comprehensively carried out at the Faculty of Islamic Studies.

Based on the results of a study by Alireza Chitsaziyan and Keramat Mahammadi, devoted to the review of master's theses at the Faculty of Islamic Education and Management, we highlight that in this area the level of training of students of the faculty is one of the highest: 48% of theses of the Department of Public Administration and Public Policy and more than 20% of other educational departments of the faculty are focused exclusively on Islamic issues. The direction of financial management at the faculty is of the greatest importance, which is confirmed by the total number of dissertations on the topics of Islam. The second most prevalent interest in Islamic studies is in the field of business management. Further positions are occupied by such areas as: "Commercial Management" with 39 dissertations, "Industry" with 34 dissertations and "Government Group" with 11 dissertations, etc. All this confirms that the scientific activities of Imam Sadiq University correspond to the tasks assigned by the Supreme Leader of the country: "Imam Sadiq University should surpass not only the universities of Tehran or other cities of the country, but also become a research cradle for scientific centers and universities around the world" [11].

It should be noted that Islamic studies is of particular importance in the scientific system of Iran, since its provisions are fundamental. And this is especially evident in the activities of Imam Sadiq University, its scientific orientation. As a result, the study of Islamic studies has an impact on the social, economic and political system of the country, has a reformatory and developing character. Imam Sadiq University, in turn, is becoming one of the most important centers for conducting research in Islamic studies.

The existing approaches in the field of Islamic studies can be divided into two general categories. The first approach is to systematize and create new scientific knowledge. It aims to redefine the place and nature of the activities of the basic institutions. The second approach, on the contrary, is aimed at developing existing institutions, for example, the banking system, based on the revision of legal principles [11]. All these approaches are actively reproduced in the work of Imam Sadiq University by its students and teaching staff.

An equally significant distinguishing feature of Imam Sadiq University is its focus on scientific diplomacy, which is not found in many universities in Iran. Scientific diplomacy has its origins in the 2010s, when the American Association for the Advancement of Science held a meeting "New Pioneers of Diplomacy", where three fundamental definitions of "scientific and technological diplomacy" were announced:

First, the science of diplomacy. Thus, many of the problems that countries face today are mostly global in nature and scale. It is possible to trace the influence of science/technology both in the causes of these problems and in ways to overcome them. In this case, science in diplomacy highlights the role of science and technology that they play in raising awareness, in achieving established foreign policy goals.

Secondly, diplomacy is for science. This component means the promotion of international scientific cooperation, conducting research both at the individual and at the public level, thanks to strategic priorities and a hierarchical management strategy, while moving "from top to bottom".

Thirdly, science is for diplomacy. It involves the use of science and scientific knowledge to assist in the construction and development of international relations, especially in cases where these relations are characterized by criticality and tension [23].

One of the most important activities of Imam Sadiq University is the organization of multilateral international cooperation. In this kind of interaction between universities (university diplomacy), Imam Sadiq University searches for additional external contacts to communicate with universities around the world. For many years, Imam Sadiq University has been fulfilling the mission of the primary source of research for the world's universities and research centers, entrusted to it by the Supreme Leader of Iran. It is the achievement of this goal that is a priority task in the functioning of Imam Sadiq University and determines its general orientation [22].

Summarizing the features of the activities of Imam Sadiq University, we note that they are manifested in: conducting and developing interdisciplinary research (at the junction of the humanities and Islamic knowledge); finding supportive links between scientific and religious aspects, while answering questions from society; improving the fundamental principles of Islamic research; establishing new diplomatic contacts with universities for dissemination of acquired knowledge; training in humanitarian professions that meet the requirements of the Islamic socio-economic and political space. Imam Sadiq University acquires a reference character in this matter, becoming an example of a true Islamic university.

Features of the Islamic University

As we noted earlier, the processes related to the Islamic Revolution and Islamization in Iran have become co-leading and mutually reinforcing factors. Moreover, it was university education that took one of the key positions in promoting Islamization, which was achieved by teaching the elite the Islamic faith based on Islamic sciences and the teachings of Ahl al-Bayt, ensuring the realization of the task of preserving and developing the true values of the Islamic Revolution. Imam Sadiq University was no exception, on the contrary, its activities are considered one of the most effective in the presented goal. It should be noted that today Imam Sadiq University plays a key political and cultural role in Iran.

Another effect of the Islamic Revolution in Iran was the effect of changing the spiritual, cultural, social and political vector of the country's development in the twentieth century. The revolution also contributed to the formation, improvement, and direct implementation of the ideas of the Islamic university, and this became one of the most important tasks of the new leader of the country, Imam Khomeini. In 1980, Imam Khomeini issued a decree on the formation of the "Headquarters of the Cultural Revolution" aimed at solving the problem of Islamization of universities. As S.E. Vyltsan correctly notes, today the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution Headquarters occupies quasi-legislative normative activity in the field of culture, and the "laws" adopted in the Supreme Council have greater legal weight than the laws of the Iranian parliament – the Majlis of the Islamic Council [4].

The decree of Imam Khomeini marked the beginning of significant processes in the development of the concept of the Iranian university, reproduced at Imam Sadiq University, with the involvement of professors and students, their direct interaction with the Supreme Leader of the country. At a personal meeting, Imam Khomeini spoke about Imam Sadiq University as follows: "Imam Sadiq University is a unique phenomenon. It is not just a university like other universities, whose purpose is only to educate students and raise scientists. Of course, there is also such a goal. However, in addition to this, Imam Sadiq University strives to become an exemplary Islamic university in all aspects" [18].

Moreover, this goal was subsequently reflected in the charter of Imam Sadiq University. In particular, we are talking about the "core Islamic institute", whose mission is to implement three main aspects [18].

1) Education aimed at knowledge transfer;

2)                Research focused on knowledge production;

3)                Public activities aimed at spreading and actively publishing knowledge in society.

According to generally accepted interpretations, the purpose of the institute of education is to transfer accumulated knowledge from one generation to another, meet the needs of society in education, and ensure well-coordinated functioning. At the same time, universities carry out comprehensive training of specialists in their field, forming scientific knowledge, a new worldview, stimulating philosophical and social movements that are positive for the development of society (in particular, Islamic), forming a space for self-expression, opposition and the promotion of new ideas. All this reflects the content of the first function of universities in Islamic society, which is aimed at promoting and popularizing the culture of scientific knowledge in the mouths of the younger generation, in inextricable connection with Islamic values.

The second research-oriented function determines the dynamic and reproductive nature of the university's activities. The University becomes a place to stimulate creativity and innovation, uniting the collective spirit, purposefully organizing it in cultural, historical, social, economic and political significance. It is the creative and innovative nature of the university's activities that contributes to the search for answers to the pressing issues in these areas.

The content of the third function of the university, related to the dissemination of acquired and accumulated knowledge, involves the transfer of the results of scientific activity from the university to society. This knowledge is appropriately linked to the fundamental institutions and spheres of functioning of the state (industry, agriculture, commerce, culture, military and military industry, politics, etc.). In this case, the degree of use and exploitation of the results of scientific activity at all these levels becomes a significant indicator in the structure of the evaluation of the university's activities. This is what indicates the existence of an influence between the activities of the university, social progress and the sustainability of society, reflecting on the history of the development of both the state and the university, strengthening the image of the latter.

However, what is the reason for the urgent need to build and develop an Islamic university in Iran? From the point of view of this issue, the Islamic university does not just accumulate the listed purpose, mission, tasks, functions, etc., but fully searches for the ideal (desired) global model to achieve its own goals in competition, struggle with secular and non-Islamic universities, which requires special efforts, attention and accuracy.

Due to the fact that the Islamic Ummah defines the Islamic worldview as a system of values that reveal the fundamental aspects of human life [1], the state and society need universities that will fully comply with Islamic principles and values. Such universities, with their effective organization, are able to study the principles and criteria of self-awareness and develop the knowledge necessary to achieve more accurate, in-depth results, train new active figures and managers who will have the ability to promote Islamic ideas in society, popularizing, in particular, university principles and standards [18].

The features of the Islamic university are most clearly revealed in the structure of the comparison of Islamic and non-Islamic universities, which is reflected in the statements of Iranian thinkers as active participants in the development of the concept of an Islamic university.

For example, Imam Khomeini believes that an Islamic university is not limited to teaching only Islamic sciences; however, in order for the university to be self-sufficient and independent (in particular from the East, and especially from the West), it is necessary to create an independent country, an independent university and an independent culture: "The meaning of the Islamization of the university is to gain independence and get away from dependence on the West and the East, to have an independent country, an independent university and an independent culture" [18].

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran gave the following definition to an Islamic university: "An Islamic university combines science and faith, science and spirituality, science and morality; It teaches science and directs science based on ethics and faith" [5].

Ayatollah Alam al-Hadi, the Friday imam of Mashhad, also stated that the foundation and pillars of an Islamic university should be based on divine, Islamic and humanistic principles, values and ideals [8]. The goals and program of an Islamic university should be consistent with Islamic teachings, its content should be based on religious sources, its leadership should have a high level of spirituality and possess tremendous religious knowledge and ethics, and its staff should have spiritual insight and adhere to divine and Islamic values. His experienced and dedicated professors should consider their educational activities as the payment of zakat (tax) on knowledge, and training as an objective duty, and should always teach astute, capable and dedicated students, in accordance with the development and improvement of themselves, their university and their society. In other words, an Islamic university is a university in which the religious, spiritual and scientific principles of Islam become the dominant value [18].

In addition to the above points of view of Islamic experts, who are considered scientific authorities (the primary source of religious knowledge), the Supreme Leader of the country also expressed his opinion on the role of Imam Sadiq University. In his opinion, an ideal Islamic university should give an impetus to the development of science, should create a movement in the world of education and science, and contribute to the scientific construction of the country. Its main mission is to make Muslims and Muslim scholars experts in various fields of the humanities so that the world can rely on their opinions. Imam Sadiq University, therefore, should be ranked higher than any other university in Tehran or other cities. This university should become a research benchmark for world scientific centers and universities [3].

Thus, the features of an Islamic university, using the example of Imam Sadiq University, is a combination of humanitarian and Islamic, with a clear predominance of the religious basis in the structure of scientific knowledge. A true Islamic university combines Islamic ethics, culture, history, principles of international scientific cooperation and modernization, while maintaining the reproductive potential of influence on the subsystems of the state and society. Islamic universities set as their key goal the integration of modern scientific and educational methods, knowledge and approaches with traditional Islamic teachings, so that they meet the values conditioned by the Islamic religion. In addition, it is the Islamic University that trains scientific and political personnel for the country – in this structure, certain links can be identified between the activities of individual universities and its impact on the institution of the state. Thus, the activities of Imam Sadiq University, as an institution, have clearly defined formal features related to the preparation, popularization and improvement of Islamic scientific knowledge. However, it is important to consider the informal aspects of the university's activities, in particular those that have a significant impact on the Government of Ebrahim Raisi.

The role of Imam Sadiq University in the Government of Ebrahim Raisi

Earlier, we touched upon the concept of an Islamic university, as well as the role and place of Imam Sadiq University in Iran. Numerous statements by thinkers and scientific authorities of Iran confirm the importance of this type of university (Islamic university) for the country. If we analyze the activities of various governments, led by both reformists and conservatives, who have operated since the Islamic Revolution, we can see that Imam Sadiq University played an important role in them. This university has taken a particularly important position in the current government of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, in which graduates of the university have occupied important positions.

It should be noted that under previous governments, the largest share of the elite was represented by graduates of other universities (for example, Tehran University, Sharif and Tarbiat Modares). The government of Hassan Rouhani was formed on the basis of the experience and knowledge of specialists who studied abroad, mainly in Western countries [19]. However, several young ministers, vice-presidents and deputy ministers from Imam Sadiq University were elected to the Government of Ebrahim Raisi, which indicates the high role of Imam Sadiq University in the current government. In particular, university graduates can be observed at various levels in government [3]:

First, the ministries. For example, Ebrahim Raisi chose two young and important members of his Government's economic team from among the young graduates of this university: Ehsan Khandozi, Minister of Economy, and Khojat Abdul Maliki, Minister of Cooperation, Labor and Social Security of Iran.

Secondly, the positions of vice presidents. Ebrahim Raisi elected vice presidents from the graduates of Imam Sadiq University. Thus, Gholamhossein Esmaili is one of the confidants of Ebrahim Raisi, who was one of his close people in the judicial system. Now Gholamhossein Esmaili holds an important position as head of the presidential administration, and is also one of the professors of law at Imam Sadiq University.

Seyed Mohammad Hosseini, a master's degree from Imam Sadiq University, who studied Islamic studies and political law at this university for a long time, for example, was appointed deputy of the Majlis of Ebrahim Raisi.

Meisham Latifi can also be distinguished among the graduates of Imam Sadiq University, whom the president brought to the government. Latifi holds a Master's degree in Islamic Studies and Industrial Management from Imam Sadiq University, is a member of the faculty of this university, as well as the head of the Faculty of Management at Imam Sadiq University. Today, he has been appointed Vice President and Head of the Administration and Personnel Department of Iran.

Ali Bagheri, who heads negotiations on the Nuclear Deal with Western countries, is one of the other members of the 13th government, a graduate of Imam Sadiq University. He went through all the stages of education at Imam Sadiq University, starting with a bachelor's degree, ending with a doctorate in education and economics.

It should be noted that in the 13th government, graduates of Imam Sadiq University are represented not only in the top leadership. They also play an important role at the lower levels of the State apparatus. Mohammad Dehghan, Ebrahim Raisi's Deputy for Legal Affairs, appointed Jalil Mohebi to the position of Acting Deputy responsible for coordinating and planning legal issues of the executive bodies. Mr. Mohebi, who was previously the secretary of the State organization for the Call for good and the condemnation of Evil, also graduated from Imam Sadiq University with a doctorate in law. He studied criminal law and criminology, and graduated from the theological seminary at this university [19].

As already mentioned, the policy of Imam Sadiq University is based on the principle of Islamization, preservation of the original values of the revolution, and the teachings of Ahl al-Bayt. Students who graduate from this university work in important government positions in the current government. At the same time, graduates of Imam Sadiq University continue to support "university friends" in order to ensure their advancement to employment in the presidential government [6]. Therefore, it can be said that students are moving in accordance with the policies and values of the revolution, which are adhered to by Imam Sadiq University and the current Supreme Leader of the country.

Imam Sadiq University is an important tool in the Government of Ebrahim Raisi, as it has a significant impact on the choice of political priorities and establishing links with Islamic countries and the region. The University functions according to the guidelines in maintaining religious solidarity, while strengthening confrontation with the West and introducing Islamic teachings into Iranian society (popularization of the humanities in inextricable connection with the values of Islamic society). Based on the words of Imam Khomeini, the Islamic University makes its own contribution to the independence of the country, provides an opportunity for its autonomous development without relying on the West [12].

As mentioned above, one of the most important faculties of Imam Sadiq University is the Faculty of Islamic Studies and Management, which mainly focuses on Islamic sciences.

Due to the fact that one of the vice-presidents of Ebrahim Raisi graduated from this faculty, we can say that the trend towards Islamic sciences, their popularization and simultaneous deepening, is also increasing. If in previous governments they tried to prioritize relations with the West and focus on sciences other than Islamic, now most of the senior officials of the current government of Iran are elected from among the graduates of Imam Sadiq University, who tend to include Islamic sciences and their options for integration with the humanities in the current agenda. The influence of Imam Sadiq University, whose graduates have penetrated into all spheres of Iran's highest state power, is increasingly evident in the activities of the new government, and this influence is based on the policy of Islamization of all directions in the country [17].

At the same time, some Western critics in Iran hold the position that the current government is unable to solve the problems that arise, and this is directly related to the lack of proper experience among managers who are graduates of Imam Sadiq University. It should be noted that traces of managers who are known under the pseudonym "Imams Sadeghi" were present in previous governments, but their number was insignificant. In this regard, fears persist in Iranian society that inexperienced managers are actively integrating into political processes, and this may lead to ambiguous consequences for the future Iranian bureaucracy [7]

Conclusion

Thus, the university is a place of production of science and knowledge, the core of cultural construction. Imam Sadiq University can be considered the first and most successful university that emerged as a result of the Islamic Revolution. The aim of Imam Sadiq University is to integrate the humanities and Islamic sciences. With half a century of experience and methods different from those of other universities, and, in particular, the method of integrating the humanities with Islamic sciences, Imam Sadiq University was able to train many representatives of the elite in various fields, promote them to key government positions (both in higher and lower management). There is a clear parallel here. While the reformist government tries to select high-ranking employees from among graduates who studied at foreign universities (their attention is focused more on the humanities than on Islam), the fundamentalist conservative government, which pays much attention to the Islamic Revolution and its ideals, prefers Islamic sciences and their integration with the humanities. In this regard, most of the graduates of Imam Sadiq University hold important public positions in governments with a conservative majority. It can be said that the policy of Imam Sadiq University, which is one of the tasks of reproducing the goals of the Islamic Revolution, is being implemented to a greater extent in the government of Ebrahim Raisi, which is one of the post-revolutionary governments with a conservative majority.

References
1. Ali-zade, A.A. (2007). Umma. Islamic encyclopedic dictionary.
2. Vaskin, I. (2023). A. Recruitment of elites into the Iranian government in 1979-1989: biographical analysis. Vostok. Afro-Asian societies: history and modernity, 1, 76-92. doi:10.31857/S086919080023790-6
3. A look at the entry of Imam Sadiq University (AS) graduates into government. We cross the control bridge. Per. from Persian. Retrieved from http://hamdelidaily.ir/index.php?post=24544
4. Vyltsan, S.E. (2022). Evolution of the legal status of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Journal of Foreign Legislation and Comparative Law, 4, 5-15.
5. Speeches at a meeting of professors and students of Imam Sadiq University (peace be upon him) Trans. from Persian. Retrieved from https://farsi.khamenei.ir/newspart-print?tid=1707
6. The research center is a competitor of Imam Sadiq University. Per. from Persian. Retrieved from https://clck.ru/36pi8p
7. Pastor in the domain of “Imam Sadeghi.” Per. from Persian. Retrieved from https://www.pishkhan.com/news/295993
8. A ceremony began for the students of Khorasan Razavi Ayatollah Alam Elhadi: students are the driving force of change in society. Per. from Persian. Retrieved from https://shahraranews.ir/fa/news/189759/
9. Khagbin, M. (2022). The role of sovereign organizations of Iran in strengthening trade and economic relations with Russia. Bulletin of the Russian State University for the Humanities. Series: Political science. Story. International Relations, 1, 67-82. doi:10.28995/2073-6339-2022-1-67-82
10. Campbell J. Mechanism of Evolutionary Change in Economic Governance, London, Edward Elgar, 1997, P self, 1993.
11. Chitazian, Alireza, Mohammadi, Keramat (1398). A meta-study of Islamic management research; A Case Study of Masters Theses in Faculty of Islamic Education and Management, Imam Sadegh University (PBUH). Strategic management thought (management thought), 13(2), 19-48.
12. Imam Khomeini's Message to Heads of Education Departments. Retrieved from https://www.al-islam.org/educational-revolution-regarded-imam-khomeini/imam-khomeinis-message-heads-education-departments
13. Luciano Zaccara Iran 2021: The year of Transition. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363270492_Iran_2021_The_year_of_Transition
14. March J.G., Olsen J.P. (1990). Rediscovering Institutions. The Organizational basis of politics. Policy, 10(3), 349-351.
15. March J.G., Olsen J.P. (1984). The New Institutionalism: Organizational Factors in Political Life. American Political Science Review, 78, 734-749.
16. Modema G., Steren Mercuo N., Samuels W.J. (1987). History Institutional Law Economics. Institutional Law and Economics, 418-453.
17. Mohammad, Ali Zohreei, Ali, Akbar Rezaie, Mahmoud, Reza Mohammad (2018). Taheri Presenting an Appropriate Model of Cultural Diplomacy Based on the Elite Capacity. Iranian journal of educational Sociology, 1(9), 60-78.
18. Mojtaba Jafarzadeh, Siamak Tahmasebi, Hossein Gholipor Identifying and Evaluating the Functions of Islamic University with Importance-Performance Approach (Case Study of Imam Sadegh University). Retrieved from https://www.bsrq.ir/article_118400.html
19. Saeid Golkar, Kasra Aarabi Raisi's Rising Elite. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363270492_Iran_2021_The_year_of_Transition
20. Sjoblom G. (1993). Some critical remarks on March and Olsen’s Rediscovering Institutions. Journal of theoretical politics, 5(3), 397-407.
21. Syed, Qandil Abbas (2023). Iran's look east policy: a step towards countering western pressures. NDU Journal, 37, 59-72 doi:10.54690/ndujournal.37.139.
22. Tarvirdizadeh, V., Jafari, Haft Khani N., Azarfar, A. (1398). The Typology of Managers' Subjectivities about the International Interactions of Imam Sadiq University: Methodology Based on Q. Culture in the islamic university, 1398, 9(4), 527-542.
23. Taslimi, Mohammadsaeed, Noruzi, Khalil, Tarvirdizadeh, Vahid, Sadeghikia Mohammad (1397). Ali Providing a framework for the development of science diplomacy of the Islamic Republic of Iran based on the capabilities of Imam Sadiq (AS) University and Prioritizing Its Strategies Based On the Mix Method. Management research in Iran (Modares human sciences), 22(1), 25-45.

Peer Review

Peer reviewers' evaluations remain confidential and are not disclosed to the public. Only external reviews, authorized for publication by the article's author(s), are made public. Typically, these final reviews are conducted after the manuscript's revision. Adhering to our double-blind review policy, the reviewer's identity is kept confidential.
The list of publisher reviewers can be found here.

This article is devoted to the Iranian university education system as a model designed to preserve a special cultural and religious identity. The author analyzes the distinctive features of building a knowledge transfer system in the spirit of the Eastern tradition on the example of Imam Sadiq University, as well as the degree of its involvement in the modern political system of the country. The subject of the study is the university as a place of knowledge transfer and science production. The author also quite clearly identifies both the central research topics and its key target setting, identifies a number of significant tasks that need to be solved. However, the research methodology is not clearly emphasized, and it is not entirely clear which methods the author uses. But it is obvious that the article is made at the junctions of disciplines assigned to the higher education system and political science. The relevance of this issue from the point of view of the clash of Western and Islamic values is beyond doubt, the author seeks to identify those features that overcome these contradictions and allow building a harmonious line of upbringing and education of new generations of citizens in the spirit of their cultural identity, abstracting from the model of globalization. Structurally, the publication is prepared very qualitatively, there is a strong introductory methodological part, the content of the article is logically divided into thematic and semantic blocks. The final part contains conclusions that indicate the high level of scientific potential of this publication and its theoretical and applied significance. The strong point of the study is the political science analysis of the portrait of graduates of the university under study presented by the author - for example, the author notes that the Islamic university acts as an effective model for recruiting the political elite. The components and elements within the educational system are analyzed, which allows us to draw very significant conclusions for understanding the higher education system within Islamic culture. The list of references is represented by an extensive number of sources, including foreign ones, articles and monographs, which indicates a deep theoretical elaboration of the problems presented by the author. There are not many similar studies in Russian social science that thoroughly analyze the Islamic university as an institution of higher education that can act as an alternative to the university model that dominates in the Western space. At the same time, the author could point out a number of Russian developments in this area, and not only describe the degree of development of this problem in Western literature. But despite the presence of some technical comments, the presented topic will definitely arouse high interest among the readership of the World Politics magazine. The article is written in a good scientific language and can be recommended for publication without making any significant additions. Separately, I would like to note the high level of presentation of the article and its significance for modern scientific discourse.