A Comparative Analysis of the Utopian City in al‑Farabi’s Thought and the Sharia City in Ayatollah Araki’s Views

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Urban Planning, College of fine arts, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architecture, College of fine arts, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

The idea of the utopian city has a long-standing history in human thought and has consistently served as a response to social, moral, and spiritual crises—functioning as a space for reflection and rethinking about the ideal order of society. In the Islamic world, this concept, grounded in revelatory and philosophical teachings, has taken on a distinctive form that articulates the structure of an Islamic city oriented toward goals such as justice, felicity, and servitude to God.
This study, using an analytical-comparative approach, examines the theoretical dimensions of the ideal city in the thought of two prominent scholars: Farabi and Mohsen Araki, who are understood as representatives of the philosophical and jurisprudential approaches, respectively. Farabi, emphasizing the Active Intellect, the hierarchical structure of existence, and the necessity of a philosopher-ruler, conceives the city as a space for the flourishing of virtue, the attainment of felicity, and the rational participation of its citizens. In contrast, Araki—based on the theory of “systemic jurisprudence” (fiqh al-nizām) and religious authority—presents a vision of a city grounded in Islamic law, in which governance, legislation, citizenship, and even the physical structure of the city serve the realization of monotheism, social justice, and divine objectives.
In both approaches, the ideal city requires a harmonious community, legitimate leadership, transcendent law, and a meaningful physical form; yet their epistemological and ontological foundations differ. This article emphasizes the need for interaction between Islamic philosophy and jurisprudence in redefining the contemporary Islamic city and argues that an interdisciplinary dialogue can provide a theoretical and practical framework for the design and governance of the Islamic city in the modern world.

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References

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Journal of Interdisciplinary Civilizational Studies of the Islamic Revolution
Volume 4, Issue 16 - Serial Number 16
Winter 2026
January 2026
Pages 61-92

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History

  • Receive Date: 23 February 2025
  • Revise Date: 26 August 2025
  • Accept Date: 29 September 2025
  • Publish Date: 22 December 2025

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