Journal of Iranian Cultural Research

Journal of Iranian Cultural Research

The semantic system of tolerance and its contexts in Hafez's thought

Document Type : Scientific Research Manuscript

Authors
Ebrahim Ekhlasi 1
Armin Sadafian 2
1 Associate Professor of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
2 MA Student in Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
10.22035/jicr.2026.3624.3837
Abstract
Tolerance” is among the approaches that Hafez has diligently emphasized either implicitly or explicitly. The aim of the research is to make the symptoms of tolerance visible in Hafez’s thought in connection with the basic motifs that dominate the eighth century AH. The article is based on the question of what the “most pivotal constituent elements of the eighth century”, “symptoms of tolerance in Hafez’s thought” are and how the “interconnection of the political, cultural, social and economic formations that dominated the eighth century on the one hand and the phenomenal manifestation of tolerance in Hafez’s mind on the other” are structured. Hafez's poetry collection, along with reliable commentaries, historical sources and interview statements of 20 faculty members from selected humanities disciplines, are the data sources of the study. Following note-taking from library resources and conducting interviews, data mining was conducted using the content analysis method. Based on the findings, Hafez's era is visible in terms of 5 themes: "institutional dependence of religion and knowledge on political power", "unstable construction of power; increasing political insecurity", "the dignity of hypocrisy and deceit; the humiliation of morality and norms", “the decline of official religiosity, the rise of mysticism and coded language”, and "shortage of livelihood; erosion of social coexistence". In addition, 6 themes including "openness in the face of harsh criticism", "internalizing moral criticism and suspending judicial violence against others", "abandoning judgment in the shadow of kindness", "plurality of meaning in the horizon of the unity of life", "patient action in the field" and "thoughtful action in refusing conflict" constitute the constituent components of tolerance in Hafez's thought. "Institutional violence refusal," "recognition of difference and plurality," along with "protection of innate foundations and cultural and religious commonalities," "institutional consolidation of the tradition of criticism and dialogue," and "deepening of vocabulary in a reflective and non-violent confrontation with the hardships, conflicts, and complexities inherent in everyday life," are among the fundamental implications of Hafez's tolerant thought in connection with today's Iranian society.
Keywords
Hafez
social tolerance
tolerance
dialogue
violence refusal
Subjects
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  • Receive Date 28 November 2025
  • Revise Date 21 January 2026
  • Accept Date 02 February 2026