Explaining the Origin of Religion from Freud's Perspective and Evaluating It from the Perspective of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli

Articles in Press

Document Type : Scientific-research

Authors

1 Master's degree in Theoretical Foundations of Islam, Qom University of Islamic Studies; Level 4 student of Qom Seminary.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Theoretical Foundations of Islam, Qom University of Islamic Education.

Abstract

Sigmund Freud, through a psychological approach, identifies the cause of religion’s emergence as human-made, the cause of the tendency toward it as ignorance and fear of natural phenomena, and the cause of the necessity of this tendency as a temporary need for psychological calm. Using a descriptive-analytical method and distinguishing three meanings of the “origin of religion,” the present study critiques Freud’s theory from the perspective of Ayatollah Javadi Amoli. Findings show that Freud’s theory faces fundamental critiques in all three areas: regarding the cause of emergence, Freud neglects religion’s trans-material dimensions, reducing it to a human phenomenon. Regarding the cause of tendency, historical and scriptural evidence contradicts the ignorance-and-fear theory; prophets and saints were the most knowledgeable and courageous people of their time, and the main cause of tendency toward religion is divine innate nature (fitrah). Regarding the necessity of tendency, the need for religion is permanent, not temporary; thus, Freud’s prediction of religion’s decline with scientific progress has not materialized. In contrast, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli, based on an Islamic worldview, considers religion’s origin as God’s will, the cause of tendency as fitrah, and the cause of the necessity of tendency as humanity’s fundamental and permanent needs.

Keywords

The Mirror of Knowledge

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 16 May 2026

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