نشریه مطالعات معنوی
پیاپی 23 (بهار و تابستان 1396)

This text attempts to explain desirable and legitimate form of Asceticism from the perspective of Quran and Infallible Imams (Peace be upon them). The main criteria of desirable asceticism have been concluded from the argumentations or reasoning that Infallible Imams had with the Sufis of their time. Some of these criteria are as following: proportionality of asceticism with time and government measures, distinction between emergency poverty and optional poverty, family rights, priority of social and political rights towards individual practices according to Islam, the correct definition of piety, Avoiding unemployment under the excuse of piety, separating work and living times from the time for worship and prayer, avoiding serious physical and psychological injuries, paying attention to the different levels of capacity and human virtue, and last one which is
more important is referring to the household of the Prophet (PBUH) to catch a correct understanding of the Quran and Sunnah, especially in the austerity and asceticism, which needs to enough knowledge about abrogating and abrogated verses and the situation in which a verse came down.

Sufism is a phenomenon that emerged from the second century AH in the Islamic world. There are different opinions about the nature and origin of Sufism. These different views represent that everyone looked to this phenomenon from his own prospect and it had traced his own pleasant which is far away from real Sufism. Although Sufism was born in Islamic culture; but influenced by non-Islamic spiritual tendencies on the one side, and on the other side, relying on the individual preference and without the use of religious principles, established some customs and traditions that at least some of them does not definitely match with the holy book. It has also influenced by the mystical moods of other religions. Denomination of Ahl –olhagh(yarsan), which is one of the branches of Sufism and somehow has a mystical nature in some areas of Iran and some other countries, has many doctrinal and practical deviations Such as reincarnation and
the belief in successive lives, exaggeration about Imam Ali (AS) and lack of belief to Islamic traditional laws including praying and observing the requirements of Ramadan and so on. In fact, the denomination of Ahl –ol- hagh has the name of Islam but in reality it
is contrary to the Islamic teachings. It is a mixture of different religions, beliefs, customs and cultures.

The main purpose of this paper is to explain socio-cultural contexts of tendency to new religious movements in Iran. Through the secondary goals, understanding the lifestyle of the population under study, recognizing the status of charismatic leaders, recognizing the role of new media, recognizing the value of conflict and crisis of identity, and recognizing the position and the inclination of followers of this movement to eclecticism is realized. The method of research is documentary whit a measurement which is done on the population which oriented to new religious movements. By using snowball sampling 82 people were selected as sample. Spss software and also statistical methods of test T were used to analysis forms. Pearson correlation and regression was also used to examine the correlation and the extent of impact. The results show a positive correlation
between trends in new religious movements and cultural - social contexts. According to this research, six hypotheses are effective on emerging trends to new religious movements based on cultural - Social contexts. they Respectively are; modern lifestyle, identity crisis, moral deprivation (contrast value), eclecticism, new media, and charismatic leadership. All variables were entered into the regression. According to this research, new life style, had the greatest impact on people's attitudes and their orientation to new religious movements. Finally, some theoretical methodological and applicable proposals, have also been given in this regard.

Nowadays, the power of sects or cults have increased. Complex systems for brainwashing, mind control and exploitation of people, are some main features of the cults. In our society, despite the cultural, religious and political limitations of sect’s operations, they are creepy working under the off layers of society. Most of current
sects in contemporary Iran are directly or indirectly derived from a mystical watering, and have benefited from mystical categories, mystical concepts, and mystical principles. Opponents which are on criticize of sectarianism, are focused their efforts on anti-mysticism. This paper offering a precise definition of the concept of cult, tries to distinguish between mystical groups and sectarian mysticism. According to this research, it is not reasonable to omit mysticism completely, because it leads to the formation of radical eclectic sects, such as al Qaeda, the Taliban, ISIS, and so on. The author of this
paper believes that the feature which is shared by all new sectarian factions is focusing on "spiritual - religious" duality. This is also rooted in an interpretation based on the conflicting relationship between mysticism and religious law (shariat) that is the heritage of
exaggerators in the body of Sufism and mysticism.

In the past two decades, new religious movements have been opened in Iran. These movements have found followers among men and women. It seems that women are more oriented to these movements than men and they have suffered more than men from the teachings of these movements. In this study, two main questions have been
investigated: Why do women join these movements? And also what damage they receive from these movements? The method used in this research is descriptive and analytical. The result of this research is that the encounters of traditional religions defenders in various countries - Here, especially in the Islamic community of Iran- as well
as some of the effects of modernity, encouraged women to join in new religious movements. Fair criticism of new religious movements can prevent serious injuries for women in these situations.

Sects or cults are some complex structures in the modern world increasing day by day to fill the gap caused by secularization. The presence of a charismatic leader at the peak of a pyramidal structure which presents a personalized reading of religion is the most important characteristics of a cult. The limited oversight on the sects, gives them the opportunity to continue their work under the guise of legitimate titles without oversight. Meritocracy is another characteristic of a cult. Sects benefit from different forms of influence on the mind and personality of people to attract them; ways that involve a wide range of psychological methods. The most famous of these methods is known as brainwashing. But there are other methods that engage in this practice and lack of them is a challenge in the process of brainwashing. After absorbing in denominations, people's behavior, their mental health and personality are significantly will change. This article attempts to show the ways by which cults and sects influence on personality of people and also to show patterns of behavioral changes in absorbed people.

One of the most important Buddhist sects in Tibet is Dalai Lama cult which is known as Lamaism. The most famous leader of this branch is Tenzin Gyatso who is known as fourteenth Dalai Lama. The various ideas of this Buddhist branch are based mainly on traditional Buddhism. Dalai Lama has raised some controversial ideas about God, the purpose of life, happiness and socio-political issues. He has a pluralistic view about religion and does not believe in the principle of the existence of God or a personal God. The goal of life from the point of view of the Dalai Lama is achieving to maximum happiness that it frees up to other concepts such as freedom and kindness. He also has a radical or radical approach to socio-political issues. Critics which may draw to these views, can open the way for the scholars for receiving to a properly understand about the teachings of Buddhism, and in particular the reader who belongs to the tradition of Islamic mysticism, by this research can become more aware of his original and obscurantist traditions.