Sociological Study of the Spirituality of Imam Ali University Cadets Based on a Native Model

Holy regime of the I.R. of Iran is characterized by its religious nature and religiousness is the inevitable specification of the practitioners of the (Islamic) regime. Army forces as the powerful arms of the Velayat (jurisdiction) and guards of the geographical borders of the regime are supposed to be staffed by religious and faithful officers. Imam Ali University is shouldering to educate officers for the army of the I.R. of Iran. Investigation of the extent of spirituality of the cadets is a requirement from the army authorities. Feeling similar accountability, the researcher embarked on conducting this study. To do so and given the comprehensibility and delimitation of any definition, Gelak and Staurk’s religiousness model as a western in nature and Shojaiezand’s model as a native one was comparatively studied. As a result, the latter was identified more valid for the Iranian setting. Conducting a survey study, the researcher distributed a related questionnaire. 150 randomly-sampled cadets attended the study. Statistically mean, frequency analysis and t-test were run, the findings revealed that the mean score indicating spirituality was 2.96 out of 3; commitment to ethics 2.41,commitment to religious worships and practices scored 2.62 and 2.81, respectively. In sum, many of the cadets are strong in terms of religious beliefs (81.3).