Motivational Unifying Factors for Obtaining Ideal Unity in Civilization in the View of Allāmah Ja’farī

There is no doubt that solidarity among human beings constitute the main core of a civilization. Without solidarity, a civilization is doomed to collapse. But the question is: which factors might lead people, with all their differences, towards solidarity and unity? Scholars of civilization have considered different factors such as race, language, religion, manners, customs, and the like. Allama Ja’fari sees these factors as objectionable, and has tried to identify factors that lead to a real and sustainable unity among people. In this paper, we have considered two classes of motivational factors—intrinsic and extrinsic—in order to analyze Allama Ja’fari’s views. Within extrinsic factors, we have examined rational, moral, survival-based, and divine factors. As a conclusion, we think that extrinsic factors cannot lead people to sustainable unity because of their impermanence and utilitarian character. They can merely provide preparations for such unity. Intrinsic factors, however, can establish a sustainable unity because of their permanence and their origin in inner human substance. All in all, these factors give rise to the formation of a single entity for human communities and the desired unity in civilization.