The story of Women's City is one of the tales in Ferdowsi and Nezamis’ Iskandarnamah. In Ferdowsi’s narrative this city is called Haroum and its inhabitants are all women. Alexander eager to visit new lands and intends to go to this city. Through the story one finds out how women ruled their city. Following Ferdowsi, Nezami wrote a more detailed version of this story and associated it with the story of Ghadifa and therefore brought about a new tale. In this poem, the king of the city is a woman called Noushabeh, known for her wisdom and beauty of body and soul. This story goes on in Barda, which was the homeland of Nezami himself. It bears some resemblance to the story of Khosrow and Shirin in that in the latter Mahin Banou is the ruler of the city whose affairs are all controlled only by women. The Armenian princess, Shirin is one of them.There is also an analogy between these cities and the mythological stories of Amazonian Women who rule their own city: men had no way into their city, and the place of their inhabitance is the same as what is told in Nezami’s poetry. It seems likely that the great Iranian poets and story-tellers got the idea and the required information about the city of women from the prose versions of Iskandarnamah and then composed poems based on that. Also, by writing utopian stories of Women’s City, the contemporary feminists have had a new approach to this Utopia.

A question that challenges the minds of Plato and Rorty. That is, which poet or philosopher has the most influence in intellectual education and practice in the utopia? Platonic utopia based on rational criteria; Medina is a utopia ruled by philosophers, not poets, and Rorty utopia whose allusions are writers and poets, not philosophers. Plato and Rorty speak of a utopia that one does not allow poets and the other does not allow philosophers. The Greek thinker Plato portrays an utopia tied to a negative view of poetry and a positive view of philosophy and philosophies. It is unnecessary. He spoke of the "ancient contradiction" of poetry and philosophy, and took poetry out of the circle of "like" and "no", because poetry and poetry do not confront man with realities worthy of real life, therefore; He drives Homer out of his city to clarify the task of other low-ranking poets. The amazing effect of poetry on human consciousness can not be easily denied, but one should be careful which poetry is effective in educating the human soul and the good of Medina and causes misguidance.For Rorty, the only thing that can be expected from philosophy is to systematically summarize the moral reputation of a society. The postmodern philosopher Rorty and the ancient Greek philosopher Plato have similar and different ways of forming the utopia.

For the first time, Karl Manheim put ideology and utopia in unique framework - sociology of knowledge. But Ricoeur's analysis in this article is more philosophical. Ideology and utopia, according to him, are two expressions of social imaginary.The author considers three levels for the two above concepts, and tries to panalize the levels of each concept with each other.To avoid pathologic forms of ideology and utopia, Ricoeur concludes, it is necessary to give correct function of ideology to utopia and it seems impossible except by the dialectical relation between the two concepts.

The question of terrestrial utopia in which there is no sign of concern about natural life is man's longstanding aspiration which has been the special concern of great philosophers. Such great philosophers as Socrates and Plato have delved into the ideas related to this issue and Aristotle logically organized them. Such Muslim philosophers as Farabi and Mulla Sadra have also sought to expound it. From among all kind of utopia and clearly compares them to show the difference between each of them in the light of the conception of utopia. In Mahdist city, all things move towards absolute perfection, there is no room for avarice and extravagance, and all people consider themselves to be responsible. Shedding light on the Greek utopia, this paper highlights the similarities between Plato's utopia and Mahdist utopia and pinpoints the defects of Plato's utopia, and then defines Mahdist city as a worldly utopia which eliminates man's worldly concerns and moves towards a high horizon which cannot be explained through a mere worldly view.

Utopia and utopianism are words to have been born simultaneously with man’s power of thinking.There have also been many thinkerys who have deliberated over and written about an imaginary city with a perfect social and political system at a golden age in a desirable life. At any rate, utopia must be an ideal place imagined like ‘Paradise’ which does not really exist on the earth.In Persian, utopia means “a city we do not know where it is”, since it is taken as an abstract word made and polished in the mind, a place that has not been realized yet.The term ‘utopia’ was first coined in the 16th century and used afterwards. In the following centuries, some antiutopian writers like Huxley arose and some critics such as Pauper appeared to oppose the idea of the “perfect city” to come into come into being or to be true.Utopia and Ideology, which is the manner of thinking about a desirable economic, political system in real life, are in contradiction. Ideology basically explains the existent system but utopia negates such a real physical system.Utopianism has paid much attention to most of human aspects of life such as family relations, possession of things, consumption of goods and food, organization of political life, religious beliefs and others. But many of its plannings are in contradiction with one another since they do not have identical characteristics. However, by studying different utopias, we can come to the conclusion that although, their characteristics seem to be different, some common concepts in utopias link them together. Such common concepts can be named as justice orientation, low-centeredness, general connection, peace seeking, etc…

Utopianism is rooted in human’s perfectionist nature. Many thinkers throughout the history viewed their community from different angles and have developed utopias. Meanwhile, "utopia" of Thomas More is very well known because of its comprehensiveness and is considered the most important utopia after Renaissance. Since the beliefs and knowledge are the main essence of original culture, knowledge structure of More's Utopia is based on humanism, pluralism, rationalism, as well as justice and education. This terrestrial paradise permeated from the human mind will be reviewed in the light of knowledge structure of the utopia attributed to Mahdi.

The Islamic Revolution: The Competition Between the Shah's Utopia and the Revolution's Utopia   Mohammad Samii* Mahmoud Mohammadi**   Revolution can be understood as a competition between utopias that are articulated, on the one hand, by the established ruling order and, on the other, by revolutionary opponents for the masses. In the years leading up to the Islamic Revolution of Iran, the Pahlavi regime portrayed a bright future for Iranians, while revolutionary thinkers likewise articulated visions of the future and constructed their own utopias. In effect, the revolution was a competition between these two sets of utopian visions. This perspective, however, has received relatively little attention in analyses of the Islamic Revolution of Iran. The present study, drawing on Karl Mannheim’s theory of ideology and utopia, examines and compares the utopian visions of the two principal opposing poles in the Islamic Revolution of Iran: Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, representing the ruling establishment, and the theorists of the revolution, namely Imam Khomeini, Morteza Motahhari, and Ali Shariati. The aim of this study is to analyze the role of utopian thought in the formation of the Islamic Revolution and to understand the fundamental differences between these two types of utopias. In this regard, the article seeks to determine how the utopias of these two poles differed from one another and why one proved successful, while the other failed, in attracting the support of the masses. The findings of the study indicate that the utopia articulated by the theorists of the revolution, characterized by elements such as mystery and spirituality, flexibility of expression, revolutionary nature, and a strong capacity for popular mobilization, was able to provide a powerful driving force for the revolution. By contrast, the Shah’s utopia, although based on a modern blueprint and focused on development and the project of the “Great Civilization,” failed to achieve comparable success due to its worldly character, structural limitations, and lack of popular mobilization. This study underscores the importance of paying attention to utopian thought in the analysis of revolutions and demonstrates that differences in the nature and function of utopias can be a determining factor in the success or failure of revolutionary movements.   Keywords: Utopia, Imam Khomeini, Motahari, Shariati, Pahlavi.   Introduction and Statement of the Problem Utopia, in its literal sense, refers to an imaginary city that embodies perfection and beauty and offers human beings a life of happiness and fulfillment. From a sociological perspective, utopia is not merely a literary fantasy, but rather an ideal political society in which its inhabitants exist in a desirable and optimal condition. One of the principal conditions for the emergence of revolutions is precisely the articulation of such a utopia, since every revolution is inherently opposed to the existing order and projects a vision of a desirable future. This characteristic fully corresponds to what is referred to as utopian thought—an outlook that draws nourishment from deep dissatisfaction with the present and depicts human liberation in the future. In the course of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, two rival models of utopia confronted one another. On the one hand, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, particularly in his book Toward the Great Civilization (1977), presented an image of a modern and advanced Iran as the inevitable future of the country. On the other hand, Muslim theorists and opponents of the regime constructed their utopia on the basis of religious values and social justice. The fundamental question of this research is why, despite the fact that both sides—the ruling establishment and the revolutionaries—possessed utopian visions, the utopia of the revolutionaries succeeded in mobilizing the masses, while the Shah’s utopia failed to attract popular support. Through a comparative examination of the views of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Imam Khomeini, Morteza Motahhari, and Ali Shariati, this study seeks to explain the reasons for this success and failure.   Theoretical Framework: The Role of Utopia in Social Movements The theoretical framework of this study is grounded in the relationship between dissatisfaction and change. According to theorists such as Sargent and Mannheim, the first defining feature of utopian works is revulsion toward society and suffering caused by the existing condition. Utopias typically reflect the objective circumstances of each society and articulate the problems of their time. In his book Ideology and Utopia, Karl Mannheim distinguishes between two forms of thought: ideology, which serves to preserve the existing order, and utopia, which functions as a catalyst for change and the improvement of social conditions. Similarly, Melvin Lasky argues in Utopia and Revolution that utopian ideas can become powerful drivers of revolutionary transformation, provided that they resonate with social realities. On this basis, successful revolutionary utopias generally possess four key characteristics: (1) ambiguity and flexibility of expression, which allow different social groups to project their aspirations onto them; (2) a revolutionary and abrupt character, favoring fundamental transformation over gradual reform; (3) a non-governmental origin, emerging from within society rather than from above; and (4) a strong capacity for popular mobilization.   Research Methodology This study employs a qualitative comparative method based on case analysis. Through this approach, the researcher seeks to gain in-depth insight and provide a comprehensive description of social processes. Given the limited number of cases examined (four figures), this method makes it possible to analyze the deeper and often hidden layers of thought. To this end, a ten-dimensional comparative model has been developed, encompassing components such as origin, content, the role of religion, the position of the people, political system, social justice, means of realization, degree of ambiguity, responsiveness to the needs of the time, and mobilization capacity.   Research Findings: Analysis of Competing Utopias 4.1. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s Utopia: The Great Civilization The Shah’s utopia, promoted during the final years of his reign, had a distinctly governmental and top-down origin. He defined his goal as achieving the era of the “Great Civilization,” understood as providing the highest level of material and spiritual life through science and industry. Content and political system: The Shah outlined his ideal system across four domains—political, economic, social, and educational. He emphasized “independent national policy” and the Rastakhiz Party, arguing that Western-style democracy led to fragmentation; therefore, he proposed a single-party model as a form of guided participation. Religion and spirituality: Although the Shah emphasized Islam, he viewed it primarily as an ethical support for material modernization. He spoke of religious faith while simultaneously confronting what he described as “reactionary” forces. Social justice: He conceived justice in terms of the White Revolution, profit-sharing with workers, and land reform. However, due to the authoritarian nature of these measures, they failed to establish an emotional bond with the masses. Means of realization: His approach relied on gradual reform initiated by the state. His utopia lacked ambiguity, and its excessive clarity and focus on technical and administrative details left little room for collective imagination and hope. 4.2. Imam Khomeini’s Utopia: Islamic Government Imam Khomeini’s thought emerged in reaction to the anti-Islamic policies of the Pahlavi regime and the penetration of Western culture. The origin of this utopia was revolutionary and bottom-up. Content: In Kashf al-Asrar, Imam Khomeini described a religious state as a “paradise on earth,” to be established by the clergy. His goal was the implementation of Qur’anic law so that human happiness might be realized. Political system and leadership: He founded his political vision on the principle of velayat-e faqih. In this model, the clergy function as the head in relation to the body of the state. Legislation was viewed as the exclusive right of God, and Western laws were dismissed. The role of the people: Unlike the Shah’s model, Imam Khomeini regarded the people as the primary agents of change, believing that it was the masses who must rise up against unjust governments. Mobilization capacity: By linking sacred concepts with promises of both worldly justice and otherworldly salvation, his utopia generated immense capacity for mass mobilization. 4.3. Morteza Motahhari’s Utopia: Historical Evolution and Mahdist Justice Motahhari viewed utopia through the lens of the philosophy of history and movement toward perfection. He believed that every revolution is rooted in dissatisfaction with the present and aspiration for an ideal condition. Content and justice: Motahhari emphasized the idea of a classless Islamic society—one free of oppression and tyranny, yet based on natural differences in talent. He accepted reciprocal interaction within society. Political system: In his view, the jurist-ruler functions as an ideologue who oversees the correct implementation of ideology, rather than serving merely as an executive authority. He stressed intellectual freedom and open engagement with opposing ideas. Religion and spirituality: Motahhari regarded spirituality as the core of society and warned that without justice and reasonable freedom, the Islamic Republic would fail. His utopia served as a prelude to the Mahdi’s uprising and the final perfection of history. 4.4. Ali Shariati’s Utopia: Ummah and Imamate Shariati viewed human beings as inherently utopia-seeking and considered religion to be fundamentally utopian in nature. He reconstructed Islam as a liberating ideology. Content: His utopia, termed the ummah, was a society founded upon three symbols: the Book (awareness), the Scale (justice), and Iron (power). He sought the realization of spirituality, freedom, and equality. Political system: Shariati identified the organizing principle of the ummah as imamate and emphasized the role of the “responsible intellectual” as the successor to the prophets. He believed the intellectual must guide humanity from what is to what ought to be. Social justice: He strongly opposed exploitation, despotism, and deception, envisioning a classless society in which human values replace material ones. Mobilization capacity: Shariati’s symbolic language and use of figures such as Abu Dharr and Husayn endowed his discourse with exceptional power to mobilize youth and intellectuals against the established order.   Analysis and Discussion: The Confrontation of Two Utopian Logics Comparative analysis reveals several reasons why the Shah’s utopia was rejected while the revolutionaries’ utopia prevailed. First, origin and nature: The Shah’s utopia was top-down and directive, viewing the people merely as executors of orders. In contrast, the revolutionaries’ utopia was bottom-up, emerging from the cultural and historical fabric of society. Second, the role of religion and identity: The Shah treated religion as a decorative supplement to material development, conflicting with the deeply religious identity of Iranian society. Revolutionary leaders, by contrast, placed religion at the core of their utopia. Third, clarity versus inspirational ambiguity: The Shah’s programmatic and technical approach lacked imaginative power, whereas revolutionary utopias were accompanied by a form of sacred ambiguity that enabled diverse groups to project their aspirations onto them. Fourth, justice and the needs of the time: The Shah focused on material development but failed to connect it with spiritual and identity-based needs. Revolutionary thinkers addressed this crisis through a transcendent metaphysical framework. Fifth, opportunity for realization: The Pahlavi regime had decades to implement its vision, whereas the revolutionaries benefited from the “purity of distance” from power, rendering their utopia untested and therefore more appealing.   Conclusion The comparative analysis demonstrates that the success of a utopia in becoming a revolutionary driving force depends on its alignment with the collective imagination of society. The revolutionaries’ utopia, grounded in spirituality, justice, and active participation, succeeded in mobilizing the masses. However, an examination of the decades following the revolution shows that every utopia faces serious challenges at the stage of implementation. The Pahlavi utopia failed due to its authoritarian nature and neglect of national-religious identity. The revolutionary utopia, while highly successful in mobilization and regime change, has encountered difficulties in translating lofty ideals into everyday realities. 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Abstract One of the questions that always arise when studying or teaching political philosophy, especially for beginners or non-professional readers, is what is the use of these apparently impossible ideas? If these utopias are not going to be realized, why are they proposed? In the specialized field, for several decades, utopian thought has been exposed to harsh criticism and people like Karl Popper have considered them as the origin of totalitarianism. However, in recent years, the field of studies related to imagination and utopias has seen expansion and transformation, and efforts have been made to consider their positive and efficient aspects. In this article, using recent studies on imagination and utopian thought, attempts have been made to show that imagination and its main product, utopia, are not only tools of thinking but also an inseparable part of political philosophy itself. Therefore, in the education and training of political philosophy, along with cultivating the philosophical and rational thinking, the faculty of imagination should also be strengthened. The research method applied in this study is analytical-explanatory. Keywords: imagination, utopia, utopian thought, political philosophy, creativity and innovation.   Introduction The teachers of political philosophy are always faced with the questions of students and audience as follows: are such imaginary thoughts and ideas, which are neither possible nor feasible in the outside world, useful? What is their use? In the contemporary era, with the dominance of the attitude of originality of proof and scientism over the fields of human sciences, imagination, and consequently, utopian ideas have flourished, and even some think of the death of philosophy in general, and, political philosophy in particular. In this article, the basic question is, what is the significance of the imagination and design of utopian ideas for political philosophy? And perhaps with more courage, one can ask whether political philosophy is basically possible without using the power of imagination and projecting utopian ideas? In response to these questions, the main idea of the upcoming article is that the power of imagination is one of the most important sources of political philosophizing, and basically, without using this power, not only it is not possible to raise deep philosophical issues, but also it is said that that philosophizing is probably impossible. Imagination through utopian ideas has played an essential role in the formation and deepening of political philosophies. Imagination and utopia as inseparable parts of philosophy and political philosophy, along with thinking, especially rational thinking, are very important. Text In this article, after examining the power of imagination and utopian thought and the possibilities that these two provide, their importance for political philosophy has been examined, which are: 2.1. Creativity and innovation in the production of concepts: the language of political philosophy The creativity and innovation hidden in creativity in political philosophy has led to the production and creation of thousands of political concepts that could not be imagined without imagination and utopian thought. Political philosophy can basically create a new world through the creation of new concepts and words. Our understanding of the world and politics is enriched through these concepts. In this sense, it can be said that without utopian imagination and thought, it would not be possible to produce and create new words and concepts that shape our understanding of the world. 2.2. A different world in political philosophy Political philosophy presents its idea and work by presenting a different picture of the world – a world other than the current world. The task of political philosophy is not only to describe what exists, but also to present what should be (in the maximalist sense of political philosophy) or what is possible (in the minimalist sense of political philosophy). 2.3. Relativize the present As was mentioned, one of the important functions of imagination and utopia is to relativize the present time. From classical political philosophy to contemporary political philosophy, political philosophers have served this relativization of the present by providing alternative images for the political order prevalent in their time. This way of looking at the political order always provides the possibility for the audience to imagine alternatives. 2.4. A different interpretation from the past Basically, political philosophy cannot find a way to the future without interpreting the past. By presenting nightmarish or imaginary images of the past, utopias make it possible to visualize the future. The term "natural state" in the political thought of the parties to the agreement is a narrative from the past to reach the political state in the future. In terms of anthropology, there is no evidence that we can call a period a natural state. However, the members of the social contract had to create the natural situation in the past for the image of the political order they had in the future. 2.5. The principle of change and hope as a substance of political philosophy Political philosophy has accepted the principle of change by portraying an imaginary or nightmarish past as well as criticizing the present and presenting an imaginary picture of the future. Based on the acceptance of the principle of change, human hope to reach a better life and a better situation is smoothed as one of the main functions of imagination and utopia. In the history of political philosophy, we can mention hundreds of examples of change with hope. From Plato's Utopia to Rousseau's political situation, which inspired the French Revolution, to the political philosophy of Marx and Marxism, which led to the Soviet Revolution, to the New Left political philosophers who inspired the events of May 1968 in France. It may not be an exaggeration if we claim that behind each of the great steps that mankind has taken throughout history, we can find a trace of the collaboration of imagination, utopia and political philosophy. Conclusion In the decades after World War II, as a result of the tragedies caused by great ideas such as Marxism in the Soviet Union and fascism in Germany, there was an increasing skepticism towards utopia and of course the role of imagination in philosophy in general, and, political philosophy in particular. However, in the last one or two decades, we have seen a kind of optimistic and cautious return to utopias and to a large extent nightmares in political philosophy. John Rawls reopened the blocked way with his realistic utopia plan. In the last few years, separate groups of studies converged at a point like separate rivers; On the one hand, the power of imagination was placed in the center of attention of psychological and anthropological research and gained special importance and was recognized to a great extent as the power of creativity and innovation. On the other hand, new studies were conducted regarding the role and importance of utopias, and their importance and their constructive role was emphasized, being alert to the lessons from closed and holistic utopias. In this article, with reference to these efforts, a preliminary attempt has been made to show that political philosophy, as a branch of the sturdy tree of philosophy, has been inevitable from the beginning to use the power of imagination, and in a sense, without the power of imagination and Utopian thought not only could not enrich its philosophical language, but also it was not even possible to propose its own ideas. Without the power of imagination, we will never be able to criticize the past and the present, and offering a new plan for the future will be impossible. Therefore, in teaching political philosophy, along with rational philosophy, which is very important in its place, it is necessary to take advantage of the power of imagination and utopia and not to neglect the capacity and creativity of this power.

Utopia or a good-place land (as some writers name it) was used for the first time by Thomas More, famous writer and philosopher of England during 1515 and 1516. It was applied to a society of rational and idealistic system.  Although it was the product of 16th century AD but its origin dates back to 5th century BC.  Plato, the Greek thinker, is the first one who has depicted such a society in his book Republic. What is more notable in Plato's Republic is that he depicts justice as the center of his imaginary society and philosopher as the head of it. After Plato thinkers of different nations have somehow shown their inclination towards this ideal society in their works and given various descriptions of its characteristics. Farabi in his book Ara' Ahl Madina Fadila describes his imaginary and spiritual city emphasizing on philosophical principles and after him, Hakim Sheikh Shahb al-Din Sohrawardi, whose philosophical views are in accordance with Plato's one,  called it no-place land and presented a new image of his desired world.Clear difference between various definitions given by philosophers is the result of their material or spiritual perspective. More's utopia in spite of its religious atmosphere but is ruled by Communistic ideology. Farabi's utopia relying on religious law is mostly painted by philosophy.By studying the works and sayings of the infallible Imams we find out that there is a special kind of utopia in their thoughts which is based on the Quranic and Islamic teachings. This is clearly depicted in Imam's and Hadrat Fatima's supplications, sermons, and words. The author of the present paper tries to describe this ideal society relying on the words of this great lady, peace be upon her.

The main goal of this article is to study how Iranian society crossed from the millennium utopian ideas towards liberal utopian ideas. The ideas which helped form the sociology of the Constitutional Revolution. To this end, we reviewed four types of Karl Mannheim's ideals, which are about the formation of a new utopia from the late middle ages to the new and modern era. The research data was obtained from the Iranian’, s itineraries from their trips to the European countries. The results were analyzed using the phenomenology approach. They indicate that the Qajarid’, s itineraries to Europe have the elements of a new and liberal utopia and played a role opposed ideologically to that era’, s social structures. Such ideas and works could lay a foundation for the new utopia by laying aside the Babieh millennium utopia and introducing the European utopia to the Iranian society. The utopia was based on a new understanding of Iranian society from the progress and development concepts and prepared their sociological and insightful minds for the formation of the Constitutional era.