On Religion:
Kasravi believed that religion should be compatible with reason (kherad).
Kasravi believed that progress, or advance, in the world occurs in two areas: Science and the way of life (or religion), and that the two should keep up together if the world is to see peace and contentment. In recent centuries, advances have occurred in the sciences, "which have broken down the religions but have not eliminated them. They have weakened them, but have not put them completely out of commission." so, it was time for advances in the realms of religion to bring it up to par with science.
"Religion," he once said, "is a tree whose root is human perception [daryaft-e adami], and its fruit, the salvation and contentment of the people of the world." And in a conversation with a person interested in science, he said, "religion is the language of nature. This sentence means that religion is those truths that are gained from this world itself…,"just as Galileo, Copernicus, Newton and others made their discoveries from observing the world itself, he mentions by way of example. "The same is true of religion. Religion (in its higher meaning) is truths gained from the world itself with the help of thinking and reason [kherad]. The founder of a religion takes what he says from this world itself; his reasons are also from this world itself. This is what we mean when we say: religion is the language of nature."
On God And Prophethood:
Furthermore, his comments on God are always brief and uncomplicated. There were certain things, he believed, on which we cannot advance beyond a certain point in our thinking; and if we try, we will bang our heads into a wall. God is one such thing.
A prophet, to him, is a person – very rare in history – who appears from time to time, to provide guidance in social behavior, that is, "a way of life." He is a human being, and accomplishes his task through human means, by using reason. He is not divine; and cannot perform supernatural feats – nor does he need to. Except in his task of guidance, for which he is the best equipped person of his time.
Another comment which throws even greater light on his concept of prophethood, and of the kind of person, in general, who might fit it refers to "those who always mention philosophers along with prophets, everywhere bringing their names in tandem with the prophets. Sometimes they quote the prophet of Islam as having said of Aristotle: "He was a prophet, but the Greeks did not realize it."
"This is another example that they do not know the meaning of prophethood, and have no idea of the task that a prophet should perform. If they had given this status to Solon, Lycurgus, Socrates and Voltaire, and other such sages, it would not have been much objectionable. For these people have at least taken some steps toward the truth, and each of them has taught people something. But Plato, Aristotle, Molla Sadra, Haji Molla Hadi (both Moslem philosophers), and the like have done no more than opening an endless desert of idle imagination in which they got lost themselves and cause millions of other to get lost…"
Kasravi believed in revelation. However, while revelation is commonly considered as proof of the truth of a religion, in its entirety and in specifics, for him, it refers to motivation, to a driving force impelling its receiver to action.
On The Word "Religion":
Some people asked Kasravi why he used the word "religion" to designate his teachings. He said, on one occasion, that the purpose of his efforts was to see "Iranians rid themselves of ignorant beliefs and of the divisiveness which afflicted them;" to see "Easterners saved from this backwardness and inferiority, and attain a free life;" and to see everyone, "Eastern or Western, abandon the conflicts and quarrels that exist and to embark on a rational path. …If we say ‘religion’, these are what we mean." However, "we are not interested in names. If the name of religion has become degraded, you can call it whatever you want." In another conversation he said, "we do not insist on giving our efforts and our way (rah) the name of ‘religion.’ We are more interested in results than in nomenclature. We are explaining certain truths and opening a high road for the life of the people of the world which can be called the ‘high-road to salvation,’ or ‘clean life’, or ‘creed of reason,’ or some such thing. If it is the name that drives scientists away, the solution is very easy." He then explains why he had been using the term "religion." First, in Iran most objectionable beliefs and practices existed in the name of religion, as did the factionalism in society. Nothing positive could be achieved until those problems were cleared up: "Until a pool is cleaned from quagmire, adding clean water will do no good." When there are so many differences and misconceptions on something, resolving the matter requires "clarifying things and extricating the truth." Secondly, he said, despite the present state of the various religions, their founders had been after the same things he was advocating. He cites Jesus as an example, saying that it is clear even from the Gospels, compiled sometime after his death, that "Christ’s objective was to make people do good things, encourage them to cooperate with each other, and kill their terrible egoism."
Some people feel that Kasravi was too pre-occupied with religion. Indeed, his writings on religion, both in volume and in the amount of detail, used more of his time and energy than those on any other subject (with Persian poetry a distinct second). But his reasons were not theological, nor even general intellectual. Even this brief essay makes this clear. But, for his broad purpose, he had no choice, or so he felt: "Our task is not just to put religion in order. But until we put that in order, we cannot do anything else."
On Claims Of Prophethood:
At some point, rumors started to the effect that Kasravi claimed to be a prophet – a very serious accusation in a primarily Moslem country. At first, he ignored the accusation. Later, he asked the accusers where he had made such a claim, indicating, in the process, that he questioned the popular notion about prophethood (angels, miracles, etc.), as we have seen.
Actually, Kasravi did not claim (or accept) any special privileges for himself. Once when someone suggested that he call himself a mosleh (‘reformer’) he said: "I need no name…You have made religion a game, and have set these formalities for it. There is no need for these kinds of things…"
In fact, even before the question of prophethood came up, Kasravi expressed a dislike for titles or title-like phrases so common in Iran. In later years, he asked those sending articles for his daily Parcham (and by extension others) "to write my name just ‘Kasravi.’ The title ‘philosopher’ or ‘great learned man’ and the like, will not be a cause of pride for me. So far, my comrades have not given me a name, and I like my own name more than others." The question more or less resolved itself, however.
The members of his movement spontaneously began to address him in letters, and to refer to him among themselves, as Rahnema, literally someone or something that shows ‘a (or the) way.’ It translates ‘guide’ in English, used to mean ‘guide, guidebook, tour guide, telephone directory, traffic light, dissertation supervisor,’ etc. It can also refer, as a general non-technical word, to intellectual and spiritual guides of mankind, such as philosophers, religious thinkers, etc., without specifically religious connotations. Against this background Kasravi, in a lecture on November 22, 1943, once again referring to the accusation that he claimed to be a prophet concluded his remarks as follows: "I loathe the name peyghambar [prophet]. This word was wrong to begin with, and people’s understanding of its meaning is even more wrong. If I must have a name, I would choose the word ‘rahnema’’, which my comrades have been using for a long time. No one should call me by any other name." I am inclined to think that an important reason for making this decision and announcing it publicly was to forestall other people’s using the word peyghamber to refer to him. (Given the conditions in Iran, even some of his supporters might have used it, especially after his death.)
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