ركائز صناعة الدين : دراسة مقارنة في محاولات تحريف الأديان السماوية

The Foundations of Religious Construction: A Comparative Study of Attempts to Distort the Revealed Religions

Abstract

This paper examines the phenomenon of religious construction and transformation as an intellectual and theological process through which original revealed religions are reinterpreted and reshaped into new doctrinal systems. The study investigates the foundational mechanisms and methodologies employed by religious reformulators to alter the essential teachings of revealed faiths and establish alternative theological frameworks. To achieve this objective, the paper adopts a comparative analytical approach through the examination of two distinct models: Twelver Shi‘ism and Pauline Christianity, while taking into consideration the unique characteristics and historical contexts of each case. The study demonstrates that Christianity in its Pauline formulation differs fundamentally from the original teachings of Jesus Christ in matters related to monotheism, prophethood, the purpose of human existence, and religious rituals. Likewise, the image of Islam constructed within the Twelver Shi‘ite framework is shown to differ significantly from the Islam presented in the The Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad.

The paper further identifies several major foundations upon which the process of religious transformation and distortion is based. Among the most significant are the claim of the continuity of revelation, the undermining of original doctrinal foundations, the adoption of esotericism and secrecy, the transformation of historical grievances into central theological narratives, and the institutionalization of new rituals and forms of worship. The study concludes that these mechanisms collectively contribute to the reconstruction of religious identity and the emergence of doctrinal systems that diverge substantially from their original revealed sources.