Explaining the role of religion in the development of rural settlements (Case study: Dastjerd village, Jarghooyeh, Esfahan)

Fasihi, Habibollah

doi:10.22034/gahr.2026.594207.2820

Explaining the role of religion in the development of rural settlements (Case study: Dastjerd village, Jarghooyeh, Esfahan)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Habibollah Fasihi

Department of Geography &amp;amp;amp; Urban Planning, faculty of Geographical Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

10.22034/gahr.2026.594207.2820

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this article is to examine the causes and effects of religious beliefs on the development of the village of Dastjerd, Jarqoye, Isfahan.

Methods: Data and information of physical development were received from the village headman and descriptive statistical analysis was performed for analyzing the data. Also, based on information obtained from in-depth interviews with experts, qualitative analysis were conducted regarding the reasons and contexts of the prominent role of religion in development.

Results: he ratio of religious land use to total land use is 6.8,and, the per capita infrastructure of religious places is an astonishing figure of 66.4 %. The construction, and renovation of religious places and the provision of religious ritual necessities were the factors that have injected monetary capital into the village. Prominent religious scholars have led to a high proportion of residents attending religious school classes, thus, in each period, a high proportion of residents have been in the role of religious leaders. These two issues were influential in deepening religious beliefs. The geographical concentration of the village emigrants in large cities, the establishment of their religious places and institutions, and the occupational unions were also effective in attracting capital to the village.

Conclusions: In small rural settlements, injecting capital for the development and improvement of religious places and the establishment of religious rituals that are carried out according to beliefs is very effective in development. With regard to religious orders, the importance of some other matters that can affect the sustainability of the population and job creation is no less than the development of religious buildings and the holding of religious rituals, and this can be a capacity for comprehensive development, especially for entrepreneurship and poverty reduction, which will lead to the sustainability of the population and the reduction of migration.

Keywords

Religion

Religious place

Rural development

Physical development

Dastajerd

Subjects

human geography

آقاجانبیگلو، عماد (1388). بررسی گورستان از منظرهای متنوع شهرشناسی. اندیشه ایرانشهر، شماره 13، 54-58. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/458882/fa

ازکیا، مصطفی؛ ایمانی، علی (1387). توسعه پایدار روستایی. تهران: انتشارات اطلاعات.

امیرفخریان، مصطفی و معینی، علیرضا (1393). بررسی ارتباط میان قابلیت‌های مذهبی و ماندگاری جمعیت درروستاهای محروم خراسان رضوی. مجله آمایش جغرافیایی فضا، 4(13)، 64-41. https://gps.gu.ac.ir/article_8503_9800aa6dd63426e5155b76b184510f46.pdf?lang=en

باقری زاده ، پیمان (1399). واکاوی نقش نهادهای مذهب‌پایه در توسعه اجتماع محله‌ای؛ نمونه موردی محله ششگلان. فرهنگ معماری و شهرسازی، 5(2)، 49-36. DOI: 10.29252/ciauj.5.2.37

تقوایی، علی اکبر، و معروفی، سکینه. (1389). ارزیابی نقش مساجد در ارتقا کیفیت محیط, مطالعه موردی: مسجد امیر تهران. مدیریت شهری، 8(25)، 219-234. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/92230/fa

جاهد، سارا؛ مختاری القلندیس، فاطمه و فرخی، شهین (1404). نقش مؤلفه‌های مذهبی سبک زندگی در شکل‌گیری فضای زیست روستایی؛ مطالعه موردی: روستای کرگان. مسکن و محیط روستا، 44(189)، 92-81 .https://doi.org/10.22034/44.189.81

حقیر، سعید و شوهانیزاده، یلدا (1390). چگونگی ارتقاء جایگاه گورستانها در جوانب فرهنگی و اجتماعی توسعه پایدار شهری. فصلنامه باغ نظر، شماره 17 : 94-81. https://www.bagh-sj.com/article_122.html

دین‌پرست، ساجده؛ لقمان، فرشاد؛ قادر زاده، ئاشتی (1398). بررسی نقش گردشگری مذهبی در توسعه اقتصادی سکونتگاه های روستایی (مورد مطالعه: امام زاده سید محمد روستای نوجه مهر شهرستان جلفا). جغرافیا و روابط انسانی، 2(3): 137-120. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.26453851.1398.2.3.7.9

رحمانی، جبّار (1401). جایگاه دین روستایی در جامعه‌شناسی روستا: علل بی‌توجهی و پیامدهای آن. مطالعات و تحقیقات اجتماعی در ایران، 1(3)، 105-85. Doi: 10.22059/jisr.2013.36563

زرگر، اکبر (1390). درآمدی بر شناخت معماری روستایی ایران. مؤسسه چاپ و انتشارات دانشگاه تهران.

سروش امامی، تاج‌الدین (1402). تاثیر دین و آموزه های اسلامی در کاهش آسیب های اجتماعی در مناطق روستایی کشور (مطالعه موردی: دهستان قره باشلو شهرستان درگز). جغرافیا و روابط انسانی، 5(4)، 85-70. https://www.gahr.ir/article_169075_8c1276778fb19464d3e9330e54e0b174.pdf

طالب، مهدی و عنبری، موسی (1384). جامعه‌شناسی روستایی. مؤسسه چاپ و انتشارات دانشگاه تهران.

فریدون‌زاده، حسن و تقی‌زاده‌هیر، مهسا (1396). ﻋﻮاﻣﻞ ﻣﺆﺛﺮ در مکان‌گزینی و شکل‌گیری روﺳﺘﺎﻫﺎی تاریخی-مذهبی (مطالعه موردی: روستاهای کزج و کلور خلخال استان اردبیل. مسکن و محیط روستا، شماره 160: 57-45. https://www.ensani.ir/file/download/article/6496e5bbb6231-10684-1400-136.pdf

کنگ، لیلی (1377). نگرشها و دورنماهایی از جغرافیا و مذهب. ترجمه حسین حاتمی‌نژاد. فصلنامه تحقیقات جغرافیایی، شماره49 و 50. https://www.ensani.ir/file/download/article/20120413142749-2166-310.pdf

مرکز آمار ایران (1395). نتایج نهایی سرشماری عمومی نفوس و مسکن شهرستان اصفهان.

میرریاحی، سعید و مجیدی، رومینا (1390). شناخت فرایند شکل گیری کالبد روستای سنگان (شهرستان تهران). مسکن و محیط روستا، 30(134)، 105-119. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/186063/faا

نیک‌خلق، علی‌اکبر (1382). جامعه‌شناسی روستایی.تهران:چاپخش.

وبر، مارکس(1382). دین، قدرت و جامعه. ترجمه احمد تدین. تهران: انتشارات هرمس.

وثوقی، منصور(1373). جامعه‌شناسی روستائی. تهران: انتشارات کیهان.

ودیعی، کاظم (1348). روستاشناسی در ایران. تهران: انتشارات شورای عالی فرهنگ و هنر.

References

Aghajan-Biglo, A. (2009). Studying the cemetery from various perspectives of urbanism. Iranshahr Thought Journal, No. 13, 54-58. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/458882/fa. (in Persian)

Aldashev, G., Platteau, J.P. (2014). Religion, culture, and development. In: Handbook of the economics of art and culture, 2, 587-631. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-53776-8.00021-0. (in Persian)

Amirfakhrian, M., Moeini, A. (2014). Investigating the relationship between religious capabilities and population sustainability in deprived villages of Khorasan Razavi. Journal of Geographical Space Planning, 4(13), 64-41. . (in Persian) https://gps.gu.ac.ir/article_8503_9800aa6dd63426e5155b76b184510f46.pdf?lang=en

Azkia, V., Imani, A. (2008). Sustainable Rural Development. Tehran: Information Publications. (in Persian)

Bagherizadeh, P. (2020). Analyzing the role of religious institutions in the development of neighborhood communities; A case study of Sheshgolan neighborhood. Architecture and Urbanism Culture, 5(2), 36-49. DOI: 10.29252/ciauj.5.2.37. (in Persian)

Basedau, M., Gobien, S., Prediger, S. (2017). The ambivalent role of religion for sustainable development: A review of the empirical evidence. GIGA Working Paper, No.297. German Institute of Global and Area Studies.

Dinparast, S., Loghman, F., Ghaderzadeh, E. (2019). Investigating the role of religious tourism in the economic development of rural settlements (Case study: Imamzadeh Seyyed Mohammad, Nojeh Mehr village, Jolfa city). Geography and Human Relations, 2(3): 137-120. https://dor.isc.ac/dor/20.1001.1.26453851.1398.2.3.7.9. (in Persian)

Fereydounzadeh, H., Taghizadehhir, M. (2017). Factors affecting the location and formation of historical-religious villages (Case study: Kazaj and Kalor villages of Khalkhal, Ardabil province. Housing and Rural Environment, No. 160: 45-57. https://www.ensani.ir/file/download/article/6496e5bbb6231-10684-1400-136.pdf. (in Persian)

Haghir, S., Shohani Zadeh, Y. (2011). How to promote the status of cemeteries in the cultural and social aspects of sustainable urban development. Bagh-e-Nazar Quarterly, No. 17: 81-94. https://www.bagh-sj.com/article_122.html. (in Persian).

Iranian Statistic Center (2026). Final rasults of the 2016 public cencus of population and hosing (Esfahan Township). (in Persian)

Irfan, M., Syauqi Beik, I., Juanda, B., Mulatsih, S. (2023). Quantifying the effect of religion on rural development in Indonesia using the Rural Islamic Religiosity Index: A case study in West Sumatra province. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, 18(10), 3169-3180. https://doi.org/10.18280/ijsdp.181018

Jahed, S., Mokhtari-e-Ghalandis, F., Farrokhi, Sh. (2025). The role of religious components of lifestyle in the formation of rural living space; Case study: Kargan village. Housing and Rural Environment, 44(189), 81-92. https://doi.org/10.22034/44.189.81. (in Persian).

Kong, Lily (1998). Attitudes and perspectives on geography and religion. Translated into Persian by H. Hatami-nejad. Quarterly Journal of Geographical Research, No. 49 and 50. https://www.ensani.ir/file/download/article/20120413142749-2166-310.pdf (in Persian).

Mirriahi, S., Majidi, R. (2020). Understanding the process of formation of the physical structure of Sangan village (Tehran city). Housing and Rural Environment, 30(134), 105-119. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/186063/fa. (in Persian)

Nikkhalk, A. A. (2003). Rural sociology. Tehran: Chapakhsh Publications. (in Persian).

Ogunbode TO, Oyekan FE. (2023). Religious practices and its impacts on a sustainable urban environment in Nigeria: The way forward. ScientificWorldJournal. Nov 29;. doi: 10.1155/2023/8080235.

Ozcan, Y.Z. (1995). Is Islam an obstacle to development? Evidence to the contrary and some methodological considerations. Intellectual Discourse,3(1), 1-22.

Pramanik, A.H. (2002). Islam and development revisited with evidences from Malaysia. Islamic Economic Studies, 10(1): 39-74.

Rahmani, J. (2022). The situation of rural religion in rural cociology: Causes of neglect and its consequences. Social Studies and Research in Iran, 1(3), 105-85. Doi: 10.22059/jisr.2013.36563. (in Persian).

Soroush Emami, T. (2023). The impact of religion and Islamic teachings on reducing social harms in rural areas of the country (Case study: Ghare Bashloo village, Dargaz city). Geography and Human Relations, 5(4), 70-85. https://www.gahr.ir/article_169075_8c1276778fb19464d3e9330e54e0b174.pdf. (in Persian)

Stevens, S. (1998). Sacred and Profaned. Himalayas Natural History. 1(97): 26-35.

Sullivan, L.H. (1998). Moving mountains: the principles and purposes of leon Sullivan. Valley Forge, PA: Judson

Swart, I., Nell, E. (2016). Religion and development: The rise of a bibliography. HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 72(4), 1-27.https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v72i4.3862

Taheri, S.M. (2016). The role of religion in the development of communities: Comparison of Protestantism, Tokugawa and Islam, Kom vol. V (1), 37–55. DoI: 10.5937/kom1601037T.

Taghvaei, A. A., Maarofi, S. (2010). Evaluating the role of mosques in improving environmental quality, case study: Amir Mosque of Tehran. Urban Management, 8(25), 219-234. SID. https://sid.ir/paper/92230/fa. (in Persian).

Taleb, V., Anbari, M. (2015). Rural sociology. Institute of Printing and Publishing, University of Tehran. (in Persian)

Wadiei, K. (1969). Rural studies in Iran. Tehran: Publication of the Supreme Council of Culture and Art. (in Persian).

Weber, M. (2003). Religion, power and society. Translated into Persian by A. Tadyan. Tehran: Hermes Publication.(in Persian).

Wosoughi, M. (1994). Rural sociology. Tehran: Kayhan Publication. (in Persian)

Zargar, A. (2011). An introduction to understanding Iranian rural architecture. University of Tehran Printing and Publishing Institute. (in Persian)