Proposing a Fiṭrah-Based Agency: Transcending the Structure-Agency Dualism in the Thought of Martyr Morteza Motahhari

The purpose of this research is to elucidate the origin and truth of human agency in relation to the constitutive forces of social order and to provide a stable foundation for critical action. Conventional sociological approaches, ranging from structural determinism to synthetic theories, predominantly fail in justifying the resistance of agency due to the lack of an extra-social ontological fulcrum. Hence, the present research, by extracting and formulating the theory of "Fiṭrah-based agency" from the intellectual system of Martyr Morteza Motahhari, seeks to present an alternative theoretical framework to overcome this impasse. The main problem is how the theory of "Fiṭrah-based agency" in Motahhari's thought can respond to the explanatory vacuum and the "problem of criterion" in prevalent sociological theories by providing an independent and ontological criterion source for the actor? In other words, how does this theory resist social reductionism and construct a stable model for transformative critical action against dominant structures? The method of this research is based on "conceptual reconstruction." In this analytical approach, the fundamental concepts of Motahhari's anthropology (especially the tripartite conceptual field of instinct, habit, and Fiṭrah) are actively reread to solve a long-standing dilemma in theoretical sociology. In this process, Motahhari's thought is extracted as the foundation of an analytical model and reformulated in critical relation to the challenges of contemporary theories (such as the views of Durkheim, Parsons, and critical theory). The findings demonstrate that in this model, "Fiṭrah" is not merely a psychological inclination, but rather a constant ontological principle that embeds the independent source of critique within the human being prior to any social construct. Unlike instinct and habit, Fiṭrah is a specifically human nature oriented towards transcendent values. In this approach, structures are not neutral and are evaluated within the dualism of truth (Ḥaqq) and falsehood (Bāṭil). The opposition between the primary nature (authentic Fiṭrah with an inclination towards truth and justice) and the secondary nature (acquired dispositions (Malakāt) from social structures) transfers the agency-structure conflict to an "internal ontological contradiction" within the human agent, which provides the possibility of logical independence and fundamental resistance. The Fiṭrah-based framework opens an alternative path to overcome the impasses of structural determinism and groundless voluntarism. This model demonstrates that agency is a force that does not derive its authenticity and criterion from society, but rather seeks assistance from Fiṭrah. By distinguishing the authentic and trans-historical matter from accidental and historical manifestations, this approach establishes an action theory based on authenticity, individual responsibility, and evolutionary hope, which possesses a high capacity for critiquing structures of domination.