Ma`rifat Farhangi Ejtemaei

Humanity is an intrinsically needy entity—indeed, in certain dimensions, the most existentially dependent being in existence; yet this status in no way contradicts its distinguished and singular standing as God’s honored creation (mukarram) and the finest of creatures (makhlūq-i aḥsan). The very exigencies of these needs have impelled human beings to adopt social life—whether through voluntary choice or necessity—for the purpose of their fulfillment, thereby driving them into relentless endeavor and striving. Social institutions, as the preeminent structural component of the social system, have been established for the fulfillment of shared and actualized needs. The formulation and implementation of national development programs by governments are principally directed toward addressing individual and societal needs with greater efficacy. Furthermore, the majority of social movements, uprisings, and revolutions manifest in protest against the modalities of fulfilling material and spiritual needs. Human needs exhibit a profound multiplicity and diversity across various perspectives. Moreover, contingent upon existential and intrinsic attributes as well as practical exigencies and imperatives pertaining to the sphere of gratification, these needs have drawn the theoretical engagement of numerous epistemic domains. This study aims to scrutinize the literature on human needs across various approaches, while elucidating the diverse modalities of engagement between religious and Islamic-oriented social science and this focal issue, alongside its distinguishing features from alternative paradigms. The methodology of this study in data collection—identifying, inferring, and extracting relevant themes from anthropological perspectives and positions within scientific and theological sources—is documentary (card-indexing), and in the analysis of findings, it relies on understanding, explanation, interpretation, and critical evaluation.