Objective:This article adopts an applied approach with the aim of identifying the content-related and thematic concepts embedded in specialized local publications. Its primary objective is to analyze the content patterns of the religious press during the Qajar period, with particular attention to the extent to which these publications addressed local versus national issues, as well as specialized religious topics.
Method: This study examines and evaluates specialized local press within the thematic framework of religious publications, focusing on three periodicals: "Al-Islam" (Isfahan), "Al-Islam" (Shiraz), and "Al-Din Wal-Hiveh" (Tabriz). The research reconsiders the concepts contained within these sources. To this end, the study employs an analytical-citation method alongside a text analysis approach. By constructing a chain of extracted concepts, the analysis identifies and elaborates upon the principal themes present in these locally published, religiously oriented periodicals.
Results: The findings indicate that key themes and concepts - including religious debates, the status of women in Islam, the hijab in Islam, Islam and progress, the pathology of Islamic societies, new sciences in Islam, novel methods of religious propagation, and the concept of oppression in Islam - constitute among the most significant content elements embedded within the local religious press of the period.
Conclusions: Overall, the local religious publications of the Qajar era can be regarded as relatively successful in terms of journalistic style and thematic specialization. However, in terms of content, they adopted a conservative and cautious approach, drawing upon precise but rigid thematic frameworks. This conservatism ultimately prevented these publications from achieving long-term sustainability and hindered their ability to establish a close and enduring connection with their contemporary readership. Furthermore, a principal shortcoming of these publications lies in their neglect of local issues and the specific concerns of regional communities. The content rarely adopts a genuinely local perspective; at a minimum, one would expect such publications to examine the challenges and harms facing their local communities through a religious lens, or to critically address the community's shortcomings. These expectations remain largely unfulfilled.