‘Seminaries are in need of clerics to promote Islam with modern methods’

In a ceremony marking the beginning of the new academic year at the Islamic Seminary of Qom, Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi give advice to seminarians at Qom’s famous Madrassah al-Faydhiyah Qom in regard to their duties as scholars.

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi said that scholars should defend the honour of Islam and work to thwart the plots of the enemies, who are seeking to spread sedition among Muslims, from within Islam and also from outside Islam.

In the current era, the most important task for the Islamic is to support culture. He stated that one of the benefits of Islamic Revolution is that that culture has become one of the pillars of the Islamic system of governance. “We must not allow it to decrease its role and status,” he stated.

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi emphasized upon keeping traditional jurisprudence as the basis of seminary studies. He also emphasized that seminarians have an important duty to answer the questions and doubts of the people. He added that it is important to know foreign languages to respond to any questions and doubts, which have increased extensively in the current era.

His Eminence emphasized the need for seminaries to prepare and qualify strong commentators and scholars who can promote Islam through the use of modern methods, including launching websites. He also stressed upon the need to dispatch knowledgeable scholars and clerics to all provinces, cities and villages across the country.

In conclusion, Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi noted that some believe that the Islamic Seminary was established during the period of Shaykh Tusi in Najaf, but in his opinion, verse 122 of Surat at-Tawbah [Chapter if Repentance] proves that the starting point for the establishment of seminaries was during the time of Prophet Muhammad (S), the Imams (A) and the early scholars of Islam, reported Rasa News.