Message to the First Scientific Congress on the Encyclopedia of Islamic Jurisprudence

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The first specialized scientific gathering on the Encyclopedia of Jurisprudence heralds a blessed transformation in the seminary of Qom, occurring with a steady and uninterrupted pace. The writing of the Encyclopedia of Jurisprudence according to the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) is a novel endeavor, relying on foundations and tools that are new to our seminaries. When this work emerges with such maturity, stability, and comprehensiveness, it leads the observer to an optimistic judgment. Islamic jurisprudence encompasses a complete set of discussions that today are referred to as 'law' and includes diverse fields that collectively regulate the relationships among individuals in human society and cover the various governing systems and regulations of human life. Additionally, jurisprudence defines the relationship between humans and God through firm and detailed rulings, which the science of law is unfamiliar with, making Islamic jurisprudence much broader than conventional global law. Among the various Islamic schools of jurisprudence, the Imami jurisprudence, derived from the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), possesses a valuable treasure and a deep sea of research and derivation, unmatched by other Islamic schools, granting Shia jurisprudence extraordinary and unparalleled richness. From the inception of detailed and reasoned jurisprudence in Shia Islam in the fourth century AH to today, this religious science has expanded and improved in quality, gradually adopting a precise and solid method of deduction known as 'fiqh,' with the science of the principles of jurisprudence responsible for compiling and solidifying its components and principles. In this field, the successful efforts and diligent struggles of thousands of prominent Shia jurists, among whom are hundreds of renowned authors and dozens of innovative jurists, present us with a vast and growing thousand-year movement with astonishing results. This rich and rare treasure is now available to prominent Shia jurists and, to some extent, to devout individuals. However, honoring this spiritual wealth imposes three major duties on all enthusiasts and specialists in Imami jurisprudence: introduction, utilization, and completion. The first two duties pertain to the past and present, while the third duty pertains to the future.

It is appropriate to briefly discuss each of these three:

1- Introduction: Shia jurisprudence is unknown in the knowledge of non-Muslims about Islamic jurisprudence, often absent in the reasoned jurisprudential books compiled by non-Shia, and its opinions are often overlooked and neglected in global and even Islamic encyclopedias, often placed alongside the opinions of neglected jurisprudential schools. This is a great injustice to a science of such breadth, depth, and advancement, which perhaps no single Islamic school possesses with these three characteristics, and to those who wish to benefit from it. Introducing this jurisprudence and bringing it into global collections, the jurisprudential books of other Islamic schools, and the legal studies of global scientific centers is a service to science and scholars, and this task must be done in a correct and logical manner.

2- Utilization: Except in personal status and matters related to individual Muslims, Islamic jurisprudence, including Shia jurisprudence, has not been utilized for centuries. After the establishment of the Islamic Republic, Shia jurisprudence is entirely subject to the practice of Iranian society, and consequently, in harmony with the global trend of nations towards Islam, the jurisprudence of other schools has also approached legislation in some countries.

Despite this, the immense potential of jurisprudence in resolving life's challenges and addressing the blind spots in Islamic individual and societal relations has not been fully utilized or recognized. The daily phenomena of life, when seeking inquiry and consultation from Islamic jurisprudence, should naturally receive a convincing response and a reasoned ruling. Moreover, today's jurisprudence, characterized by complexity in reasoning and subtlety with firmness, can contribute to the completion and advancement of legal science and open new paths for researchers in global legal centers.

3- Completion: With human technical, industrial, and scientific progress affecting all aspects of life and accelerating the pace of new events and phenomena compared to the past, the number of subjects requiring jurisprudential response and for which jurisprudence must provide a religious ruling has increased proportionally. Undoubtedly, the sources of jurisprudence and the method of jurisprudence are sufficient to understand the ruling of these subjects, but understanding their subject matter and conducting the necessary research and precision to apply the subject to general jurisprudential titles and appropriate reasoning is an important task and a long path. Additionally, there may be subjects that have been addressed in jurisprudence and their ruling is clear, but today, the subject has evolved to the extent that it is not easily possible to determine its ruling from what was said in the past. In such cases, contemporary jurists must, with insight, scientific mastery, adherence to the method of jurisprudence on one hand, and open-mindedness and scientific courage on the other, discover new concepts in jurisprudence and present new rulings based on the Quran and Sunnah. This is the completion of jurisprudence. Furthermore, using modern styles in compiling and writing general and specialized jurisprudential books and treatises, employing new technical and scientific research methods, and even using advanced scientific discussion methods and tools that today play an effective role in facilitating scientific work, all contribute to the duty of completing jurisprudence.

What must be explicitly announced is that the compilation of the Encyclopedia of Jurisprudence according to the Imami school is a significant and highly effective action concerning all three aforementioned duties. This extensive and valuable project can simultaneously serve the introduction of Shia jurisprudence, its scientific and practical utilization, and ultimately its completion and expansion.

I thank the Wise and All-Knowing God for granting this success to the scientific and jurisprudential community, and thanks be to God, the seminary of Qom has, for the first time, prepared the groundwork for such a grand undertaking.

I consider it my duty to express appreciation and gratitude to all the esteemed scholars and distinguished individuals involved in this great project, who have girded themselves with determination to accomplish this task. Especially to the esteemed jurist and great scholar, Hujjat al-Islam wal-Muslimin Mr. Haj Sayyid Mahmoud Hashemi (may his blessings continue), whose vast knowledge, progressive thinking, high ambition, and working ability have brought my heartfelt wish into the realm of realization, and the brilliant start of this work has revived other hopes. I hope that his and his colleagues' tireless efforts will be rewarded and approved by the Almighty Lord and favored by His Eminence, the Awaited Savior (may our souls be sacrificed for him).

Peace be upon you all and God's mercy and blessings

Seyyed Ali Khamenei

14/11/72