Full Text of the Supreme Leader's Statements in Meeting with Scientific Elites Across the Country

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

First of all, I sincerely and wholeheartedly thank you young people - dear boys and girls - for the effort and seriousness you have shown, which has brought joy to many hearts - including mine - in our country. I felt truly happy reading or hearing each of the news that Dr. Haddad Adel just mentioned - both the winners of the Olympiads, the robotics competition, and the other competitions that have taken place. I usually look at the names and photos of the children who come first in the national exam and truly enjoy the names and faces. Your existence and efforts are a source of happiness for me and millions of others like me in this country, and for this reason, I sincerely thank you. God willing, both you and others will be able to bring this joy and happiness again for the country, the nation, and your admirers.

I also deeply and sincerely thank the dear friends who helped you to strive academically - whether in universities, high schools, or other scientific centers - and supported you, provided you with exercises, teachers, and books, and gave you the opportunity for study and research so that these talents could blossom. A long time passed for talents like yours - perhaps even better than these - to flourish. There was talent in this country; however, the other part of the issue was missing; that is, those who could identify these talents, appreciate them, and set them on the path of effort and work were absent. Therefore, those talents decayed and diminished, rusted, and disappeared; like all good things that, when not reached, will gradually vanish, unless there are extraordinary efforts behind them to bring them to fruition. Thus, the second part of the issue is no less important than the first. If there are no encouragers, appreciators, facilitators, and providers of means for the talented, these talents will be wasted and may fall into the trap of others who are more cunning, which is also a loss.

On this occasion, I want to request from the officials present here and others to whom my message and voice should reach, that this chain of encouragement and provision of facilities must continue. These young people have shown very well that, firstly, they have good talent; secondly, they have determination. What more do we want? There is talent, and there is determination. We must provide the means so that a talented individual can advance academically; so that they can satisfy themselves in research, so that others cannot come and exploit this national asset. In universities, there must be special centers for outstanding talents. Just as we established centers for outstanding high school students, part of the university, part of the research centers, and part of the budget allocated for these activities must be spent to give the distinguished talents the opportunity; because giving them the opportunity, in turn, encourages others; brings them into the field and expands the circle of scientific progress. Those who have outstanding talent, have gone for higher education, and have now returned to the country must be reached. They must be paid attention to; the way must be opened for them, and the means to strengthen others must be provided for them. This is one of the tasks that the dear officials must sit down and plan for. Of course, I have heard that Sharif University of Technology is addressing this issue; however, one university is not enough; all universities must address it. The higher education system must deal with this issue, and this matter must definitely be pursued.

Dear young people! See how important scientific work is; its importance is paramount. If we want dignity, honor, welfare, global power, and scientific advancements for a country, we must enter through science. I do not say that science alone is sufficient for the happiness of a society. We see that there are countries in the world that have science, but are truly not happy and are struggling with many problems. Certainly, science is not only a necessary condition but a very important necessary condition, and it must advance in the country. Therefore, the importance of science is evident. If today a country does not advance scientifically, neither will its economy advance, nor will its global power advance, nor will the lives of its people progress. Ultimately, science must advance in the country; especially since we have backwardness and must strive. Secondly, in our country, there is the potential for scientific advancement in terms of human capabilities. We are above the average level of the world in terms of talent; I say this based on the information of those who have studied, researched, and worked in this field and have seen examples; not based on mental assumptions. This is that the average talent of our country is higher than the average talent of the world. One step higher than this is that our outstanding and brilliant talents, in terms of quantity, are at the level of the quantity of outstanding and brilliant talents in the world. For example, if we assume that in countries with very brilliant talents, one in every ten thousand is brilliant, and the same number in less developed countries is at the level of one in every fifty thousand, our country is among those leading countries; that is, the quantity of people with brilliant talents is at a high level. I want to say there is another point, and that is that our country possesses exceptional talents. Sometimes exceptional talents arise in the world. These famous scientists who have been and are in the world and whose names and effects have remained throughout the centuries are exceptional talents. Our country is one of the advanced countries in terms of possessing exceptional talents. The reason is the great personalities - whether in philosophy or science - like Avicenna, Al-Farabi, Al-Razi, and others of this kind whom you know and have heard their names. Therefore, in this regard, we are not lacking.

Another point in our country that can be considered a positive means is "faith." In recent decades - especially since the nineteenth century - efforts have been made to portray faith as a barrier and hindrance to science and scientific advancement; however, it is exactly the opposite. Scientific advancement requires a kind of faith. A careless, unrestrained, and immoral person who seeks immediate returns and personal gain usually does not pursue difficult scientific research. If faith can govern a person's heart, it will help them pursue the difficult work of scientific research; because scientific research, while sweet, is difficult and has deprivations and problems. You see how much a market speculator earns; however, a scholar is not like that. A scholar may have bitter times, for example, lacking the means of living; but in their heart, they are not willing to exchange their situation for that of a speculator at any price. It is impossible to say, "You give up your knowledge, and take his money." They are not willing to do this; that is, a scholar appreciates knowledge. Therefore, pursuing knowledge requires effort; sometimes it involves deprivation; sometimes it involves problems. If a faith governs a person's heart, it will help them traverse this difficult path.

As much as Europeans are advanced scientifically, they have many morally corrupt individuals - whether in personal ethics, social ethics, or historical ethics. I do not want to say they are all bad; however, there are many bad things among them; including these historical distortions and these great national lies. They have reflected this - of course, it is from the same nineteenth-century thoughts - that as long as both science and religion wanted to be present in society, religion would narrow the space for science and would not allow it; thus, science would stagnate! What is the reason? The reason is the Middle Ages! In the Middle Ages, there was religion among the people, and it was abundant, and it was also fanatical; with all this, science did not progress; however, gradually, from among these difficult rocks of fanaticism and religious belief, scientific veins emerged and narrowed the space for religion - it emerged and became the main actor and pushed religion into isolation - this is the analysis they make. This analysis is a wrong analysis; it is not based on truths and realities. First of all, the Middle Ages they speak of is the Middle Ages of ignorance and misery in Europe, not the period of scientific backwardness everywhere in the world; they generalize Europe. Now, suppose the peak of the Middle Ages and the darkness of the Middle Ages is when? The tenth, eleventh, and twelfth centuries; that is, the fourth, fifth, and sixth centuries of the Islamic calendar; that is, the peak of scientific flourishing in Islamic countries and at the forefront, Iran; that is, the century of the birth and life of Avicenna, Al-Razi, Al-Farabi, and others. All these great personalities are suns that shone from this side of the world.

The fourth century of the Islamic calendar is the peak of the flourishing of Islamic civilization. If you study the book "Islamic Civilization in the Fourth Century," you will see that in the fourth century of the Islamic calendar - that is, the eleventh century of the Christian calendar; that is, the peak of the darkness of ignorance in Europe when there was nothing - the peak of Islamic flourishing relates to Iran. The scholars who are there - except for a very few - are almost all Iranian; while religion and faith in those times in Iran were not less than in Europe, but much more. So, it is not religion that hinders science; there is something else and another identity that hinders scientific advancement. What is that? It is the various ignorances of the people; the superstitions of Christianity at that time. It was never seen in the Islamic period that a scholar was insulted for the crime of knowledge; while in Europe, for the crime of knowledge, one was killed, one was stoned, one was hanged, and many were burned! That is, they generalized what happened there, which was due to the superstitious religion mixed with extreme ignorance of distorted Christianity, to the whole world. What is the sin of Islam? What is the sin of Muslims? What is the sin of Islamic nations?

Religion is supportive and encouraging of science. Those who are great scholars - except for very few cases - are all among the scholars of God. For example, Avicenna, the physician whose book "The Canon" until recently - that is, after a thousand years - was referred to as a source in universities in Europe, is a religious scholar; he is someone who writes in mysticism and also writes in philosophy. Al-Farabi and others were the same. Of course, there are very few cases that were not like this; that is, a scholar of natural sciences was not considered a religious scholar. We have some of this kind; however, they are few. Therefore, science and religion progressed together, and religion has helped science. This is a very important truth that fortunately exists in our country today. Our children are religious and faithful. Now among you, there are those who are familiar with the Quran, and thanks be to God, there are not few. Strengthen this within yourselves. This talent must be placed in the service of the need I mentioned first - that is, the need for science - and this faith must come to help it. Efforts must also be made to ensure that this talent - which is a divine reserve within you - is preserved like all divine deposits. The gratitude for it is that a person uses it correctly in their path. Strive to truly set this for the good of your country, the good of your people, and scientific advancement in the country.

In these last two or three centuries, unfortunately, we have been very backward scientifically. In these last two or three centuries, the greatest sin and fault were committed by the rulers who destroyed the talents. We have examples of this. Of course, until the end of the Safavid period, it was good; perhaps a little after the Safavid period, there were also examples of great scientific advancement and the nurturing of great thoughts, but gradually, it was all destroyed. Firstly, there was no encouragement; there was neither encouragement for the pursuit of knowledge in that sense, nor was there encouragement in the sense of being a user. In these areas, there are many examples that can be raised one by one in various sections. For example, in the field of weapon manufacturing, in the early Qajar period, an artisan created advanced weapons - weapons that were more advanced than anything else in the world at that time; like the weapons of that day - but with certain measures, they destroyed him; they also destroyed his weapon! In another case, there was a geographer and expert on geographical issues during the Qajar period who went to the Khuzestan region and, appropriate to that time, made a very accurate map and compiled all the facilities and works that had been done and those that had not been done and those that needed to be done in a report - this report is still available today - but it was completely ignored! I, on the occasion of the war and after the war, became somewhat familiar with the issues of Khuzestan. When I saw this writing, I thought to myself that if this writing had been acted upon at that time, our Khuzestan would have been a very advanced Khuzestan. He had correctly focused on the needs; he had examined the water of Khuzestan and the lands of Khuzestan. None of these things were given attention. In various sections, there were talented individuals. In the field of industry - of course, science is separate - individuals had advancements; however, they were not given attention; they were disrespected and unappreciated and sometimes interfered with by some of these foreign speculators who thought that if such a commodity were produced here, their trade would be closed! All these factors contributed to this country reaching the state you see today in the last two or three centuries, both scientifically and industrially.

Of course - fortunately - you did not see those days; you see today that thanks be to God, a movement has begun and we have made progress. Those days before the revolution, truly the environment of science, industry, and progress, for anyone who became aware, was tearful. If anyone found themselves with good talent, they saw no choice but to rise and leave! Brain speculators took the brilliant and active minds to their countries and emptied countries like ours of these minds; in fact, they were helped. We have a backwardness that, God willing, you must compensate for; that is, this generation of yours has the burden of this responsibility to compensate. Speed up the movement and continue this scientific work. Now that it has become clear that you have good talent, put it to work. Surely, in the not-too-distant future, its sweet fruits will be seen; both you will see it, and God willing, the country will witness it. We must strive to make the country scientifically independent of others. Of course, science is not something that any country can say, "I am independent of other people;" no. Science is a transaction. If the doors of science are closed in a country for a while and it does not benefit from others, whatever it has in its own talent will be lost; that is, it will be suppressed. Science is one of those subjects that grows through exchange and transaction. Therefore, when I say we should become independent, I do not mean that we should no longer have scientific exchanges with anyone; no. Even at the peak of science, one must give and take - there is no doubt about this - but unfortunately, the current situation of scientifically backward countries is such that their movement is not bilateral; it is unilateral. They only have to beg and ask from them; they give a little and do not give a lot! Today, outstanding and superior knowledge and also outstanding and superior industry are among the facilities that are not made available to many countries. They do not leave their exclusive environments at all and do not allow these countries to use them.

In conclusion, I reiterate what I said at the beginning: the scientific officials in the country must provide the grounds and everyone must help. They must open the paths for outstanding and superior young people; both in mathematics, in natural sciences, in humanities, especially in Persian literature, in religious sciences, in philosophy, and in intellectual issues. In all these fields, we need those with these brilliant talents, God willing, to have the opportunity to advance, which makes the responsibility of the officials heavier. We hope that God will grant you success again and that in global competitions and in scientific fields, your achievements will increase day by day; both you will be happy and you will make us happy.

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