Message to the Conference on the One-Hundredth Anniversary of the Establishment of the Qom Seminary

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and the best prayers and peace be upon our master Muhammad the Chosen and his pure family, especially the Awaited One among the worlds.

The Qom Seminary; a unique phenomenon amidst catastrophic events The emergence of the blessed Qom Seminary at the dawn of the fourteenth solar century was a unique phenomenon that occurred amidst significant and catastrophic events; events that had darkened the atmosphere of the West Asian region and thrown the lives of its nations into turmoil and devastation.

Colonial governments; the source of widespread suffering in the West Asian region The source and cause of this widespread and prolonged suffering were the interventions of colonial powers and the victors of World War I, who used all means to seize and dominate this sensitive geography rich in underground resources, employing military force, political scheming, bribery, and the recruitment of internal traitors, as well as propaganda and cultural tools, and any other possible means to achieve their goals. In Iraq, they brought an English government to power and then a puppet monarchy; in the Levant, both England and France expanded their colonial interventions by establishing a sectarian system in one part and a puppet government in another, imposing oppression and pressure on the people, especially Muslims and religious scholars throughout the region; in Iran, they gradually elevated a ruthless, greedy, and characterless Cossack to the premiership and then to kingship; in Palestine, they began the gradual relocation of Zionist agents and armed them, quietly preparing the ground for the creation of a cancerous tumor in the heart of the Islamic world. Wherever there was resistance against their step-by-step plans, they suppressed it, and in some cities like Najaf, they resorted to the mass arrest of scholars and even the humiliating exile of great authorities like Mirza Naini and Seyyed Abul Hasan Isfahani and Sheikh Mahdi Khalisi, and launched house-to-house searches to arrest the Mojahedin. The nations were terrified and bewildered, and the horizons were dark and despairing. In Iran, the Mojahedin of Gilan, Tabriz, and Mashhad were slaughtered, and the agents of treacherous contracts were placed at the helm of affairs.

The Qom Seminary; a blessed sapling in an inhospitable time Amidst such bitter events and such a dark night, the star of Qom rose. The hand of divine power raised a great, pious, and experienced jurist to revive the dormant and closed seminary by migrating to Qom, planting a fresh and blessed sapling in the rocky soil of that inhospitable time, adjacent to the shrine of the pure daughter of Imam Musa ibn Ja'far (peace be upon him) and in that fertile land.

The art of establishing the Qom Seminary by Ayatollah Haeri, relying on past experiences At the time of Ayatollah Haeri's arrival, Qom was not devoid of great scholars; prominent figures such as Ayatollah Mirza Muhammad Arbab and Sheikh Abul Qasim Kabir and several others lived in this city, but the great art of establishing a seminary, that is, a nurturing ground for knowledge, scholars, and religion, with all its subtleties and strategies, could only be realized by a character like Ayatollah Haj Sheikh Abdul Karim Haeri (may his rank be elevated in paradise). His eight-year experience in establishing and managing a flourishing seminary in Arak, and years before that, his close association with the great Shia leader, Mirza Shirazi in Samarra, and observing his strategies in establishing and managing the seminary of that city guided him; and his insight, courage, motivation, and hope propelled him forward on this difficult path.

The persistence and growth of the Qom Seminary through the steadfastness of Ayatollah Haeri In its early years, the seminary survived the sharp sword of Reza Khan, who showed no mercy in eradicating the signs and foundations of religion, thanks to his sincere and trusting persistence; the wicked oppressor was destroyed, and the seminary that had long been under his maximum pressure survived and grew; and from it, a sun like Ruhollah emerged. The seminary, where once its students sought refuge in the corners outside the city at dawn to protect their lives and engaged in study and discussion, returning to dark rooms in schools at night, became a center that sent the flames of struggle against the wicked Pahlavi dynasty throughout Iran, igniting the hearts of the depressed and hopeless and drawing isolated youth into the midst of the battlefield.

The blessings of the Qom Seminary from reaching the scientific peak to establishing the Islamic Republic And it was this seminary that, shortly after the passing of its founder, with the arrival of the great authority, Ayatollah Borujerdi, became the scientific, research, and propagandistic peak of Shia Islam throughout the world. Ultimately, it was this seminary that, in less than six decades, reached such a level of spiritual power and popular standing that it was able to uproot the treacherous, corrupt, and sinful monarchy at the hands of the people and, after centuries, establish Islam in the position of political governance of a great and cultured country endowed with all kinds of talents. The graduates of this blessed seminary made Iran a model of Islamic aspiration in the Islamic world, indeed a pioneer of religiosity throughout the world; with his prophetic address, blood triumphed over the sword; with his strategy, the Islamic Republic was born; with his courage and trust, the Iranian nation stood firm against threats and overcame many; and today, with his teachings and legacies, the country is overcoming obstacles in many aspects of life and moving forward. May God's mercy and pleasure be upon the founder of this blessed and magnificent seminary and this fruitful and pure tree; a noble, knowledgeable, and blessed man, a scholar of religion adorned with the tranquility of certainty, the late Ayatollah Al-Uzma Haj Sheikh Abdul Karim Haeri.

The path to a leading and outstanding seminary Now it is necessary to speak about several topics that are believed to be relevant to the present and future of the seminary, hoping that they will assist the current successful seminary in its journey towards becoming a "leading and outstanding" institution.

The components and functions of the title "Seminary" The first topic is the title "Seminary" and its profound content. The prevailing literature on this subject is short and inadequate. Contrary to what this literature suggests, the seminary is not merely an institution for teaching and learning; rather, it is a collection of knowledge, education, and social and political functions. The various dimensions of this meaningful term can primarily be listed as follows: 1. A scientific center with specific specializations; 2. A center for training refined and effective forces for the religious and moral guidance of society; 3. The frontline in confronting the threats of enemies in various arenas; 4. A center for producing and elucidating Islamic thought regarding social systems; from the political system and its form and content to the systems related to the administration of the country, and to the family system and personal relationships, based on Islamic jurisprudence, philosophy, and the value system of Islam; 5. A center and perhaps the pinnacle of civilizational innovations and necessary foresight within the framework of the global message of Islam. These headings define the term "Seminary" and indicate its components and, in a sense, the "expectations" from it; and it is these that efforts to strengthen and advance them can truly make the seminary "leading and outstanding" and remedy the potential challenges and threats ahead.

Regarding each of these headings, there are realities and also opinions that can be briefly stated as follows: First - Scientific center: The Qom Seminary is the heir to the vast scientific capital of Shia Islam. This unique treasure is the product of the intellectual endeavors and research of thousands of religious scholars in fields such as jurisprudence, theology, philosophy, exegesis, and hadith over a millennium. Until the discoveries of natural sciences in recent centuries, Shia seminaries were considered a domain for engaging in other sciences as well; but throughout all eras, the main focus of discussion and research in seminaries has been "jurisprudence" and, after that, with a gap, "theology, philosophy, and hadith." The gradual advancement of jurisprudence over this long period, from the time of Sheikh Tusi to the era of Muhaqqiq Hilli, and from there to Shahid, and from there to Muhaqqiq Ardabili, and from there to Sheikh Ansari and to the present day, is palpable for experts. The criterion for the advancement of jurisprudence is the addition to existing knowledge, that is, the production of valuable scientific outputs and the elevation of the level of knowledge and new findings; but today, in light of the rapid and intense intellectual and practical transformations in contemporary times, especially in the last century, expectations for the advancement of the seminary must be considered beyond this.

The duties of jurisprudence regarding contemporary issues Regarding jurisprudence, the following points are noteworthy: Firstly, jurisprudence is the religion's response to the practical needs of individuals and society. With the evolved rationality of generations, this responsiveness must today be more intellectually and scientifically grounded and at the same time comprehensible and digestible than ever before. Furthermore, the complex and numerous phenomena in people's lives today raise unprecedented questions that contemporary jurisprudence must be prepared to answer. Moreover, today, with the establishment of the Islamic political system, the main question is how the overarching view of the legislator relates to the individual and social dimensions of human life and its foundational principles; from the view of humanity and the human position and the goals of life, to the view of the ideal human society, and the view of politics, power, social relations, family, gender, justice, and other dimensions of life. The jurist's ruling on any issue must reflect a part of this overarching view.

The requirements for the jurist to respond to today's needs and points regarding the current working method of the seminary An important requirement for achieving these characteristics is, firstly, the jurist's familiarity with all dimensions and religious knowledge in all fields, and secondly, an appropriate familiarity with today's human findings in the fields of human sciences and knowledge related to human life. It must be accepted that the accumulated reserve of knowledge in the seminary has the capacity to elevate students to this level of scientific ability, provided that certain points in the current working method are viewed with open eyes and addressed with capable hands. One of these points is the lengthy duration of study. The period of text-reading for students passes in a question-provoking manner; students are compelled to learn the thick and scholarly book of a great scholar as a textbook. This book is actually related to the time they enter the stage of ijtihad research, and assigning it to them before this stage only prolongs the time of text-reading. The textbook should contain material and language suitable for students during the limited period before entering the research stage. The successful or unsuccessful efforts of great figures such as Akhund Khorasani, Haj Sheikh Abdul Karim Haeri, and Haj Seyyed Sadr al-Din Sadr to replace books like Qavanin and Resaleh and Fusus with Kifayah and Durar al-Fawaid and Khulasah al-Fusul were based on this important necessity. Although they lived in a time when students were not faced with the overwhelming influx of mental imports and practical obligations as today. Another point is the issue of jurisprudential priorities. Today, with the establishment of the Islamic system and the emergence of governance in the Islamic manner, important issues have gained priority for the seminary that were not previously raised; issues such as the relationship between the government and its people and with other governments and nations, the issue of negation of the way, the economic system and its foundational principles, the foundational principles of the Islamic system, the source of governance from the Islamic perspective, the role of the people in it, and positioning in important issues and against the system of domination, the concept and content of justice, and dozens of other fundamental and sometimes vital issues are priorities for today and tomorrow's country awaiting jurisprudential responses. (Some of them also have theological aspects that should be discussed in their own place.) In the current working method of the seminary, in the jurisprudential section, there is insufficient attention to these priorities. Sometimes we see that certain scientific skills, which generally have an ancillary and preliminary nature for reaching the ruling of Sharia, or some jurisprudential or foundational topics outside of priorities, entice the jurist and researcher with their sweet allure, so much so that they completely divert their mind from those main and priority issues, sacrificing irreplaceable opportunities and human and financial resources without contributing to elucidating the Islamic lifestyle and guiding society in the face of the onslaught of disbelief. If the goal of scientific work is to display knowledge and the worldly fame of scientific merit and to compete in being knowledgeable, it will be a manifestation of materialistic and worldly action and "he has taken his desire as his god."

Second - Training refined and effective forces The seminary is an outward-looking institution. The output of the seminary at all levels serves the thought and culture of society and humanity. The seminary is obliged to "convey the clear message." The scope of this message is vast, ranging from the lofty teachings of monotheism to personal religious duties, and from elucidating the Islamic system and its structure and duties to lifestyle and environmental issues and support for nature and animals, and many other aspects and dimensions of human life. Seminaries have long engaged in this heavy duty, and many graduates have turned to various methods of propagating religion and spent their lives in it. After the revolution, institutions were established to organize and sometimes strengthen the content of these propagative movements in the seminary. Their valuable services and those of other professionals in the field of religious propagation should not be overlooked. What is important is familiarity with the intellectual and cultural atmosphere of society and creating a balance between the propagative outputs and the intellectual and cultural realities among the people, especially the youth. In this regard, the seminary is facing challenges. These hundreds of articles, magazines, and speeches in assemblies and on television, etc., cannot fulfill the duty of conveying the clear message as needed and deserved.

The need for religious propagators to learn content and methods of propagation Two key elements are missing in this section of the seminary: "education" and "refinement." Delivering a message that is up-to-date, fills gaps, and fulfills the goals of religion is certainly in need of training and learning. An apparatus must be responsible for this mission, teaching the ability to persuade, familiarity with dialogue methods, awareness of how to interact with public opinion and the media and virtual space, and discipline in dealing with opposing elements to students, preparing them for entry into this field through practice and training in a limited period. On the one hand, using modern technical tools, the latest and most prevalent misconceptions and moral pitfalls should be gathered, and the best, most resonant, and strongest responses should be provided in a manner suitable for the time, and on the other hand, the most necessary religious knowledge suitable for the cultural and intellectual conditions of today should be compiled into appropriate packages of thought and culture for the youth and families. This structural and content-related collection is the most important subject of education in this section.

Cultivating cultural warriors in the field of propagation In the field of propagation, a proactive and even offensive position is more important than a defensive one. What has been said about repelling and removing doubts and misconceptions should not distract the propagation apparatus from attacking the established norms of the prevailing deviant culture in the world and sometimes in our country. The imposed and propagandized culture of the West is rapidly deviating and declining; the philosophical and theological seminary does not suffice with mere defense against doubts but creates intellectual challenges in response to this deviation and misguidance, forcing the misleading claimants to respond. Preparing this educational apparatus is among the priorities of the seminary; this is the cultivation of "cultural warriors," and given the active movements of the enemies of religion who are earnestly engaged in building forces, especially in some important areas, it should be taken very seriously and accelerated.

Attention of religious propagators to self-refinement Refinement is another necessity alongside education. Refinement does not mean isolation. A significant part of the activities of cultural warriors involves inviting to self-refinement and Islamic ethics, and this is ineffective and unblessed without the inviter possessing what they invite others to. The seminary needs more movement than ever in emphasizing ethical recommendations. You young students and scholars can certainly fulfill the moral refinement duty of today's youth with your pure and untainted hearts and sincere tongues, provided that you start with yourselves first. Sincerity in action and closing the door to the temptations of wealth, fame, and status is the key to entering the delightful realm of spirituality and truth; and thus, the difficult task of cultural struggle will become a sweet duty and an impactful movement. The hardships of seminary life, in such a situation, will transform from an obstacle to a means for strong will and resolute determination. I emphasize that the field of religious propagation should never be viewed as an unchallenged arena, and one should never neglect confronting the ambiguities and fallacies that are continuously presented. In this section, alongside training forces for conveying the clear message, attention should also be given to training forces for specific duties in the system and administration of the country, as well as training forces for organizing the internal affairs of the seminary and fulfilling its duties, which requires separate discussion.

Third - The frontline in confronting the threats of enemies in various arenas This is one of the least known dimensions of seminaries and the functions of the collective of religious scholars. Undoubtedly, no reformist or revolutionary movement in the last 150 years in Iran and Iraq can be found that was not led by religious scholars or did not have their presence at the forefront. This is a significant indication of the nature of seminaries. Throughout this period, in all instances of colonial and tyrannical domination, it was only the religious scholars who initially entered the field and, in many cases, thanks to the support of the people, were able to thwart the enemy. No one else had the courage to speak up or understood the issue correctly, and it was after the cries of the scholars that perhaps others raised their voices. Kasravi, who is considered a staunch opponent of religious scholars, admits that the beginning of the constitutional movement arose from the wise cooperation of two Seyyids, Behbahani and Tabatabai. Indeed, in those days when the giant of tyranny was waving its flag in Iran, no one but the authorities and scholars had the courage to speak up. The disgraceful contracts during this period were annulled due to the opposition and resistance of the scholars; the Reuter contract was prevented by Haj Mulla Ali Kani, the great scholar of Tehran; the tobacco contract was annulled by the ruling of Mirza Shirazi, the highest authority, along with the cooperation of the great scholars of Iran; the Vosoogh al-Dowleh contract was exposed by Modarres; the struggle against foreign textiles was initiated by Aqa Najafi Isfahani with the support of the scholars of Isfahan and the backing of the scholars of Najaf; and other instances. In the same years coinciding with the establishment of the Qom Seminary, parts of Iraq and the borders of Iran, centered around Najaf and Kufa, were the scene of armed struggle by scholars against the occupying British forces; not only students and teachers but also some well-known scholars such as Seyyed Mustafa Kashani and some sons of authorities participated in these conflicts, some of whom were martyred and many were subsequently exiled to distant British colonies. The significant activity of the great authorities regarding Palestine, both in the early century when the policy of relocation and arming of Zionists in Palestine was being implemented, and in its third decade when a significant part of Palestine was officially handed over to the Zionists and the fake Zionist government was declared, is among the proudest sections of the seminaries. Their letters and statements in this regard are among the most valuable historical documents. The unique role of the Qom Seminary and then other seminaries in Iran in creating the Islamic movement and establishing the revolution and justifying public opinion and mobilizing the general populace is also one of the most prominent signs of the jihadist identity of the seminaries. The educated from the seminary, with active minds and eloquent tongues, were among the first to respond to the enemy-shattering call of the Imam Mujahid and, with speed and seriousness and enduring hardships, entered the field and expanded revolutionary concepts and justified public opinion.

Hopes and warnings of Imam Khomeini (may his soul be sanctified) in his message to the seminaries With awareness of these truths, Imam Khomeini (may God’s mercy be upon him) in his profound and stirring message to the seminaries, regarded the clergy as the precursors of martyrdom in all popular and Islamic revolutions, and conversely, considered the path of martyrs and their work as reaching the truth of jurisprudence. In another expression, he introduced the scholars as pioneers in the field of jihad and support for the homeland and the oppressed. For the future of the seminary, he placed his greatest hopes on the students and scholars who are motivated by the concerns of the movement, struggle, and revolution, and expressed his grievances towards those who, detached from these vital issues, merely confined themselves to their books and lessons. In this message, there are repeated references to the rigid traditionalists and warnings about the enemy's infiltration through their negligence and alerts regarding the transformed methods of religious commercialization. In the wise view of the great Imam, the hunters of colonialism are lying in wait for the lion-hearted political scholars and are planning to combat the glory, greatness, and popular influence of the clergy.

Imam Khomeini's concern about rigidity and the separation of religion from politics In that wise text, which was written with a heartfelt and passionate sentiment, the great Imam's concern that the current of rigidity and sanctimoniousness might lead the seminary to the temptation of separating religion from politics and social activities, blocking the right path to progress, is evident. This concern arises from the promotion of a dangerous current that portrays the involvement of the seminary in the fundamental issues of the people and its engagement in social and political activities and its struggle against oppression and corruption as contrary to the sanctity of religion and its spiritual sanctuary, advising the clergy to be peaceful and to avoid the dangers of entering politics. Promoting this false notion is the greatest gift to the agents of colonialism and global arrogance, who have always suffered losses from the presence and involvement of religious scholars in the struggle against them and have repeatedly been defeated; and it is the greatest gift to the agents of the corrupt, sinful, and mercenary regime that was uprooted and eliminated by the movement of the Iranian nation under the leadership of a religious authority. The sanctity of religion manifests most prominently in the fields of intellectual, political, and military jihad and is established through the sacrifices and struggles of the bearers of religious knowledge and the shedding of their pure blood. The sanctity of religion should be seen in the conduct of the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him), who, upon entering Yathrib, made his first action the establishment of a government and organizing military power, unifying the realms of politics and worship in the mosque. The seminary, to protect its spiritual credibility and loyalty to its existential philosophy, must never separate itself from the people and society and the fundamental issues thereof and must consider jihad in all its forms, when necessary, as its definitive duty. This is the important message that the great Imam has repeatedly shared with the seminary and its pioneers and elders, and especially with its students and young scholars.

Fourth - A center for participation in the production and elucidation of social systems Countries and human societies are governed by specific systems in all their social affairs; the form of government, the method of governance (tyranny, consultation, etc.), the judicial and arbitration system in disputes and violations and legal or criminal matters, the economic and financial system and the issue of money, the administrative system, the business system, the family system, and others, all fall under the social affairs of the country that are governed in various ways and within the framework of different systems. Undoubtedly, each of these systems is based on a foundational thought—whether derived from the minds of thinkers and experts or born from local customs and hereditary habits. In an Islamic government, this foundation and rule must naturally be derived from Islam and its credible texts, and the systems for governing society must be extracted from them. Shia jurisprudence, although it has not sufficiently addressed this task except in some cases—such as the judicial system—has the necessary sufficiency for designing various systems for governing society, thanks to the extensive jurisprudential rules derived from the Book and the Sunnah, as well as the assistance of secondary titles. Regarding the origin and source of governance, the remarkable work of the late Imam Khomeini in the discussions of "Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist" during his exile in Najaf was a blessed beginning and opened the path for the scholars of the seminary, and after the establishment of the Islamic Republic, various dimensions of it evolved in thought and practice; however, this work remains unfinished and disorganized in many of the social systems of the country. This gap must be filled by the seminary; this is among the definitive duties of the seminary. Today, with the establishment and consolidation of the Islamic system, the duty of the jurist and jurisprudence is heavy. Today, jurisprudence cannot be regarded, as Imam Khomeini expressed, as the ignorant do, as being submerged in individual and ritual rulings. The jurisprudence that builds a nation is not limited to the extent of ritual rulings and individual duties.

The seminary's need for awareness of today's findings and collaboration with universities to organize social systems Of course, the seminary needs to be sufficiently familiar with today's findings about these systems to design and organize social systems. This familiarity will enable the jurist to utilize the correct and incorrect aspects of these findings, providing the necessary mental presence to use the explicit and implicit references of the Book and the Sunnah and to design the framework of social systems for the comprehensive and complete governance of society based on Islamic thought. Alongside the seminary, the universities of the country also have the capacity and obligation in this regard; this can be one of the areas of collaboration between the seminary and the university. The great task of the university is to identify the correct and incorrect prevailing opinions of the world's knowledge in the fields of human sciences related to governance and popular systems with a critical and investigative perspective and to present the content of religious thought in appropriate forms in collaboration with the seminary.

Fifth - Civilizational innovations within the framework of the global message of Islam This is the most prominent expectation from the seminary. It may be perceived as ambition and wishful thinking. On that historic night after the attack on Feyziyeh in 1963, when Imam Khomeini spoke in his home after the evening prayer to a limited and intimidated audience of students, perhaps this lofty expression that "they will leave, and you will remain" seemed to some of us as ambition and wishful thinking, but the passage of time has shown that faith, patience, and trust can move mountains of obstacles, and the plots of the enemies against divine tradition are ineffective. "Establishing an Islamic civilization" is the highest worldly goal of the revolution, meaning a civilization in which science, technology, human resources, natural resources, and all human capabilities and advancements, along with governance, politics, military power, and everything at humanity's disposal, are utilized in the service of social justice, public welfare, reducing class distances, and enhancing spiritual development and scientific advancement and increasing understanding of nature and strengthening faith. Islamic civilization is based on monotheism and its social, individual, and spiritual dimensions; it is based on honoring humanity in terms of humanity—not in terms of gender, color, language, ethnicity, or geography; it is based on justice and its dimensions and manifestations; it is based on human freedom in various arenas; it is based on public struggle in all fields where there is a need for jihadist presence. Islamic civilization stands in stark contrast to the current material civilization. Material civilization began with colonialism, with the seizure of lands and the humiliation of weak nations, with mass killings of indigenous peoples, with the use of science to suppress others, with oppression, with lies, with the creation of class divides, and gradually, moral corruption and sexual deviations also found their way into it and grew. Today, we see clear and complete examples of this crooked edifice in Western countries and their followers: peaks of wealth alongside valleys of poverty and hunger; the oppression of power-hungry individuals over anyone they can dominate; the use of science for mass killings; dragging sexual corruption into families and even to children and infants; unprecedented cruelty and oppression in examples like Gaza and Palestine; threats of war due to interference in others' affairs, as seen in the behavior of American statesmen in recent times. It is evident that this false civilization is destined to perish and will be eradicated; this is the inevitable tradition of creation: "Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish"; "And as for the foam, it will pass away as scum." Our duty today is, firstly, to assist in the nullification of this falsehood and, secondly, to prepare a replacement civilization in thought and practice to the best of our ability. To say, "Others could not, so we cannot either" is a fallacy. Wherever others moved with faith, calculation, and perseverance, they succeeded and triumphed. A clear example before us is the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic. In this struggle, there are pains, wounds, and losses that must be endured. In this case, victory is certain. The Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) secretly and quietly left Mecca and hid in a cave, but after eight years, he entered Mecca with glory and power, cleansing the Kaaba of idols and Mecca of idol-worshippers. He endured countless hardships during these eight years and lost companions like Hamza, yet he triumphed. Our eight-year Sacred Defense against the global coalition of powerful oppressors and liars is another example. The great and effective seminary of Qom today, which initially faced those hardships, is a clear example before us; and many such examples can be found. The seminary has a valuable duty in this regard, primarily to outline the main and secondary lines of the new Islamic civilization, and then to elucidate, promote, and culturally establish it in society. This is among the highest manifestations of "conveying the clear message." In outlining the framework of Islamic civilization, jurisprudence plays a role in a certain way, and rational sciences play a role in another way. Our Islamic philosophy must outline a social extension for its main issues. Our jurisprudence must also, by expanding its perspective and innovating in inference, identify the new issues of such a civilization and determine its rulings.

Attention to the two elements of time and place in ijtihad and correct understanding of the subject The clear statement of the great Imam regarding jurisprudence and its method in the seminary is enlightening. In this statement, the method of inference is the same as traditional jurisprudential methods, and as he put it, jewel-like ijtihad; however, "time" and "place" are two determining elements in ijtihad. A subject may have had a ruling in the past, but with changes in the prevailing political, social, and economic relations, it may now have a new ruling. This change in ruling arises from the fact that although the subject appears to be the same as before, due to changes in political and social relations, etc., it has actually changed and become a new subject, thus requiring a new ruling. Moreover, the ongoing global events and scientific advancements can sometimes lead a skilled jurist to a new understanding from a text of the Book and the Sunnah, providing a legal argument for changing the ruling; just as often happens in the changing opinions of jurists. In any case, jurisprudence must remain jurisprudence, and new understandings should not lead to the dilution of Sharia. I will suffice with what has been said regarding the definition and interpretation of the title of the seminary and its profound content and will say a few words about the Qom Seminary, which has now reached its centenary.

The vitality and growth of the Qom Seminary in various fields Today, the Qom Seminary is a lively and thriving institution. The presence of thousands of teachers, authors, researchers, speakers, and thinkers in Islamic knowledge, the publication of scientific and research journals, and the writing of specialized and general articles collectively constitute a great wealth for today's society and a tremendous capacity for the future of the country and the nation. The prevalence of courses in exegesis and ethics and the increase in centers and lessons in rational sciences are a prominent strength that the seminary did not have access to before the revolution. The Qom Seminary has never seen this number of thoughtful students and scholars. Its active presence in all fields of the revolution and even in the military field, presenting precious martyrs during the Sacred Defense and before and after it, is one of the great honors of the seminary and among the countless virtues of the late Imam Khomeini. Opening the way to global propaganda and training thousands of students from various nations and the presence of its graduates in many countries is another significant and unprecedented achievement that deserves recognition. The attention of newly invigorated scholars to contemporary pressing issues and the related jurisprudential lessons also heralds a promising future for scientific advancement and transformation. The enthusiasm of young scholars for careful attention to the epistemological points of credible Islamic texts, especially the Holy Quran, also heralds the greater prominence of the Quran in the seminary. The establishment of women's seminaries is also an important and impactful initiative that will receive eternal rewards from the pure spirit of Imam Khomeini. The Qom Seminary, with this perspective, is a lively and dynamic entity that revives hopes.

Recommendations for the Qom Seminary to be leading and outstanding However, this logical expectation that the Qom Seminary should be a leading and outstanding institution has a considerable distance from the current situation. Attention to the following points can reduce this distance: - The seminary must be up-to-date; it should constantly progress with time, or even move ahead of time. - Emphasis should be placed on training forces in all sectors. The path of this nation and the future of the revolution will be charted by the forces that are trained today in the seminary. - Seminary scholars should increase their relationship with the people. Plans should be made for the presence of seminary scholars among the people and for a close relationship between them. - The managers of the seminary should wisely neutralize the malicious insinuations that discourage young students about the future. Today, Islam, Iran, and Shia have a dignity and respect in the world that has never been seen in the past. The young student should study and grow with this feeling. - The young generation of society should be viewed with optimism, and interactions with them should be conducted with this perspective. A significant portion of today's youth, despite all the destructive insinuations against their thoughts and religious feelings, remain loyal to their faith and defend it, and many others are not at all antagonistic towards religion and the revolution. The very small minority that opposes religious appearances should not lead to an unrealistic analysis of the seminary. - The curriculum of the seminary should be written in such a way that jurisprudence is enlightened, responsive, up-to-date, and of course technical and based on the method of ijtihad, along with a clear philosophy and social extension, and knowledgeable in the structure of societal life, alongside eloquent and robust theology that possesses persuasive power, taught by skilled professors, and all three should be illuminated and deepened in the light of understanding the Quran and the lessons of exegesis. - Asceticism, piety, contentment, independence from others, trust in God, a spirit of progress, and readiness for struggle have always been the recommendations of the great Imam and the greats of ethics and knowledge to young students, and you dear young scholars of the seminary are now the addressees of these same recommendations. - Regarding the educational credentials of the seminary, my constant and current recommendation is that the seminary itself—not an external center—should grant the degrees to graduates. Of course, the ranks of the seminary can be named according to the recognized titles in the scientific centers of the country and the world, for example: Bachelor's, Master's, Research Bachelor's (Doctorate), and so on. I conclude my words here and pray to the Almighty God for the increasing dignity and glory of Islam, the strength and steadfastness of the Islamic nation, the progress and happiness of the Iranian nation, and the honor and effectiveness of the seminaries, and for victory over the enemies, ill-wishers, and adversaries.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings. Seyyed Ali Khamenei 1404/2/8