At the beginning of his message, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution reflected on the historical background of the formation of the blessed Qom Hawza amidst the significant and tumultuous events of the early 14th century AH (early 20th century CE). He highlighted the role of Ayatollah Haj Sheikh Abdulkarim Haeri in establishing, preserving, and fostering the growth of the Hawza.
Imam Khamenei further stated that one of the great honors of the Qom Hawza is that it gave rise to a radiant figure such as Imam Khomeini (ra). Within less than six decades, he noted, the Seminary reached such a level of spiritual influence and popular standing that it was able to uproot the treacherous, corrupt, and immoral monarchical Pahlavi regime through the hands of the people, and after centuries, it established Islam in the position of political sovereignty in the country.
Imam Khamenei underscored that the Qom Hawza is not merely an institution for teaching and studying but a comprehensive entity encompassing knowledge, education, and social and political functions. He went on to elucidate key areas that, if addressed, can truly make the Hawza "pioneering and outstanding."
In explaining the first of these areas, the Leader described the Qom Hawza as a center enriched by the vast intellectual capital of Shia scholarship – the result of a millennium of contemplation and research by thousands of religious scholars in disciplines such as jurisprudence, theology, philosophy, Quranic Tafsir [exegesis], and hadith studies.
Referring to the complex and multitude of phenomena in human life, as well as the unprecedented questions that contemporary jurisprudence must be prepared to address, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated:
"Today, with the establishment of an Islamic political system, the main question is how the Divine Legislator comprehensively views the individual and social dimensions of human life, and its fundamental principles. Every fatwa [legal ruling] issued by a faqih [jurist] should reflect a portion of this comprehensive perspective."
Imam Khamenei identified one of the key responsibilities of the Qom Hawza, as a valuable academic center with a thousand-year scholarly heritage, as providing answers to issues related to Islamic governance and the administration of society. "Issues such as the government’s relationship with its people and with other states and nations, the principle of nafy al-sabil [preventing domination of non-Muslims over Muslims], the economic system and the foundational principles of the Islamic state, the origin of governance from an Islamic perspective, the role of the people within it, taking positions on major issues and in the face of hegemonic powers, the concept and substance of justice, and dozens of other fundamental and sometimes vital issues are priorities for today and the country’s future, awaiting a jurisprudential response," he remarked.
In explaining the second key aspect of a "pioneering and outstanding" Hawza, Imam Khamenei underscored that the Hawza is an outward-looking institution whose output at all levels must serve the intellectual and cultural development of society and humanity. He emphasized that the Hawza’s most important duty is to engage in “balagh mubin” [clear propagation] and stressed that fulfilling this duty requires the training of pious, competent individuals.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the scope of balagh mubin as a vast domain encompassing lofty monotheistic teachings, personal religious duties, the explanation of the Islamic system, its structure and responsibilities, as well as lifestyle, environmental issues, protection of nature, and various other aspects of human life.
Emphasizing a key shortcoming within the Hawza, Imam Khamenei noted the disharmony between its current modes of propagational efforts and the actual intellectual and cultural realities of the people, particularly the youth. He remarked:
"The hundreds of articles, magazines, the speeches heard in gatherings, on television and the like, cannot adequately fulfill the duty of balagh mubin as needed and deserved, especially in the face of the flood of misleading and fallacious narratives."
Imam Khamenei emphasized that the proper fulfillment of the duty of balagh mubin within the Hawza requires two key elements: taʿlīm [education] and tahdhīb [refinement/edification].
"Delivering a message that is up-to-date, fills gaps and fulfills the objectives of religion definitely requires training and learning. An institution must take on this mission and teach students the art of persuasion, familiarity with methods of dialogue, awareness of how to interact with public opinion, the media and social media and discipline in dealing with opposing elements. Through practice and training over a limited period, it should prepare students to enter this field," he added.
Emphasizing that an affirmative and even offensive approach in tablīgh [religious propagation] is more important than a merely defensive stance, Imam Khamenei stated:
"To achieve this goal, the Hawza must train 'cultural mujahids.' Alongside the training of such individuals, attention must also be given to training personnel for specific responsibilities within the governance and administration of the country, as well as for organizing the internal affairs of the Hawza Ilmiyya."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution identified the recognition, preservation, and strengthening of the Hawza’s “jihadi identity” as the third key aspect of a "pioneering and outstanding" Hawza. Referring to the profound and moving message of Imam Khomeini (ra) to the clergy in late 1988, he stated:
"In that message, the late Imam Khomeini described scholars as pioneers in the field of jihad, defenders of the homeland, and supporters of the oppressed. At the same time, he voiced his concern that the trend of tahajjur [reactionary tendencies] and pseudo-sanctification might tempt the Hawza to separate religion from politics and social activities, thereby blocking the proper path to progress."
Imam Khamenei described the magnanimous Imam’s concern as stemming from a dangerous movement that regards the Hawza’s involvement in the fundamental affairs of the people, its engagement in social and political activities, and its fight against oppression and corruption as being contrary to the sanctity of religion. This movement, he noted, also advises the clergy to maintain complete neutrality and to avoid the risks of engaging in politics.
Imam Khamenei emphasized that the sanctity of religion manifests most prominently in the fields of intellectual, political, and military jihad, and is established through the sacrifice and jihad of the bearers of religious knowledge and the offering of their pure blood.
He stressed that, therefore, the Hawza Ilmiyya, in order to safeguard its spiritual credibility and remain faithful to its foundational philosophy, must never detach itself from the people, society, and their essential concerns and must regard jihad, in all its forms, as its definitive duty whenever the need arises.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution identified participation in the production and clarification of social governance systems as the fourth aspect of a "pioneering and outstanding Hawza."
"It is the Hawza that must fill this gap, as this is among its definite responsibilities. Today, one cannot view fiqh as the ignorant do, merely as being immersed in individual and devotional rulings. A fiqh that builds a nation is not limited to the scope of devotional rulings and individual duties."
Imam Khamenei emphasized that the Hawza must meet two key requirements in order to effectively design and formulate social systems: familiarity with contemporary global developments and active collaboration with universities.
Imam Khamenei identified civilizational innovation within the framework of Islam’s universal message as the fifth aspect of a "pioneering and outstanding Hawza."
"The most prominent expectation from the Hawza Ilmiyya is to lay the groundwork for the establishment of an Islamic civilization – a civilization in which science and technology, human and natural resources, all human capabilities and advancements, along with governance, politics, military power, and everything at mankind’s disposal are employed in the service of social justice, public welfare, reducing class disparities, fostering spiritual growth, advancing scientific progress, deepening the understanding of the natural world, and strengthening people’s faith," he remarked.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described Islamic civilization as the direct opposite of the distorted materialist civilization of today.
"This false civilization is, according to the inevitable law of creation, destined to perish. Our duty is to contribute to the nullification of this falsehood and to prepare the groundwork – both in thought and in action – for an alternative civilization. In this regard, the Hawza Ilmiyya carries a valuable responsibility: First, to outline the primary and secondary features of the new Islamic civilization, and then to clarify, promote, and embed it within the culture of society. This is one of the best examples of balagh mubin," he noted.
Imam Khamenei emphasized the importance of incorporating the two elements of "time" and "place" in the process of ijtihād, while also warning that new interpretations must not lead to the distortion or corruption of the Sharia. Reflecting on the present condition of the Qom Hawza, he highlighted several key indicators of its vitality and dynamism:
The presence of thousands of teachers, authors, researchers, writers, speakers, and thinkers in Islamic sciences; the publication of academic and research journals; the writing of specialized and general articles; the large number of thoughtful students and scholars; their active participation in all fields of the Islamic Revolution, even the military front; the expansion into global tabligh efforts; the training of thousands of students from various nations; the attention of emerging jurists to pressing contemporary issues; the interest of young scholars to meticulously examine the epistemological points in authentic Islamic texts, especially the Holy Quran; and the important initiative of establishing women’s seminaries.
All of this, he affirmed, indicates that the Qom Hawza is a vibrant and dynamic institution.
In the concluding section of his message, Imam Khamenei dedicated his remarks to a series of recommendations aimed at actualizing a "pioneering and outstanding Hawza." Among the key points he emphasized were the following:
– The necessity for the Hawza to remain up-to-date
– Prioritizing the training of capable individuals across all fields
– Strengthening the relationship between seminarians and the general public
– The need for Hawza administrators to wisely counter malicious insinuations that discourage young Hawza students about the future.
– Maintaining an optimistic view of the younger generation and engaging with them based on this perspective
– Structuring the Hawza curriculum around a jurisprudence that is enlightened, responsive, and up-to-date, paired with a clear and socially-relevant philosophy, and a persuasive, robust theology
– Fostering a spirit of asceticism, piety, contentment, independence from all but God, trust in God, progress, and readiness for jihad.
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