Ayatollah Khamenei the Leader of the Islamic Revolution met Wednesday night with religious scholars, clerics and Shia and Sunni seminarians of Kermanshah province. At the meeting, His Eminence said that there have been three waves of tendency towards Islam in the world. He stated: "The first wave of tendency towards Islam started with the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the second wave formed after the defeat of Marxism."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the third wave of tendency towards Islam started after the recent popular movements in the region and the disappointment of the people of western countries with capitalism. He stressed: "In such sensitive and fateful conditions, Muslim clergy should be equipped with spirituality and knowledge so that they can present religious truths in a comprehensible and logical way."
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed: "Today the Islamic Republic's claims concerning the futility of Marxism have been proven and its claims regarding capitalism are being proven, so religious scholars and the clergy should present the logical and deep-rooted truths of Islam to the increasing number of enthusiasts throughout the world by using firm rational principles which are appropriate for the needs of the modern audience."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution advised the clergy to prepare themselves to enter new and difficult arenas, further adding: "You should not be afraid of the difficulties of your work, rather you should always go after things that appear to be impossible."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that victory of the Islamic Revolution and the Egyptian revolution appeared to be impossible at first. "The clergy should aim for great goals when promoting religion and carrying out their responsibilities."
His Eminence said that becoming prepared to confront the aggression of the opponents of Islam is among the necessities of achieving great goals. He stressed that the opponents are using modern tools to attack Islam and to create doubts among Muslim youth. He added that in order to confront the enemies of Islam, it is necessary to use the methods that are appropriate for the needs of the young generation.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed that fomenting discord between Shia and Sunni is one of the methods that are used to weaken Islam, adding: "Shia and Sunni religious scholars should carefully watch out for conspiracies and they should hold meetings and cooperate with each other in order to find ways of confronting the plots designed by the opponents."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that confronting takfiri elements is one of the responsibilities of Shia and Sunni scholars. He stressed that the clergy have an important responsibility to promote religion.
His Eminence stressed that in order to have a profound effect on the audience, it is necessary to present Islamic truths in a logical way. He added: "One of the responsibilities of the clergy is their involvement in social issues, which should be accompanied by good behavior, advice and presenting solutions."