In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
All praise is due to God, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master, Muhammad, and his pure Progeny.
Let us take a moment to honor the late Mr. Emami [Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani (may God be pleased with him)]. He was truly devoted and attached to this school and this organization. We felt this very strongly from his statements and his visits. And truly, he did as much as he could. He worked very hard to ensure this school reached its goals.
Well, as you know, Shahid Motahari School has a long history. Before the Revolution, there were distinguished professors teaching there, some of whom I knew personally. For instance, the late Mr. Rashed was there and also the late Mr. Amirza Abolfazl Najmabadi who was one of Tehran’s good clerics. I knew him personally. The late Sheikh al-Islam Kashmari and others like him taught at this school too, but there was no significant output. Despite the presence of such distinguished professors, the school didn’t achieve noteworthy results back then.
The seminary students who studied in that school — among us seminary students who used to come to Tehran back then, we used to hear some things — were famous for being students who don’t study. In other words, they were lazy seminary students! There were students in that school, but despite the presence of such good professors, there wasn’t any significant output. Perhaps there were a few exceptions here and there, but the school didn’t yield the outcome that was expected from that school. This was unlike the Revolution period.
Well, during the time of the Revolution, many knowledgeable, truly learned scholars became involved in non-seminary work. The circumstances at that time demanded this. Therefore, in numerous educational centers, including Shahid Motahari School, we faced a shortage of scholarly teachers. Of course, there were some esteemed scholars and I know some of them. Some, praise God, are still alive, and others whom we knew have passed away. I knew some of these gentlemen personally.
They were distinguished, religious scholars. Therefore, the school has had some good output. In other words, learned, good students have studied in this school. Well, this is very valuable. This is due to the effort that the school’s administrators made from the outset, especially the late Mr. Emami who was at the helm from the very beginning.
The point you made about the need for changes in the school is absolutely correct. The programs must be regularly updated based on the needs of the time, and this is natural. [However,] when we speak of changes, it doesn't mean that the principles and foundations should change. In fact, the principles and foundations shouldn’t be tampered with, because they are correct.
What needs to be altered is the curriculum. We need to see which subjects are more needed and welcomed in society. And given the tools that have now emerged but didn’t exist 20 or 40 years ago, we need to ascertain what kind of teaching is needed today. These are important matters. [And then] based on this new curriculum, you can select instructors, organize the classification of students, set up the programs, and achieve a good outcome. This is something that needs to be taken into consideration.
One important issue is the matter of spiritual refinement, piety, and religiosity. This school should be a true manifestation of religiosity. It should truly demonstrate that a seminary-university environment, one that combines both the characteristics of a religious seminary and a university, can educate individuals who have increased their piety and spiritual purification in addition to their knowledge. This should be demonstrated. I believe this would be something very beneficial in Tehran.
If, God willing, you are successful in this endeavor that you have started and intend to embark on, then Shahid Motahari School can become a manifestation and model of a Tehran seminary. Because at the present, if someone from the outside wants to know what a Tehran seminary is like, we don’t have an institution we can present to them. The Shahid Motahari School can serve as that institution, provided that the fundamental elements — the organizational structure, educational framework, and instructional methods — are taken into consideration.
In any case, praise God, you are a young force with the readiness and vitality that comes with being young. You can bring new initiatives to this institution. Our seminaries truly need new initiatives. There is plenty of work that hasn’t been done. When one sees in Qom, for example and just as an example, that certain subjects are being taught, discussed, and researched by seminary students, which we had never even thought of before, we realize that there are many things missing and a substantial amount of work that still needs to be carried out. You should pursue these matters here, God willing.
Another point, aside from the issue of self-purification and systematic planning, is the matter of discipline. The expansion of institutions is very good if one can manage it properly. The danger that exists, however, is that discipline may be lost. You have multiple teaching institutions in different cities across the country, including seminaries, non-seminary institutions, high schools, and so on. These need to have discipline. These truly require management and supervision.
Entrusting a task to someone and then leaving it up to them [is wrong]. Senior management should have comprehensive supervision. Of course, we should, no doubt, make use of the cooperation of everyone who can contribute, especially the youth. But nevertheless, the senior management should have a mastery of what’s happening and a broad perspective.
Maintain discipline. Make sure this doesn't slip from your hands. If you see that managing a place is difficult, shut it down. Don't worry about closing a certain unit in a certain city if you cannot manage it properly. God willing, Almighty God will grant you success.
Now that there is this gathering of ladies and gentlemen here, I would like to say a few words about the [second round of the presidential] election.
Well, we have an election coming up the day after tomorrow. This election is very important, as I've said before. Of course, in the first round of the election, voter turnout was not as high as one would expect. It was less than what we had expected and anticipated. Different people had made different predictions about the turnout, and all the predictions were higher than what actually took place. Well, there are reasons behind this, which will be examined by those who are specialists in politics, have a sociological perspective on issues, and so on. But one thing is certain, and that is that if someone thinks that those who didn’t vote refrained from voting because they were opposed to the system, they are very mistaken. This interpretation is completely wrong!
Of course, there may be a number of people who don't like a certain official, or a number of people who don't like the system itself. We don’t deny the existence of such people. We have such people in the country who speak freely, we hear what they say, and we know what they say. It’s not as if they are hiding or are unseen. We know and we realize that there are those who don’t agree very much with this system itself and the Islamic nature of the government. Yes, such people exist too, but it is a major mistake to assume that everyone who didn't vote is part of that group. No one should make such a mistake. Someone may have a problem. They may be busy, have work, or they may not have the time or energy. There are all sorts of obstacles that stand in the way. Now, we hope that in this second round, God willing, the voter turnout will be inspiring and a source of pride for the Islamic system.
I have repeatedly stated that the participation of the people is a form of support and a source of honor and pride for the system of the Islamic Republic. If the people participate in a clearer, better, more palpable way, the Islamic Republic will be able to achieve its own goals and intentions, both domestically and in the broader context of the country's strategic path. This is a very big opportunity for the country.
I hope Almighty God will guide all our hearts to that which pleases Him, and that all those who love Islam, the Islamic Republic, and the progress of our country, and all those who want the country's situation to improve and wish to correct its deficiencies will express this through their votes on Friday, which is the day after tomorrow. May God grant them the ability to select the best candidate — someone who can, God willing, achieve these goals in the country.
May God’s greetings, mercy, and blessings be upon you.
