Ayatollah Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, met Tuesday morning with the members of the Qom Seminary Representatives Assembly. Speaking at the meeting, His Eminence pointed to the irreplaceable and influential role of Qom Seminary in the victory of the Islamic Revolution and referred to the effort to erase the Revolution in Islamic seminaries. He reiterated: “Qom Seminary should remain a revolutionary organization and the birthplace of the Revolution. Attaining this goal requires thinking, acumen and thorough planning.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution highlighted the influence that Qom Seminary exerted in the victory of the Islamic Revolution and its relationship with the Revolution, adding: “Two orientations clearly influenced the formation and victory of the Islamic Revolution: one was universities and another was Islamic seminaries.”
Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that the existence of university activism in all parts of the world is due to the nature of universities and the familiarity of students with current issues, stressing: “Student activism existed in Iran both before and during Islamic activities, but due to the limited scope of their influence, student activism never led to a transformation and a revolution in the country.”
His Eminence noted that the existence of university activism during the victory of the Islamic Revolution was because of the presence of the primary factor which was seminarian activism: “We appreciate the value of student activism but these activities would definitely have been confined to the academic environment and they would have come to an end had it not been for seminarian activism.”
Comprehensibility and influence were two characteristics of the seminarian movement during the Islamic Revolution: “Qom Seminary has been formed of two parts- the marjayyat and the seminarians. Imam (r.a.) used to publish manifestos and deliver speeches as the marja, but the part that conveyed Imam’s statements and viewpoints to the center of society and to the remotest areas, was the clergy and seminarians.”
He stressed: “If it had not been for Qom Seminary, Imam’s (r.a.) movement might have failed and this shows the role of Qom Seminary in the formation and continuation of the Islamic Revolution. The force that brought the people to the streets and that formed those great demonstrations- with millions of participants- was the influence of clerics. This force conveyed Imam’s (r.a.) thoughts and intentions to the remotest areas in the country.”
Ayatollah Khamenei reiterated that Qom Seminary was the link between Imam (r.a.) and the formation of the Islamic Revolution. He mentioned: “Considering the outstanding and irreplaceable role of Qom Seminary in the victory of the Islamic Revolution, there are some intentions and plots in the present time to erase the Revolution in Islamic seminaries.”
His Eminence added: “If we want the Islamic Republic to continue being Islamic and revolutionary, we should do something to make Qom Seminary remain revolutionary. If Qom Seminary does not continue to be revolutionary, the Islamic Republic will be in danger of deviation from the Revolution.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stated that one should feel endangered whenever one witnesses any effort that tries to erase the Revolution in Islamic seminaries. He added: “We should confront this danger with thinking, acumen and wise planning so that Qom Seminary will continue to be a revolutionary organization and the birthplace of the Revolution and so that revolutionary outlook and movement will develop in it.”
Pointing to the existence of various methods to oppose the Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei said: “Sometimes, the essence of the Revolution is opposed in an outspoken manner and sometimes, the ideological principles of the Revolution are opposed in an indirect manner. We should be sensitive in the case of the latter. Constant emphasis on the necessity to be vigilant in the face of arrogance and America is for this reason.”
His Eminence stressed that the main reason why global arrogance confronts the Islamic Republic of Iran is because of its resistance against the oppressive order and system in the world, reiterating: “If this resistance does not exist, global arrogance would not put up any opposition against you no matter under what name and title you work.”
He stated that opposing the principles and guidelines upon which the insightful and vigilant Imam (r.a.) and upon which the wise people place great emphasis on, is another indirect method of opposing the Revolution and the Islamic Republic: “The real meaning of the political and propaganda confrontation against the principles and guidelines of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) is hostility towards political and original Islam. It was in Iran that this Islam managed to rule and to govern for the first time after the early Islamic era.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution referred to the solution for confronting the move that endeavors to undermine revolutionary thinking and spirit in Islamic seminaries, saying: “The officials in charge of managing Islamic seminaries – in particular, Qom Seminary Representatives Assembly – can play an influential role in this regard by expanding their relationship with the body of Islamic seminaries in a planned and well-organized manner, forming intellectual groups with the purpose of finding the correct ways to promote revolutionary thoughts, and identifying and resolving the religious and ideological problems of clerics.”
Ayatollah Khamenei described Qom Seminary Representatives Assembly as a very good phenomenon that should enjoy stability and that should be strengthened in legal areas and in terms of its position, its inner structure and its content.”
His Eminence added: “With this outlook, with the necessary planning and in the shade of divine grace, hundreds of successful and revolutionary teachers will be cultivated. By relying on a deep spiritual relationship between clerics and teachers, the revolutionary thinking and spirit will be promoted to a great extent in Islamic seminaries.”
At the end of his statements, he stressed: “Despite the existence of some inappropriate phenomena in some corners of the country, the general orientation of the movement of the country is good and moving towards progress. By Allah’s favor, future prospects will be bright in all areas.”
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