Members of the board of trustees, director and other officials of the Islamic Propagation Office (IPO) of the Islamic Seminary of Qom met the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei on Monday, September 19.
In an address to the audience, the Leader described the IPO as a symbol of intellectualism of the Islamic Seminary and referred to engaging in vigorous Islamic activities, benefiting from the positive qualities of intellectualism and avoiding the common maladies afflicting intellectualism as the main factors contributing to the IPO's success in the fulfillment of its programs.
"The presentation of new ideas, presence on new intellectual arenas and opening up new intellectual horizons are signs of success in intellectual activities, and the Islamic Propagation Office should be characterized by these qualities," Ayatollah Khamenei told the IPO officials.
Further in his statements, the Leader of the Islamic Republic described innovation and open-mindedness as the essence of intellectualism.
"Intellectualism pivots on broad-mindedness, and the Islamic Propagation Office of the Islamic Seminary of Qom should especially heed this enlightening essence. The reason is that intellectual progress and, consequently, scientific and technological progress will not be accomplished without having an open mind," the Leader stated.
Ayatollah Khamenei also noted that avoiding the blights and maladies afflicting intellectualism is another factor which contributes to the success of the IPO in its activities. He stressed that deviation from correct epistemological foundations and adherence to no guiding standards are among the serious problems facing modern intellectualism in the contemporary world.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Leader referred to religion and national traditions as the two criteria guiding the intellectual trend, but he added that national traditions are mostly combined with superstition and prejudice.
"However, pure religious knowledge, which is free from superstition and prejudice, is able to guide the lively and dynamic intellectual trend in the right direction and protect it against maladies such as imitation, deviation and presenting scattered and confused ideas," the Leader pointed out.
Further in his statements, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that clinging to the rope of divine knowledge and also incessant self-observance and watchfulness of oneself and one's ideas and intellectual products will help the Islamic Propagation Office to attain its due status as the symbol of intellectualism of the Islamic Seminary. He added that by adopting this course of action, the IPO will be able to successfully carry out its foreseen programs.
Before the Leader's statements, the chairman of the IPO's board of trustees Hojjatoleslam Ja'fari-Gilani and the IPO's director Hojjatoleslam Rabbani presented reports on the IPO's objectives, programs and activities. Among the points emphasized in the reports were the IPO's efforts to promote scientific and cultural progress and deepen Islamic knowledge and insight in society.