AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): On Tuesday evening, December 17, 2024, in a meeting with Shiite and Sunni scholars of Sistan and Baluchistan Province, Ayatollah Reza Ramazani stated, “The presence of Sunni scholars in Sistan and Baluchistan Province is a valuable asset. Sunni scholars in this province play an important cultural and religious role.”
Speaking about religious moderation in Islam, he said, “According to Quranic verses Hadiths, Islam is a moderate and balanced community. The rationality of religion is evident in Islamic teachings, and there is no doubt in this regard.”
“God sent the prophets for the guidance of mankind, and the prophets were intermediaries between the Creator and the creation. After the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h), others have assumed the responsibility of explaining divine guidance. Undoubtedly, guides are necessary, and people look to religious scholars to understand and interpret religion, paying attention to their words and perspectives,” added the Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly.
“The Prophet (p.b.u.h) serves as a role model for religious scholars. He was the intermediary between God and humanity, a role also undertaken by the Infallible Imams (a.s.). Now, this significant responsibility has been entrusted to scholars. Scholars are role models, and people get their understanding of religion from them. Shiite and Sunni scholars articulate Islamic concepts, and people grasp these concepts through their guidance,” Ayatollah Ramazani emphasized.
“Scholars serve as role models, and people emulate them. It is crucial for these role models to have an impactful presence. A religious scholar must possess both intellectual authority and spiritual charisma to guide people toward meaning and purpose. Attending academic courses is accessible everywhere. What truly matters is the scholar’s influence,” he noted.
The Secretary-General discussed the research conducted by some scholars on the Quran, stating, “Some researchers do not recognize the Quran as a contemporary guidebook for humanity or as a book of guidance. The Quran has two languages: the language of conversation, which is Arabic, and the language of understanding, which is Fitrah (human divine nature) and reason.”
“The Holy Quran contains numerous verses indicating that the language of Fitrah (human divine nature) transcends time and is prepared for all humanity and all eras. The Quran speaks the languages of reason and Fitrah, and today scholars must introduce it to the world. Scholars need both intellectual and spiritual status to be effective,” Ayatollah Ramazani added.
Highlighting the significance of scholars, he said, “Islamic scholars can guide society. They are the individuals whom the Quran invites people to turn to for guidance.”
About the educational and nurturing roles of scholars, the Secretary-General stated, “Religious scholars can eradicate ignorance, combat societal deviations, and introduce the correct path and destination. They are both teachers and mentors. Figures like Nietzsche sought to eliminate God, but scholars are those who revive faith in people’s hearts. If Islam is introduced to society comprehensively and deeply, it will prevail. Islam should not be presented in an isolated way but as a network, where its thoughts are interconnected with its ethics, and its ethics with its rulings. The more faith and understanding of God grow, the more elevated one’s prayer becomes, ascending toward spiritual heights.”
On political Islam, he said, “The concept of political Islam is highly significant. Islam can’t lack governance and jurisprudence for governance. Jurisprudence is the practical philosophy of governance. As Muslims, we have plans that can prove Islam’s effectiveness in the world. Religious scholars play the primary and prominent role in introducing jurisprudence for governance. Today, the institutions that can officially introduce Islam to the world are the seminaries.”
On the relationship between religion and politics, the Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly stated, “Religion cannot be separated from politics. We cannot remove the responsibility of social reform from Islam. Islamic scholars must grasp the true essence of politics and convey it to society. If this concept is communicated to the world, it will empower Islam.”
Referring to the Islamic Revolution of Iran as a miracle, Ayatollah Ramazani stated, “Before the Islamic Revolution of Iran, the prevailing theory was that no religious revolution would occur in the world and that revolutions would either be secular or laic. Imam Khomeini (r.a.) achieved this, creating a miracle. No one believed a religious revolution could emerge globally, rooted in religious teachings, to establish justice and rationality. In this regard, all of us owe the Imam Khomeini because he brought Islam into the public sphere.”
Speaking about Islam’s opposition to oppression, Ayatollah Ramazani said, “Islam is the only power that stands against the oppressive system. Islam is not just about night prayers. The Islam that encompasses both night prayers and the battlefield does not submit to the enemies of religion.”
Referring to the “enemy’s new project to limit Islam,” he added, “The enemy seeks to confine Islam and promote a distorted narrative. The enemy aims to misrepresent Islam to prevail ignorance into the Muslim community, as Islam has the potential to engage effectively in major arenas and fields.”
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly addressed the unity strategy within the Islamic Republic, saying, “Today, the strategy of scholars, not just in the Islamic Republic but among all Islamic scholars, must be the unity of the Islamic Ummah, and nothing else. What the enemy fears most is the unity among Muslims. The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) provided a prescription for today’s society, which serves as salvation for all Muslim communities.”
On separating religion from politics, he expressed, “Look at those who have separated religion from politics and the problems they now face. In the Middle Ages, governance was both religious and scientific, with science managed by the church. During the Middle Ages, there was excessiveness, while in the Renaissance, there was neglect. They failed to manage the Christian world effectively. Today, we must extract Islam from the Quranic verses comprehensively, accurately, and deeply. Today, human society thirsts for Islam, which can offer global ethics. Numerous golden rules – rules accepted by all societies – are abundant in Islam.”
Concluding his remarks, the Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly emphasized, “Islamic principles are universal and international. The prescription for salvation within the Islamic Ummah lies in unity, a crucial matter that we must promote. Islamic centers must introduce Islam comprehensively, accurately, deeply, and rationally.”
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