Shiite school should be introduced in discourse/ Quran should be highlighted in Shiite literature: Mirzaee

News Exhibitions

Wednesday, 04 January 2023

A faculty member of Al-Mustafa (p.b.u.h) International University stated, “The ability of Shia to form discourse, enables us to compete. For the contemporary man who refuses to imitate, we must reach the discursive supremacy of theory.”

ABWA Official Website – On the sidelines of the “Lights of Guidance” exhibition, the session “Introduction of the Shia in International Arena; Opportunities and Challenges” was held on Tuesday evening, January 3, 2023, in Ghadir Hall, Ghadir Conference Center of the Islamic Propagation Office of the Seminary of Qom.

In this session, referring to the dimensions of “explanation”, Hojat al-Islam Mohammad Ali Mirzaee stated, “Sometimes introducing or explanation is in the form of discourse, which is different from partial explanation. In partial explanation we should address the details, however in discursive explanation a theory should be introduced. The thing that creates movements and is influential is the discourse. For instance, the West has presented a super discourse to the world entitled modernism. Against a discourse, theory and discourse must be presented. However, media is a movement, and because its language is art, one cannot talk to it with the language of philosophy.”

“The ability of Shia to produce and form discourse, enables us to compete. According to Imam Musa Sadr, “jurisprudence must reach the stage of presenting a theory”. For the contemporary man who refuses to imitate, we must reach the discursive supremacy of theory. Today, unfortunately, we have the fewest theories,” he continued.

“Christianity has translated its main books not only into the main languages of the world, but even into languages spoken only in one small tribe. In a country like Nigeria, there are currently 6 thousand languages and dialects. In contrast, Shiites have only translated the Quran into less than 200 languages,” added the faculty member of the Al-Mustafa (p.b.u.h) International University.

“To introduce Shia, it is necessary to speak in the language of the audience. During the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (r.a.) had many interviews with foreign journalists. Imam’s literature in these interviews was in a universal literature. Imam Khomeini’s answers to foreign journalists’ questions are now available in the form of a book, and this book is an answer to the issues of the day,” Mirzaee stressed.

“Most religious works that have been translated into other languages have unattractive literature for audiences in foreign countries,” he further asserted, “Explanation occurs in time and context; Explanation is the matter of era, and if an author does not know what era his audience is, he will not succeed. One should master the narrative and drive it forward. The Quran is a fluent book, but it was necessary for the Prophet (p.b.u.h) to be the one who explains it.”

“Today’s man is demanding. This demanding man expects from religion. We should not have a negative view of this expectation. We must offer a theology that is liberating to this restless, chaotic and nihilistic man; the thing that is attractive in the world today. We must introduce Shia as a way of salvation,” clarified the faculty member of Al-Mustafa (p.b.u.h) International University.

“We went the wrong way in the Islamization of science. We tried to approve or reject western ideas with religious justifications. Humanities came to create a worldly life for humanity. In this regard, rejecting Western humanities is not enough to prove our truth,” Mirzaee expressed referring to Islamization of sciences.

“In explaining and enlightening (our belief), we should use the Quran a lot. We must present Shia to the world with Quranic literature. Because we are talking to someone who is not a Shiite. Therefore, the Holy Quran should be highlighted in Shiite literature. Now Shiite institutions do not have joint intellectual and propagational projects with non-Shiites, while we have to do joint activities with the world,” he said in the end.

It should be mentioned that on the establishment anniversary of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, the exhibition of the achievements of institutions and organizations active in the international propagation of Islam, entitled “Lights of Guidance” is being held from Saturday, December 31, 2022, until January Thursday 5, 2023, in the conference hall of the Islamic Propagation Office of the Seminary.

It is also worth noting that the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly was established on December 31, 1990, with the aim of gathering Shiites, establishing relationships within the Shiite world, promoting Shiites seminaries, solving the problems of Shiites with other Islamic Denominations, and benefiting from real and legal capabilities of Shiites.

The Assembly was established by the order of Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, on December 25, 1990, with the aim of introducing the revolutionary foundations, and thought of the Islamic system of Iran to Shiites all over the world. /345/

AhlulBayt (a_s_) World Assembly exhibition Islam Lights of Guidance propagation Quran Shiite