ABWA Official Website – On Monday, June 24, 2024, Ayatollah Mohammad Javad Fazil Lankarani, a member of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom, and one of the professors of the higher levels of the Qom seminary, visited various departments of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) International News Agency – ABNA.
During this visit, referring to the importance of disseminating the news of seminary scientific centers in the ABNA News Agency, he said, “There are many scientific and research centers in Qom. I suggest that the latest content produced in these centers and their research be monitored. The coverage of such news by ABNA News Agency will be noticed in the world. The activities that take place in Qom in this area have no equivalent anywhere else. I am sure that Ayatollah Ramazani, with his precise insight, is paying attention to this point.”
“I consider my visit to the crucial, effective, and efficient ABNA News Agency as a success from God,” he continued, “One of the blessings of the Islamic Revolution of Iran is the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly of this News Agency, which propagates the AhlulBayt (a.s.) teachings and the truths of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) school in the world. The two truths in the world that are the manifestation of God Almighty are the Quran and the AhlulBayt (a.s.), and humanity needs to be connected with these two truths in order to be guided. By the Grace of God, ABNA News Agency operates in 27 languages in the field of Quran and AhlulBayt (a.s.).”
The member of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom, added, “Just as the Quran is an inexhaustible truth, so are the AhlulBayt (a.s.) teachings. Unfortunately, many of the teachings of AhlulBayt (a.s.) have not reached us. However, even if we want to research the existing teachings that have reached us around the clock, we will face a time limit. The Quran is the source of the expression of divine truths, and God has placed the same source and the same holy power in the AhlulBayt (a.s.). Imam Ali (a.s.) was asked, “If you are asked something that is not mentioned in the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (p.b.u.h), how would you answer?” Imam replied, “I answer with divine power.” That is, God has placed this sacred power in the AhlulBayt (a.s.) so that in the face of any question to them, they would answer it immediately and at the same moment.”
ABNA News Agency needs to highlight the relationship between Shiites and seminaries
About the necessity of publishing the teachings of AhlulBayt (a.s.) in ABNA News Agency, Ayatollah Fazel Lankarani stated, “In the school of AhlulBayt (a.s.) there are many teachings in different moral, social, political, and economic dimensions, and these teachings should flourish. The main goal of ABNA News Agency, which is active in the Islamic world focusing on the AhlulBayt (a.s.), should be the introduction of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) and their teachings, and research on these teachings. Imam Reza (a.s.) said, “If people hear the beauty of our words, they will follow us.” This is definitely true. Because what is narrated from AhlulBayt (a.s.) does not conflict with logic, reason, or Fitrah (human divine nature). Rather, these teachings are completely consistent with the aforementioned principles, and we must disseminate the AhlulBayt (a.s.) teachings in the world.”
Considering the establishing of different branches in jurisprudence as the blessing of the jurisprudence of AhlulBayt (a.s.), he clarified, “The establishment of women’s jurisprudence, children’s jurisprudence, international jurisprudence, political jurisprudence, medical jurisprudence, media jurisprudence, etc., is all thanks to the blessing of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) school. We must prove the comprehensiveness of the school of AhlulBayt (a.s.), our Infallible Imams (a.s.), and Shia, not just to claim such a thing. We must have a correct answer for every issue raised by a Muslim or non-Muslim person who seeks the opinion of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) regarding that certain issue. There is such a capacity, which of course requires expertise, and there are expert people, both here (World Assembly) and in the seminaries of Qom and Najaf.”
Presenting his advice to the ABNA News Agency, the head of the Jurisprudence Center of Infallible Imams (a.s.) stated, “ABNA News Agency should put the Shiite relationship with seminaries on its agenda. If every Shiite person in any part of the world has contact with a cleric or a mujtahid, he will no longer lose his path and will not go astray. But without this connection, A Shiite person will be misled and will even mislead others. Therefore, in hadiths, meetings with ulama (Islamic scholars) are emphasized. Meeting with ulama and question and answer sessions will help preserve one’s religion and faith. Today, one of the strategic policies of the arrogant world is the separation of the people from the clergy, and this policy is not unique to Iran. Rather, such a policy is implemented for other countries by the arrogant world.”
The member of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom emphasized, “The general society should be directed towards more communication with the clergy. This is not aimed at strengthening the clergy but at protecting the members of the society in a way that they do not go astray. In order for the general public not to go the wrong path, there is no other way than to communicate with the clergy. It should also be noted some concepts are central in the Shiite school, such as Ghadir, Ashura, Arbaeen, the birth anniversary of Imam Mahdi in Shaaban 15, and Mahdism, which require a lot of attention and activity. I would like to thank the media event organized by ABNA News Agency in Iğdır, Turkey about Ghadir. Because devout Shiites live in in Türkiye.”
The truths of Islam are mentioned in the Ghadir Sermon
Pointing to the need to introduce Ghadir to the world as much as possible, Ayatollah Fazel Lankarani said, “We have not yet been able to introduce Ghadir. Today, even Christians and Jews if asked about Ashura, they know what Muslim Ashura is. But this is not the case for Ghadir. The late Grand Ayatollah Fazel Lankarani used to say: “Because the people were the guardians of Ashura, it has been commemorated and is honored every year more magnificently.” However, the issue of introducing Ghadir remained in the hands of the scholars and not the people. Therefore, it is still being questioned and discussed. One says that the meaning of Ghadir is like this, and the other says that Ghadir has another meaning. For this reason, Ghadir should be taken into the context of the Shiite society in the world. In this regard, ABNA News Agency can issue a call to Shiites in different parts of the world to do something for Ghadir, and then publish the report on these activities and produce content in this field.”
Considering the Ghadir sermon as the guarantor of all the truths of Islam, he stated, “Work should be done on the Ghadir sermon and Shiites should memorize it, just as they memorized Fadakiyyah sermon of Lady Zahra (a.s.) in early days of Islam. The Ghadir sermon should be introduced in high schools, universities, and textbooks. The translation of the Ghadir sermon into world languages should be considered and this sermon should be translated into all common languages of the world, and this is of great importance. I am confident that the translation of the Ghadir sermon in every language will quickly affect the people of that language society, both Muslims and non-Muslims.”
The head of the Jurisprudence Center of Immaculate Imams (a.s.) further said, “I would like to thank ABNA News Agency for its outstanding works. This News Agency can introduce seminaries and their elders, courses, research centers, and ulama. These are the things that the Shiite world and the whole world should know about seminaries. A few years ago, a person from one of the European countries came to the Jurisprudence Center of Immaculate Imams (a.s.) in Qom and said that he was researching artificial insemination in the world. He said that he had gone to different places, including Medina University in Saudi Arabia, Al-Azhar University in Egypt, and Najaf Seminary, in order to learn the opinions of different religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Sunni and Shia Islam in this regard. He admitted that most of the research on artificial insemination has been done in the seminary of Qom, and a part of this research has been done in the Jurisprudence Center of Immaculate Imams (a.s.), and therefore he came to this center to see these researches, which was very interesting for him.”
The intellectual foundations of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) need to be introduced to the world
Referring to the necessity of publishing the activities of the seminary at the world level, he added, “ABNA News Agency can be the voice of seminaries in the Shiite and the entire Islamic world. Imam Khomeini (r.a.) left very valuable relics for not only Shiites but all Muslims. We must work on the foundations of the late Imam Khomeini and introduce them to the world, which is of great importance. Imam Khomeini (r.a.) said that from the very beginning when God sent the Messenger and the religion, his purpose was to establish a government. “وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ” (We did not send any apostle but to be obeyed by Allah’s leave.) (Holy Quran, 4: 64). Of course, after more than forty years since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, there is still no work on this issue in the seminary of Qom, and there is a need to work on this issue and collect, summarize, and translate the materials and products of the centers that have worked on this issue into different languages. Personally, I have researched this issue for three years and came to the conclusion that many Quranic verses approve this claim of the late Imam Khomeini and this thought of his has a Quranic origin. This idea is in opposition to the idea of the arrogant and pharaohs of the time who wanted to rule over the destiny of Muslims. Islam is based on the idea that the ruler should be God, the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h), and the infallible imams (a.s.), and during the Occultation, a comprehensive mujtahid.”
The professor of higher levels of the seminary noted, “The works of seminaries should be introduced to others. I do not expect that every book should be introduced, rather, rich research books should be introduced, and a summary of such works should be requested from the author for publication so that people can get to know them.”
While expressing his gratitude for the management based on knowledge and experience in the ABNA News Agency, he expressed, “The activity of excellent colleagues in ABNA was a source of hope, and I thank my honorable brother, Ayatollah Ramazani, for his appointments. In fact, I should appreciate the Supreme Leader of the Revolution for appointing Ayatollah Ramazani, this scientific and valuable personality, as the Secretary General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly. I hope that with the guidance of the Supreme leader, the Assembly will prosper more and more.”
During this visit, Hassan Sadraei Aref, head of ABNA News Agency, presented a short report on the activities of this religious and international news agency in the field of publishing news related to the followers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) school in the world in different languages.
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