His Eminence, the Religious Authority, Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Mohammad Taqi Al-Modarresi (May his shadow endure) emphasized the pivotal role of the Hawza Ilmiyya (religious seminaries) in straightening the course of the Islamic Ummah from deviation, raising the banner of its revival, preserving the principles and values of Sharia, and confronting alien ideological currents infiltrating Muslims.
His Eminence Ayatollah Al-Modarresi, while receiving a delegation of Hawza students from the city of Ahwaz in Iran, pointed to the historical and spiritual roots of the Hawza Ilmiyya, clarifying that it is “a living part of the Islamic Ummah’s entity” and the natural continuation of those who adhered to the sciences of the Greatest Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and the approach of the Ahl al-Bayt. His Eminence affirmed that the Hawza represents the “Islamic scholarly community” that preserves the Ummah’s identity and authenticity.
In the context of discussing the objectives and characteristics of the Hawza, His Eminence Ayatollah Al-Modarresi outlined three essential traits that a student of knowledge and the Hawza institution must prioritize:
First: The Holy Quran
His Eminence explained that the Quran is the foundation of religion and the guide to life, calling for moving beyond superficial recitation to “pondering its verses” and the necessity of linking the verses to lived reality so that the Quran becomes a guide in every detail of life.
Second: The Prophet and the Ahl al-Bayt
Ayatollah Al-Modarresi affirmed that the relationship with the pure Progeny is based on “love, following, conduct, and emulation,” clarifying that their knowledge is the fortress protecting the Muslim mind from deviation and perdition.
Third: Bearing Responsibility
His Eminence considered the Hawza’s most important feature to be preparing the individual to confront “intellectual and psychological challenges,” educating them on Islamic values, and committing to enjoining good and forbidding evil, stressing that the religious scholar is the primary responsible party for fortifying the Ummah against incoming currents.
His Eminence concluded the meeting by calling on the visiting delegation to convey this awareness to society, ensuring the Hawza remains present in people’s consciousness, pains, and concerns, affirming that “the strength of the Hawza is drawn from its adherence to the two weighty things (Quran and Ahl al-Bayt), and from its sincerity in fulfilling its divine mission toward the Ummah.”
Office of His Eminence Ayatollah Al-Modarresi (May his shadow endure)
Holy Karbala – Sha’ban al-Khayr 1447 AH