Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, on Tuesday at the start of his post-fiqh(theory of Islamic philosophy) course in the new school year of seminaries, referred to widespread schemes designed to deviate the minds and hearts of Iranian people and youth from the very principle of religion, saying the primary and the most important task assigned to the clergy was to “counter the scheme of secularization and the elimination of chastity”. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution stressed: “Seminaries and the clergy must elucidate Islamic teachings and concepts by getting to know cyberspace and benefiting from the opportunities it presents.”
Ayatollah Khamenei underlined the significance of “dutifulness” and “sense of good timing” in the spread of religion and elucidation of religious issues, noting: “If the task is not known truly, then science, piety and even courage will not have any positive and desired effects.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said “insight” meant knowing the needs and realities of the society, adding: “Insight means that we should know the needs of today’s youth and know what has already been engraved or what must be engraved on his prepared and eager tabula rasa.”
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to exorbitant costs and extensive planning against people’s faith and beliefs, saying: “The enemy is seeking to deviate the faithful and untainted youth from the principle of religion and to disrespect boundaries of modesty through the creation and spread of skepticism as well as production of material violating chastity and modesty, and today this job is being done within the cyberspace.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said countering this scheme was the primary and the most significant task assigned to the clergy, noting: “Seminaries and religious scholars must create in themselves the potentiality of facing the enormous enemy campaign.”
Ayatollah Khamenei expressed regret over the fact that some religious preachers were unfamiliar with new computer tools and that some officials do not have a correct understanding of the significance of cyberspace. “Cyberspace has numerous advantages and disadvantages both. By benefitting from its opportunities, Islamic concepts must be spread on a large scale. To that effect, the Supreme Council of Cyberspace was formed for the purpose of concentration on thinking, decision-making and action.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said identifying the misgivings and responding to them were among important tasks assigned to seminaries, adding: “This work is in no contrast with fiqahat (expertise in the canon law of Islam) because fiqh (theory of Islamic canon law) is not limited to practical instructions; rather ‘Fiqh of Great God’ is the same as Islamic teachings and for responding to religious misgivings there must be practical steps and action just like accurate and extensive research on fiqh.”