Statements in Meeting with Managers and Some Professors of Martyr Motahhari Higher School

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad and his pure family.

Let us remember the late Mr. Emami (may God’s mercy be upon him); he was genuinely attached and devoted to this school and this organization; we could fully sense this from his statements and his visits. He truly made every effort he could to ensure that this school achieves its goals.

You know that the Martyr Motahhari School has a long history. Before the Revolution, there were great professors in this school, some of whom we knew. The late Mr. Rashid was here, and the late Mr. Amirza Abol-Fazl Najm-Abadi was among the good scholars of Tehran; we knew him closely; the late Sheikh al-Islam Kashmiri and some others of this kind taught in this school, yet there was no significant output; despite all these good professors, at that time, this school had no noteworthy output. The students who were in that school — now among us students who traveled to Tehran at that time, we heard things — were known as students who did not study; meaning a student who does not study! There were students in this school, but [despite] those excellent professors, there was no significant product. Now, there may have been individuals on the sidelines, but the expected output of that school was lacking; unlike the Revolutionary period. In this Revolutionary period, many proficient scholars and truly learned individuals became engaged in non-seminary activities; the nature of the work necessitated this; hence, in various teaching centers, including the Martyr Motahhari School, we faced a shortage of teaching scholars — of course, there were great scholars; we know some of them; some, thanks be to God, are still alive, and some have passed away whom we knew; I knew some of them closely; they were learned, they were good — but the output of the school has been good; meaning that capable students, good students have studied in this school. This is very valuable; this was due to the efforts that the officials of this school made from the beginning and the late Mr. Emami, who was at the helm from the start.

The fact that you said the school needs transformation is completely correct; that is, programs must be renewed according to the needs of the time; this is natural. [When we mention] transformation, it does not mean that the principles and foundations should change. In fact, the principles and foundations should not be altered, because the foundations are correct. What needs to be adjusted are the programs; we must see which lessons are more needed, which lessons are more welcomed in society, considering the tools that have emerged today that did not exist twenty or forty years ago, what kind of teaching is necessary today; that is important. [Then] based on this new planning, you select professors, organize the classification of students, arrange the programs, and you will have good outputs; this must be taken into consideration.

An important issue is the matter of purification, devotion, and religiosity. This school must be a manifestation of religiosity in the true sense of the word; that is, it should truly show that a seminary-university environment, an environment that combines seminary and university arrangements, can produce individuals who, in addition to knowledge, possess piety and self-purification; this should be demonstrated; this is very good in Tehran, in my opinion.

If, God willing, divine blessings encompass you in this movement that you have now started and wish to start, the Martyr Motahhari School can become a model and example of the seminary in Tehran. Because now, if someone comes from outside and wants to know what the seminary is like in Tehran, we do not have a center to present. The Martyr Motahhari School can be that center; provided that the pillars of work, the organizational and educational, teaching pillars are taken into account.

In any case, you are, thanks be to God, young forces, you have the readiness and vitality of youth, and you can bring a new movement to this collection. Our seminaries truly need new movements. There are many unaccomplished tasks. Now, when one sees, for example, in Qom — by way of example — that certain fields are being taught, discussed, and studied that we had not even thought of before, we realize how much we have gaps, how much work remains undone; you should pursue these here, God willing.

Another point, aside from the issue of purification and organized planning, is the matter of discipline. The expansion of institutions is very good if one can manage it properly. The danger that exists is that the thread of discipline may be lost. You have multiple schools in various cities of the country — whether a seminary school, a non-seminary school, high schools, and the like — well, these require discipline; that is, true management is necessary, oversight must be comprehensive. Delegating work to one person and leaving it in the hands of individuals [is not correct]; high management must have comprehensive oversight. Of course, the cooperation of all those who can cooperate should be utilized, there is no doubt, especially the young forces, but that high management must have a comprehensive view. Maintain discipline; be careful not to lose it. If you see that managing a place is difficult, close it; do not worry about shutting down a unit in a certain city when one cannot manage it properly. God willing, may the Almighty God grant you success.

On the occasion that now a group of gentlemen and ladies are present here, I would like to say a word regarding the elections.

Well, the day after tomorrow we have elections; these elections are very important, as we have said before. Of course, in the first stage of the elections, public participation was not as much as one would expect; it was less than what we anticipated and was estimated. Various individuals made guesses about participation, and all guesses were more than what actually occurred. Well, this has its reasons; those who are political, who have a sociological perspective on issues and so on, will analyze these. What is certain is that if someone thinks that those who did not vote did so because they opposed the system, they are gravely mistaken; this understanding is one hundred percent wrong! Well, yes, there may be a number of individuals who do not like a certain official, or there may be a number of individuals who do not like the system itself; not that we do not have such people; yes, there are in the country who freely express their opinions, we hear their words, we know what they say; it is not that they are hidden from sight and unseen; we know, we recognize that there are those who do not agree with the essence of this system and the essence of the Islamic government structure; well, yes, they exist; however, to classify everyone who did not vote as belonging to these is a very big mistake; this error should not be committed by anyone. No, [perhaps someone] has problems, has difficulties, is busy, lacks patience, does not have time, there are various obstacles to this work. Now we hope that, God willing, in this second stage, the gathering of the people will be inspiring and a source of honor for the Islamic system.

We have repeatedly stated that public participation is a support for the Islamic Republic system, a source of honor, a source of pride. If the people have clearer and better participation, the Islamic Republic system will gain the ability to realize its own words, intentions, and objectives — both inside the country and in the broader strategic context — and this is a very great opportunity for the country.

We hope that, God willing, the Almighty God guides all our hearts to what pleases Him and that all those who love Islam, love the Islamic Republic, love the progress of the country, and love the improvement of the situation and filling the gaps, express this through their votes on the Friday that is the day after tomorrow, and show it; and may God grant them success to choose the best [individual]; someone who can, God willing, realize these goals in the country.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.