Statements in Meeting with Organizers of the National Conference on the Philosophical Thoughts of Allameh Jafari

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

I was very pleased when I learned that a commemoration for the late Allameh Jafari is to be held. The reason is that this esteemed figure, who was a very active element in scientific, propagandistic, religious, and artistic fields, did not receive an appropriate tribute commensurate with his personality after his passing. It is customary for great figures in a society to have their memory honored in some way during their lifetime, if not at least after their death, so that others can benefit from their scientific identity and true existence, which does not perish with death. This tradition is thankfully prevalent among us. I do not know why we have not adhered to this customary practice regarding the late Allameh Jafari (may God’s mercy be upon him)! Therefore, when I heard that a congress is to be held in his honor, with the people of Tabriz on one side, the scholars of Qom on another, and his academic associates involved, I was pleased; this is truly right and appropriate.

One of the most prominent characteristics of the late Allameh Jafari was his comprehensiveness. He was not confined to a specific field. In our seminary studies, he worked in both jurisprudence and philosophy. In jurisprudence, he was a student of the late Amirza Razi Tabrizi in Tabriz. Amirza Razi was a student of Akhund (may God have mercy on him); I had seen the late Amirza Razi; he was the foremost among the scholars of Tabriz; at one point in time, he was the leading cleric in Tabriz. Mr. Jafari was familiar with him in his youth, attended his classes, and was his student, recounting his experiences regarding his relationship with the late Amirza Razi to us. He then went to Najaf. He spent several years in Najaf studying under Ayatollah Khoei and other great scholars, and apparently also attended the lectures of the late Sheikh Kazem Shirazi; these studies indeed shape a jurist; those engaged in scientific and religious matters feel that this person is a jurist. He also worked in philosophical matters, and among his characteristics in this philosophical domain was his attention to the views of Western philosophers, which from ancient times, even in his youth when we visited him in Mashhad, he was engaged with these issues—discussions of Hegel and similar topics; these were matters that at that time were not yet common, and no one in the religious seminaries mentioned or was familiar with these issues—he was knowledgeable and engaged in discussions.

It was in 1954 or 1955 that I saw him in Mashhad; we were teenagers, and he had just returned from Najaf. He had a relative in Mashhad; his uncle was in Mashhad, and on an occasion—details are not necessary—he and his brothers had a small property in Mashhad; for this reason, he came to Mashhad and stayed for a while—I do not remember how long. The Nobav School, where we were, was a place where he would regularly come and go, sit, and speak; his warm and sweet expression and beautiful accent made his work captivating. His book titled 'Human - World'—he insisted that it should not be referred to as 'Human and World,' but rather 'Human - World'; he particularly emphasized this; I heard him say that it is not 'Human and World'—the first volume had just been published; he would bring it to the Nobav School, and some students would gather, and he would explain that this book is this, and we want to say this, and we want to do this. Of course, his scientific expression was not easy, just as his written scientific expression is not easy; therefore, I cannot claim to speak about his philosophical views, and those friends who were more closely associated with him can provide more insight; however, he was indeed knowledgeable and informed. He was very industrious. Truly, the personality of Mr. Jafari (may God have mercy on him) was remarkable in that no part of the vast scientific and intellectual spectrum distracted him from another part. Now consider that he simultaneously had a commentary on the Masnavi and a commentary on Nahj al-Balagha; indeed, the Masnavi and Nahj al-Balagha have profound and essential differences. He wrote a detailed commentary for the Masnavi and then a detailed commentary for Nahj al-Balagha, making them available to the public.

In terms of literary and artistic matters, he was similarly gifted; he was inherently an artistic person and an art connoisseur. I remember in the early days of the revolution, a small session was held weekly or biweekly, which I tried to attend despite my numerous commitments. He was a constant presence in that session in Tehran; poetry was recited, and sometimes difficult poems were read, yet he was so adept at understanding poetry and literary appreciation that I was astonished!

It is well-known that those who have good memories lack depth in thought; those who have depth in thought do not have good memories; it is said that these two do not coexist. Mr. Jafari proved this notion to be incorrect; he was a thinker and had an extraordinary memory; indeed, his memory was one of the wonders! We had a hiking trip in the countryside of Mashhad with the late Mr. Jafari and three other friends—there were five of us; one of those friends is still alive, while the other three, including him, have passed away. During this hiking trip in the countryside of Mashhad, Mr. Jafari made it so engaging that one did not feel the length of the journey, due to his pleasant conversation and warm presence in all discussions. His memory was remarkable; one could mention a line of poetry, and he would recite the rest. I remember that on one occasion, we discussed Manouchehri, and I mentioned, 'Where is my camel with the wind's foot?'—I recited a couplet from a poem. He began reciting the entire poem from beginning to end; from memory! That was how he was; an extraordinary memory and always present.

Among his characteristics was a sense of responsibility towards spreading Islamic knowledge. He was a speaker and had a sweet accent and an eloquent tongue. Before the revolution, I remember he was invited to various special sessions; at that time, we were in Mashhad. Sometimes, in Mashhad, he was invited to certain special sessions, and he would come from Tehran; in Tehran and other places, after the revolution, he held numerous sessions for the youth, students, professors, scholars, and the general public, engaging in the propagation and promotion of religious knowledge; his scientific level and intellectual standing did not prevent him from coming down to the level of his audience and discussing.

Among his many positive characteristics, one was his religious zeal. He was extremely zealous and committed to religious matters and was sensitive to deviations that appeared in the words and thoughts of some, responding clearly. He faced much enmity and even insults, yet he stood firm in this arena. Truly, Mr. Jafari (may God’s mercy be upon him) was a distinguished figure and personality.

He was also a patient person. Despite all his spiritual qualities and the subtleties he possessed, he was a patient individual. He faced hardships; his daughter passed away, as did his wife; he had such difficulties in life, yet he remained steadfast and strong; he was a resilient and patient man.

We hope that God willing, the Almighty grants you the success to work on his thoughts. We must learn from the West that they do not abandon their intellectual figures and their distinguished personalities. It is not merely about recounting biographies but also about describing their thoughts and various aspects of their ideas; they write numerous books about them, critique them; some oppose, some support, some argue; these tasks must be carried out regarding our intellectual giants, including the late Mr. Jafari, and I hope that this commemoration you have organized can initiate this movement and bring Mr. Jafari and his thoughts out of obscurity. In any case, we thank all of you esteemed gentlemen who are involved in this work, the people of Tabriz, the scholars of Qom, the scholars of Tehran; we are grateful to all those who are engaged in this effort.

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