Statements of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Meeting with Members of the Congress of Pure Wisdom

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

Esteemed scholars and respected professors! Welcome. This is a very good session. I will present some points; if the gentlemen have any comments afterwards, I am ready to benefit from them.

This work and the commemoration of the late martyr Ayatollah Motahhari (may God’s mercy be upon him) is undoubtedly one of the merits of the broadcasting organization. He has a great right, and this work is part of the gratitude that is the duty of all of us. Of course, in the conferences and commemorations that are held in this manner, useful side discussions also take place - scientific, philosophical discussions, and so on - which are also valuable; however, in my opinion, the main focus of your gathering should be, firstly, the intellectual personality and the enlightenment identity of the late Motahhari and his role in the intellectual and enlightenment movement of Islam in the country, which is very important. Secondly, efforts should be made to ensure that this movement continues and does not stop; because we always need Motahhari. We cannot stop at the figure of the martyr Motahhari. Based on his intellectual advancements and innovations, our Islamic society and intellectual community must achieve further innovations. We need to have Motahharis for the 80s and 90s; because the intellectual needs are constantly evolving and renewing. Regarding the intellectual identity and enlightenment of martyr Motahhari and the role that this great man played in his time, I believe that a comprehensive definition has not yet been provided. Of course, his books have been worked on - commendable works have been done - but we must recognize the work that the late martyr Motahhari did in the intellectual environment of this country during the 40s and 50s. He entered fields where no one had ventured before regarding Islamic issues, with his strong and sound intellectual thought; and with the thoughts that were prevalent in the country at that time - the imported, translated Western and Eastern ideas - or were about to become prevalent, he engaged in a profound, vast, and unending scientific challenge. He undertook a very intelligent jihad against the Marxists, and he also entered the field to confront Western and liberal thoughts. This role is very important; it requires both the courage and self-confidence necessary, as well as intellectual power and ijtihad in various fields, and it requires certainty and firm faith; this great man possessed all of these qualities; he was both a scholar and very devout, he had certainty in his faith, and he had self-confidence; these are essential. In our historical background, there are imported thoughts; however, not with this extent, this prevalence, and this potential for influence. Our history is full of these unhealthy intellectual strands that have entered our scientific thoughts - whether in our jurisprudence, our philosophy, or our theology - but in the new era, as communications expanded, new ideas - with their natural attractions - continuously entered the intellectual space of society and created a need for a correct and scientific confrontation. We were in the field and saw; some of the confrontations that took place at that time were not scientific; they were fanatical confrontations based on belief; but without reading and understanding, they would reject a statement; they did not know what it was; they would take a corner of a broad statement and subject it to their own conflict and confront it. This evoked stagnation and non-scientific confrontation. A number of people, influenced by the attractions of new and imported thoughts, became enamored with them and tried to align Islam and Islamic thought with them; they even boasted that they had made Islam appealing and acceptable to the youth! Sometimes they became even more zealous and went a few steps ahead of the proponents of these ideas, so as not to be accused of being reactionary, which we have seen in some cases. They dragged prophethood, monotheism, resurrection, and discussions of imamate and Islamic jurisprudence towards their similarities in foreign schools of thought, sometimes atheistic and completely alien to religion, and they boasted that they had made Islam comprehensible and appealing to everyone! This was another deviation; both of these were deviations. The art of martyr Motahhari in that era was that he stood in the middle of the field with the power of ijtihad and with fairness and scientific decorum - both in the realm of transmitted sciences and in the realm of rational sciences - and grappled with these thoughts, presenting what Islamic thought was, clearly, pure, and unambiguous. Many spoke against him and worked hard against him; but he accomplished this task. In the enlightenment movement, this role is very significant; and this became the foundation for the subsequent thoughts of our society. I firmly believe and have often stated that the Islamic intellectual movement of our revolution and Islamic system is largely based on the thoughts of martyr Motahhari; that is, they are the foundations and materials of Islam that we have benefited from in our Islamic thoughts, leading to the Islamic system; therefore, even in those days, the thoughts of martyr Motahhari were a safe haven for the youth seeking and loving Islamic thought who were under the heavy bombardment of foreign thoughts; the Marxists in one way, the Westernizers in another; both in universities and in the environments outside of universities, and even in the seminaries. Martyr Motahhari became a bastion and refuge for these individuals so that they could preserve themselves under the shadow of this deep and solid thought; to maintain their faith and to be able to defend themselves and have new ideas. Of course, the late Motahhari's scope of work appeared to be small. The very sessions that Mr. Larijani referred to were small gatherings; this corner, that corner, a classroom in a certain faculty; at most, it was a session in a certain place with a few hundred people; but he certainly did not foresee what great impacts these small sessions would leave behind. This is the status of martyr Motahhari; this status must be correctly recognized and defined, and its instances and examples must be clarified; these must be articulated. If we consider this point regarding Islamic thinkers, scholars, and jurists; for example, if we see what role Mulla Sadra played at that time; if we define his personality as the main axis of his scientific identity, it is good and impactful. Of course, artistic methods have their own place. In my opinion, we have not yet acquired the necessary skill and expertise in artistic methods to be able to do what we want. Our scientific figures who sometimes appear in films and series cannot create the impression and reflection in the minds of their viewers and audiences that those familiar with these figures believe; often, something else emerges, which requires more attention in the realm of artistic work. Therefore, the role of martyr Motahhari must be made clear. Martyr Motahhari was a champion in a field that no one had entered.

The second point that is good to reflect upon is the continuity of this movement. We cannot stop at martyr Motahhari. It is true that even now, twenty-five years after the martyrdom of this man, his books are among the best-selling, most attractive, and most desirable books for generations seeking solid and logical Islamic thought, and even now we truly do not have an alternative or equivalent for the collection of martyr Motahhari's books (may God’s mercy be upon him), and despite the good works that have been done, undoubtedly in terms of importance, impact, and appeal, they still rank at the highest level; however, the movement of entering the arena of challenge with the ideas that come in and the scientific critique and correct confrontation with them and the proper differentiation from their flawed materials and components and the clarification of Islamic thought in this context must continue, and this is one of the important duties that exists. As I mentioned, we need Motahharis in the coming decades. After the Islamic Revolution and the establishment of the Islamic system, Islamic thought has faced serious challenges; undoubtedly, new challenges will arise for it day by day; they will not let go. We must prepare ourselves here, and we can. The rich and inexhaustible capital that we have today from Islamic culture provides us with many resources in this confrontation; if we are willing to utilize them. Truly, we have a vast intellectual and cultural arsenal at our disposal; if we can use it correctly. Today, fortunately, there are young scholars; I see them. In Qom, in Tehran, scholars, righteous individuals, worthy individuals, both scientifically and in terms of broad vision and strong thought exist; they must enter these fields and expand their presence in these arenas. Today, our need is much greater than during the time of the late martyr Motahhari - that is, in the 40s and 50s. Our needs then were one way, today our needs are much broader and deeper, and it is necessary for this movement to continue. Direct the commemoration and honoring of martyr Motahhari towards these directions so that individuals are encouraged to enter these fields and prepare to confront the new waves of imported propaganda in all areas; in philosophy, in theology, in various issues of the country that relate to Islamic discussions.

We hope that God Almighty grants us all success to fulfill the great right of this esteemed martyr. I once mentioned to the dear family of his esteemed relatives who had come here on the occasion of the anniversary that arrangements should be made for his books to be read like the books of the curriculum in seminaries. I truly find it necessary for those who are thinkers and those who want to express Islamic thoughts to the people - religious propagators, speakers of religion - to read a course of the late Motahhari's books. Find a way for these books to be read; both in the curriculum and in universities. Fortunately, his books are easily accessible; that is, they have a very sweet and good writing style. His pen was much better than his speech. He used to say that he did not like to hear his own speeches at all; but when he read his writings, he liked them. I also, of course, in this regard; I would agree with him; his speeches were not as captivating as his writings. His writings are truly very sweet, fluent, and eloquent; therefore, the more these should be expanded. Scholars, intellectuals, and youth - especially our young seminarians - should have read a course of martyr Motahhari's books; so that if they want to do something, it should be "whoever builds upon the foundation of the predecessors"; that is, based on that thought and on the shoulders of martyr Motahhari, they should, God willing, conquer higher peaks and raise the flag of Islamic thought to those heights.

God willing, may you be successful and supported. We were very pleased to visit you, gentlemen. We are ready if you have any statements to make, to benefit from them.