Supreme Leader: Knowledge, Main Foundation of Islamic Seminaries

Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met this evening with prominent students, scholars and instructors of Qom Seminary. Speaking at the meeting, which lasted more than 4 hours, His Eminence referred to knowledge as the genuine identity of Islamic seminaries.
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution described knowledge as the main foundation of Islamic seminaries and reiterated: "Islamic seminaries are founded on knowledge. Therefore, they should be committed to the requirements of being knowledge-centered."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that welcoming questions and doubts is one of the requirements of being committed to one's knowledge-centered identity and added: "Science generates questions, and a knowledge-centered organization - including Islamic seminaries - should warmly welcome questions, doubts and ambiguities."
His Eminence said that preventing questions from being raised leads to thwarting the progress of knowledge and added: "Nothing is wrong with raising questions and proposing new issues and methods. Even if what is proposed is wrong, it is necessary to deal with it through scientific methods."
Ayatollah Khamenei said that freethinking has been a common tradition in Islamic seminaries. Emphasizing the need for strengthening this tradition, he added: "Freethinking is an inherent quality of being knowledge-centered, and prejudice is basically meaningless in the arena of knowledge."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that another requirement of maintaining the knowledge-centered identity of Islamic seminaries is to actively engage with national and international scientific communities. "Qom Seminary has had systematic scientific relations with universities and with other Islamic seminaries inside the country and across the world of Islam. Using the modern means of communication can facilitate these relations."
Ayatollah Khamenei referred to the hostility of the arrogant powers, especially America and the Zionists, towards promoting and strengthening religious faith, further adding: "Plots and measures such as offensive caricatures, burning the Quran and other measures adopted by the global Zionist network show how evil the enemies of Islam are, and we should not underestimate them."
He added: "Naturally, Islamic seminaries cannot stay silent in the face of these hostilities, and they vigilantly adopt positions against the activities of the arrogant powers."
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that it is necessary to identify the enemy and to fully avoid playing into its hands. "All our people, including all members of Islamic seminaries, should take care not to say a single word or take a single step that is in line with what the enemy wants