Full text of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi’s meeting with the head of the seminaries and head of the office of contemporary jurisprudence

According to the news agency of the seminary, Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, in a meeting with the respected head of the seminaries and head of the department of contemporary jurisprudence while commending the work accomplished and in the state of fulfillment by the seminary in the subject of contemporary jurisprudence, he deemed it necessary for attention to depth in the subjects and an intellectual presence of the office of contemporary jurisprudence.

At the beginning of the meeting, Ayatollah Arafi, the respected head of the seminaries, appreciating the unfailing support of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, discussed the seminary administration and ongoing programs while presenting intellectual works published by the office of contemporary jurisprudence, introduced the measures of this office. He said: ‘I do not begin any important task unless an accurate 5-year plan for it is known. The office of contemporary jurisprudence as well is amongst the collections who is continuing its activities within a determined 5-year plan. One of these measures is advanced contemporary jurisprudence lessons. Our emphasis is on this that the task must be in the heart of the seminary and it must move on the principle seminary methodology far from any form of pseudo-enlightenment thinking and based on independent seminary lessons. In subjectology as well, the emphasis of this collection is on utilising the seminary and university teachers, the final views in related subject should be identified and with the help of teachers and their students, they analyse it jurisprudentially of which outcome this year is a 9-volume book on ijtihad in contemporary jurisprudence and in the next year as well, the same number of new books will be published.’

The respected head of the Islamic seminary, in continuation, while indicating towards the books ‘al-Fā’iq’ and its commentary which was authored based on a group-task and with the co-operation of well-known teachers of advanced jurisprudence, emphasized that ‘this book which is complementary to ‘Kifāyah’ generated an intellectual wave in the seminary and other books as well in the future will be added to seminary education system which will be complementary to ‘Makāsib’ in the subjects such as ‘legal entity’.’

He considered one of the other tasks of the office of contemporary jurisprudence in the next year to be identifying and publishing books which in the last 100 years have been authored in Najaf and Qum on contemporary subjects.

Ayatollah Arafi proceeded on explaining the activities of the secretariat to support the research required by the society and the system – which was formed in the seminary research department. He, while mentioning this point that we have contacted different Government bodies and have collected their issues and principle needs and formed more than 20 intellectual committees with the respected research executive Hujjatul Islām wa al-Muslimīn Muqīmī Ḥājī. He added that today every ordinary student and teacher or seminary educational centre that possesses a strategic and operational research in accordance to the announced guidelines to solve problems of the Islamic system and society, from the stage of research to publication of the work will be supported and over the few months which have passed from the start of this scheme, more than 100 projects have begun which will be published by next year. 

In continuation of this meeting, Hujjat al-Islam wa al-Muslimīn Esna Ashari, head of the department of contemporary jurisprudence of the seminary, by presenting a report of the activities carried out by the office, he indicated to the holding of introductory contemporary jurisprudence lessons and expressed: ‘Although these lessons began in the second half (of the school year) however 72 teachers and more than 1000 students participated in these lessons and it is anticipated  that this number will increase two-fold in the next year. At present as well, with the presence of more that 200 teachers, approximately 4800 students in advance contemporary jurisprudence lessons and 2500 students in lessons of Al-Fā’iq (الفائق) are studying. These numbers show that 45% of students from their respective levels have studied contemporary issues in some form. This issue shows that a great action in the seminary and by the Grace of Allah, these measures will continue. The beauty of this task is that usually students and teachers in higher levels and advance lessons, alongside teaching and studying also research these new lessons in books and traditional fields of the seminary and thus they learn the traditional and common principles of ijtihad as well as traverse the path of ijtihad in new issues.’

The office of contemporary jurisprudence added that the most welcomed amongst introductory contemporary jurisprudence books in this term were ‘Interest and Islamic banking’ (ربا و بانکداری اسلامی) and ‘Analysis of methods to elude interest’ (بررسی طرق فرار از ربا) by Ayatollah Makarem; ‘Governance in Islam’ by the Late Ayatollah Khalkhālī; ‘Our Economics’ (اقتصادنا) by Shahīd Ṣadr; ‘Jurisprudence of guardianship and governance’ (فقه الولایة و الحکومة) by Ayatollah Maẓahiri; Fiqh of cryptocurrencies’ (فقه رمزارزها) by Ayatollah Sayyed Mohammad Reza Modaressi.

In this cordial meeting, which was held in the house of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, while addressing the large welcoming for jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence (فقه و اصول) in the seminaries has correct provenance and it is on the basis that this science is the foundation of religious rulings; He said: ‘Important activities have begun in the seminaries. Especially activities which are carried out in the field of jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence which is significant, and you have taken a step in an important direction.’

In continuation, by placing emphasis on giving priority to the more important affairs of society and system added: ‘Subjectology of new issues must take place with precision which is not an easy task in our time. He mentioned a few examples of such affairs and said the subject of money and the source of its origin and it’s generation today and with attention to complexity of this issue in the new world economic system must be analysed with precision. Similarly, the subject of cryptocurrencies as to whether they are money or commodities or the discussion of companies within their different forms and the types of investments on them; precise thematic (analysis) must take place on them. Similarly, the fundamental foundations of the rulings of these subjects must become clear. The issue of loan and borrowing and reprehensibility of taking a loan which is also mentioned in the writings of Imam (Khomeini) is one of these issues whereby people are entangled in these subjects and we cannot be indifferent or pay little attention in relation to these affairs and we must follow up on them seriously.’

The head of the office of contemporary jurisprudence in affirming and emphasizing on the remarks of the great scholar, in a report expressed that in regards to subjectology, an extensive seminary and university team-building has been established from different scientific fields and serious attention is being given to interdisciplinary research and different thematic aspects such as money. Likewise, opinions of legislative groups are being taken into account and lengthy periods are being dedicated to thematic while sometimes last over a year. 

Ayatollah Makarem, after this report expressed that ‘We are pleased that you have come till here and we will be pleased with the continuation of this path as well.’ At the end, the grand scholar emphasized to him that in addition to the detailed works of research which have been presented, an abstract and conclusion of intellectual works of the teachers in the subject of cryptocurrencies and all published works should also be sent to him so that he may study these conclusions within his limited time.