Hawzah News Agency (Qom, Iran) – Ayatollah Alireza Arafi received a group of scholars from Syria and Tunisia in Qom on Monday, June 12. During the meeting, both sides stressed developing scientific ties between the seminary of Qom and religious organizations worldwide.

Ayatollah Arafi, member of Iranian seminaries’ Supreme Council remarked, "More than 100 thousand students from different Iranian provinces as well as 100 countries are presently studying Islamic sciences in Qom."

Pointing out that 30 thousand of these students are studying in Al-Mustafa International University in Qom, he added, "Students are free to study in 100 different Islamic disciplines at al-Mustafa University."

"These students come from different Islamic sects and are therefore trained according to their own religious doctrine. This is something unique to Al-Mustafa International University as other great Islamic institutes such as Al-Azhar do not offer the same opportunities."

The seminary lecturer also referred to Al-Mustafa University’s commitment to approximate Islamic sects and strengthen unity among Islamic community saying, "As the students are being trained according to their own religious doctrine, they are also offered courses to become familiar with other Islamic sects, this, in turn, boosts Islamic unity within Muslim community."