Hawzah News Agency (Qom, Iran) – In a meeting with a group of French Shia Muslims in Qom on Wednesday, Ayatollah Alavi Boroujerdi, a senior Shia scholar, highlighted deep cultural and scientific ties between Iran and France and urged promoting Shia doctrine as well as boosting mutual cooperation between the scholars of both countries.

Pointing out that French language is considered as a perfect one, Iranian cleric asserted that some French scholars and academics in the past were inspired by the great works of religious figures such as Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi and Allama Tabatabaei in the fields of mysticism and philosophy.  

"This interest and cooperation between our scientists lasted for a very long period and the best example for such relations between our scholars dates back to when the founder of Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini (ra) resided in Neauphle-le-Château, France and during that period he received French scholars in his house and discussed with them."

Advising the French Muslims, Ayatollah Alavi Boroujerdi added, "Muslims who are living in France must realize that although the French government has a history of colonization and selling arms to Saudi Arabia to murder Yemeni Muslims, there are also many French academics in different fields who are willing to engage in international dialogue in order to promote peace and offer solutions in terms of international law affairs."

The Shia cleric further reiterated that Shia Islam has similarities with some religions in France. Such similarities provide an opportunity for Muslims to promote Islam and Shi’ism there; "One of the major concerns in Shia doctrine which is absent in other religious sects is its emphasis on preserving human rights and dignity; this serves as a great basis to develop dialogues with French scholars as well as ordinary people."