Hawzah News Agency - Thanks to the victory of the Islamic Revolution, unique opportunities have been created for intellectuals, authoring valuable books has received spectacular attention, and Iran’s printing and publishing industry is now experiencing a very different period, says Hoj. Ahmad Marvi, Astan Quds Razavi’s chief custodian, in a message to Razavi book-reading festival.
The text of Hoj. Marvi’s message is as follows:
In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Read in the name of your Lord who created (al-Alaq: 1)
Reading is the first order of Great and Merciful God to the best and most popular Prophet (pbuh) whose celestial and eternal religion has been formed based on science and wisdom and whose biggest miracle is The Book of Quran.
There is a great secret in God’s swearing on pen and whatever with which writing is done. As the best creature of God, human beings have received highest level of knowledge in their peak of perfection and ignorance in their lowest depth of vulgarism.
Book is the glorious heritage of man, creator of human values and the source of enlightenment in society and guidance of man in the realm of life. God has appreciated his prophets by blessing of Book where He says: “Allah will say O Jesus, son of Mary! Remember My favor upon you and your mother: how I supported you with the holy spirit1 so you spoke to people in ˹your˺ infancy and adulthood. How I taught you writing, wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel. How you moulded a bird from clay—by My Will—and breathed into it and it became a ˹real˺ bird—by My Will. How you healed the blind and the lepers—by My Will. How you brought the dead to life—by My Will. How I prevented the Children of Israel from harming you when you came to them with clear proofs and the disbelievers among them said, “This is nothing but pure magic” (Al-Maidah:110)”.
Quran, the best Divine Book, has introduced teaching and learning from The Book as the most important duty for Prophet (pbuh) of Islam who is the highest prophet in ranking. He is the One Who raised for the illiterate people a messenger from among themselves—reciting to them His revelations, purifying them, and teaching them the Book and wisdom, for indeed they had previously been clearly astray (Al-Jumuah: 2).
Human civilization has been built on different bases during history. Among all, Islamic civilization has highly attended to science, research, reading, writing, learning and teaching. Islamic researchers have done their best to create this valuable heritage by getting inspiration from religious orders. Post-Islam Iran and Iranian Muslim scholars have increased Islamic civilization’s breadth and depth and have left behind many precious honors. The importance of books depends on studying them and their value depends on enjoying them. Books can liberate man from the depth of darkness and ignorance, guiding him toward light and knowledge.
When deviated and corrupt thoughts expanded within human societies during history, holy books had the duty of publicizing divine teachings and concepts. After Islam, Quran, as the most significant Holy Book and the greatest asset of the mankind, has played this role in a way that Muslim scholars have provided lovers of knowledge and culture with Islamic teaching and culture by getting inspiration from Quran and conducts of the Prophet (pbuh) and his family with happiness.
Now that unique opportunities have been formed for Iranian scientists and intellectuals, thanks to the victory of the Islamic Revolution, writing has received a new type of importance, authoring valuable books in different topics, levels and languages has had a spectacular abundance, and Iran’s printing and publishing industry is experiencing a different period.
The immense, critical, and expansive role of books has had a deep and constructive impact on personal and social growth; it has also enjoyed a strategic and motivational position in transmission of mankind’s higher values and culture to future generations and human-Islamic society building.
Because of vast penetration, books and written culture can have some negative aspects alongside their positive effects. So, it is important to pay serious attention to this aspect so that the enemy cannot plan a cultural assault against pure Islamic culture through using this valuable cultural tool. I, from the vicinity of illuminated shrine of Imam Reza (AS) who has recommended us to revive conducts of the Infallible Imams (AS), remind all age levels of the society about the importance of studying and hereby, I want all to follow Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s behavior toward book-reading as a model. I also recommend all to pay attention to Ayatollah Khamenei’s great viewpoints about achieving knowledge on which he has emphasized in the Statement on the Second Phase of the Revolution; I also invite all to enjoy full capacities of country’s libraries particularly the large and rich library of Astan Quds Razavi. I express my thanks to those who have organized this festival under current special [coronavirus] situation in the country and the world and wish them more success.