Hawzah News Agency- Speaking at a conference of provincial seminary officials in Qom’s Masoumiyyah School, Hojatoleslam Rafiei underscored the importance of intellectual preparedness and the promotion of authentic religious models in facing what he called a “combined war.”
“We are today engaged in a civilizational confrontation—on one side stands Western civilization, and on the other, Islamic civilization,” he said. “Each derives meaning through its encounter with the other.”
The Central Role of Faith and Guardianship
Referring to the position of Hazrat Zahra (peace be upon her), he said: “The Imam of the Time (may God hasten his reappearance) has said, ‘There is no example like the daughter of the Messenger of Allah.’ Today, the axis of existence revolves around Hazrat Zahra. Her satisfaction is the satisfaction of God, and her anger is His anger.”
He also prayed for the health and long life of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, emphasizing that Wilayat al-Faqih (the guardianship of the jurist) is not limited to one group or nation but is “a source of goodness and perfection for all humanity.”
“We are all indebted to the martyrs and the revolution’s pioneers,” Rafiei added. “Our efforts must carry the spirit of martyrdom, revolution, and guardianship, otherwise we will be responsible to those who sacrificed everything for Islam.”
Cognitive Warfare: The New Battlefield
Warning about the growing threats of cognitive warfare, Rafiei said that today’s conflicts are no longer confined to traditional or military arenas. “We are at war, and we must recognize it. The enemy’s goal is to target our emotions, perceptions, and beliefs,” he explained.
He referred to the emergence of the concept of “cognitive warfare” in international discourse after the 2015 Munich Conference, noting that such strategies aim to undermine societies from within by manipulating minds and values.
According to Rafiei, foreign research centers have concluded that hard power cannot divide Iranian society, and therefore they have turned to psychological and internal destabilization strategies instead.
Hijab and the Soft War Front
Highlighting the role of social issues in this battle, Rafiei said: “The debate over hijab is not merely a cultural or social matter—it is a two-pronged strategy in the enemy’s cognitive warfare. Through this issue, they seek to create division between the people and the Islamic system.”
He stressed that while past wars relied on military means, today’s conflicts are waged through soft and cognitive warfare. Drawing a parallel with Islamic history, Rafiei said: “After the Battle of Saffin, the enemy resorted to distortion and manipulation to alter the outcome—just as today’s enemies use perception and propaganda to undermine Islamic values.”
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