Hawzah News Agency- Addressing participants, Hojatoleslam Mahdavipour emphasized that scholars, preachers, and cultural activists must enter the digital arena with competence and creativity.
“To succeed in conveying religious teachings,” he said, “the message must be presented beautifully, eloquently, and in a manner that appeals to the audience’s taste. Human beings are naturally drawn to beauty, and if the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) are delivered through appealing and refined artistic tools, they will remain in the hearts and minds.”
He noted that this principle is deeply embedded within the Holy Qur’an itself.
“More than two hundred stories appear in the Qur’an,” he explained. “These narratives are not only instructive, but artistically compelling—demonstrating how political, social, and moral lessons can be transmitted through captivating forms.”
Skills Must Accompany Knowledge in the Cyberspace Era
Hojatoleslam Mahdavipour called on cultural and religious workers to make full use of the Internet, digital platforms, and particularly artificial intelligence, which he described as key instruments in contemporary communication.
“Students at Al-Mustafa University,” he said, “must not only acquire knowledge, they must learn the skills to present that knowledge effectively. Without these skills, even significant scholarly achievement will have limited impact.”
He noted that religious students today require a wide array of practical abilities.
“There are over a hundred essential skills,” he stated, “including mosque management, teaching methods, family counseling, and more. In the media field alone, there are at least twenty core skills that our students must master before returning to their home countries.”
Developing Africa’s Future Media Leaders
The Representative of the Leader emphasized that African students must gain the ability to analyze political, social, and cultural developments on the continent.
“The best journalists, editors, and cyberspace activists in Africa,” he asserted, “should emerge from among you. Our jurisprudence, history, Quranic interpretation, and theology must be presented in ways that are engaging to modern audiences. Religious knowledge needs to be expressed through relevant social, cultural, and political frameworks.”
He described today’s global society as suffering from a profound crisis of identity, spirituality, and purpose.
“Many people no longer know why they live or what their goals are,” he said. “They feel lost, deprived of joy, and thirsty for spirituality. Islamic teachings provide remedies for each of these crises—but they must be articulated correctly and attractively.”
Hojatoleslam Mahdavipour stressed that media occupies the foremost role in shaping public discourse.
“The audience reached by the media,” he said, “is thousands of times larger than the audience in mosques or Hussainiyahs. Therefore, while traditional methods remain valuable, we must expand our presence in the digital space.”
Building Media Networks and Responding to Neo-Colonial Challenges
He described the media as a crucial instrument for content delivery, urging scholars to learn how to package their knowledge for digital platforms.
“In today’s world,” he noted, “producing podcasts is highly appealing. A half-hour audio summary of a book, an article, a political analysis, or a meaningful lecture can attract vast audiences.”
He stressed the importance of organizing content in a structured, theory-based manner and called for the formation of media teams that can cooperate with like-minded institutions across the African continent.
“Understanding and analyzing events in Africa is essential,” he said. “Although classical colonialism appears to have left the continent, neo-colonialism continues to impose influence and exert control through new mechanisms.”
Cyberspace: The Key to Raising Awareness and Resisting Hegemony
In concluding remarks, Hojatoleslam Mahdavipour warned that attempts to destabilize Muslim societies and nations with valuable resources are ongoing across the world.
“Colonial powers,” he said, “continue to create unrest and disorder in order to pursue their illegitimate interests. Liberation from their dominance is possible only when nations possess awareness, insight, and unity.”
“For the people of Africa,” he emphasized, “cyberspace today represents the most effective tool for explanation, enlightenment, and building informed resistance.”
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