Hawzah News Agency- Speaking at the closing ceremony of the “Honoring Seminary Researchers” program, organized by the Research Branch of Al-Mustafa University of Pakistan, Ayatollah Hafiz Syed Riaz Hussain Najafi praised the university’s efforts in promoting science and research, describing the initiative as a significant step toward raising the intellectual and academic standards of society.
Ayatollah Najafi expressed concern that many valuable scientific and written works produced by scholars have not been adequately preserved, warning that this represents a serious loss to the Islamic intellectual heritage. He stressed that every religious scholar bears the responsibility of leaving behind a solid scholarly legacy.
Outlining the core responsibilities of religious scholars, he identified three essential duties: documenting and recording scholarly research and ideas, actively engaging in teaching and educational activities, and participating in social welfare and community service.
The senior Pakistani cleric also emphasized the centrality of the Holy Qur’an, recalling the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) guidance to adhere to the Book of God, whose interpretation, he noted, was elucidated by the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). He lamented that, despite this clear guidance, insufficient attention is paid among Muslims to understanding the Qur’an and its meanings.
Ayatollah Najafi called for religious seminaries to integrate Qur’anic studies more comprehensively into their curricula, recommending that jurisprudence and principles of Islamic law be taught alongside Qur’anic recitation (tajweed) and translation.
Emphasizing the importance of early religious education, the head of the Shia Educational Association of Pakistan highlighted the need for children to be taught correct prayer, the meanings of supplications, and Qur’anic recitation accompanied by translation. He proposed that every religious center be transformed into a Dar al-Qur’an to ensure systematic and accurate religious instruction.
He concluded by noting that even modest but consistent efforts in education and scholarship can yield profound and lasting results for the Muslim community.
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