Hawzah News Agency- Professor Farid Ishaq, speaking at a scientific meeting titled “Scientific Dialogue on an Alternative Civilizational Model Against Western Unilateralism,” highlighted the depth and maturity of Shiite scholarly thought. The event was attended by a wide range of seminary and university professors and focused on examining non-Western intellectual frameworks for addressing global challenges.
In his remarks, Professor Ishaq described the intellectual tradition of Shiite scholars and the Shiite clergy as possessing distinctive qualities, including profound analytical depth, methodological rigor, and long-term intellectual maturity. He characterized this legacy as a valuable form of intellectual capital that warrants serious attention within global academic circles.
He emphasized that the lived experience and accumulated scientific heritage of the Qom Seminary have the capacity to contribute meaningfully to resolving today’s intellectual, moral, and social crises. According to the Harvard professor, this tradition offers perspectives that can enrich global debates on ethics, spirituality, justice, and civilization.
At the same time, Professor Ishaq posed a critical question regarding the current global presence of Shiite thought. He asked why, despite its privileged status within the broader spectrum of Islamic thought, this rich intellectual tradition has not yet established sustained and effective engagement with major international scientific institutions and forums, nor achieved an influence proportional to its capabilities in the global academic arena.
Addressing this challenge, he stressed the necessity of developing concrete and operational strategies in the field of scientific diplomacy. He noted that scientific diplomacy plays a vital role not only in facilitating knowledge exchange and scholarly consensus, but also in presenting an accurate and credible image of the scientific and intellectual capacities of Islamic societies to the world.
Professor Ishaq outlined several practical measures to strengthen the international standing of Shiite thought. These include organizing joint academic conferences, producing high-quality multilingual scholarly content, facilitating the exchange of professors and students with leading universities and research centers, and inviting prominent global academics to engage directly with Iranian institutions.
He further cautioned that scientific communication should not remain at the level of symbolic or ceremonial exchanges. Instead, he argued, it must evolve into sustained joint research initiatives, international scientific projects, and systematic sharing of research findings. Such an approach, he said, would allow the “intellectual logic of the seminary” to be clearly articulated, heard, and understood within the global academic discourse.
Reiterating his central point, Professor Ishaq concluded that the Qom Seminary’s experience in training scholars, if effectively translated and presented in a globally accessible academic language, has the potential to offer meaningful responses to the intellectual and spiritual dilemmas of the modern world.
The meeting concluded with active participation from attendees, who engaged in discussions on the relationship between Islamic civilization and the major issues facing today’s world. Participants emphasized the importance of continuing Iran’s scientific engagement with reputable international institutions and opening new horizons for cooperation through an enhanced and purposeful approach to scientific diplomacy.
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