Hawzah News Agency- Hojatoleslam Javad Soleimani, a professor at the Imam Khomeini Educational and Research Institute, speaking at the unveiling ceremony of the institute's new publications held at Tehran's Book Garden, divided laws into two general categories: conventional and real. Conventional laws, such as traffic regulations, are contractual and changeable, whereas real laws, like the boiling point of water at 100 degrees Celsius, are eternal, unchangeable, and absolute.
He then posed the question of whether real, unchangeable laws also exist within social and historical developments. Some view historical transformations as the product of random accidents, while others hold that all phenomena have logical, law-governed causes and effects.
The seminary and university professor identified two primary sources for extracting real laws: historical studies and the works of scholars, referencing figures such as Marx, Freud, and Toynbee. However, he leveled a critique at the laws derived from these sources, noting that they have been repeatedly violated over time. The trajectory of societies evolving from slavery to feudalism, capitalism, and socialism, as proposed by Marx, has consistently encountered exceptions. He pointed to the efforts of Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi in categorizing and interpreting these laws based on Quranic foundations, stating: "Ayatollah Mesbah sought to demonstrate that there exist firmer and more correct laws whose source is the Holy Quran."
Hojatoleslam Soleimani introduced his book titled "Historical Traditions in the Quran," in which he has compiled and elaborated on these concepts, employing Allameh Mesbah's classification of divine traditions—which includes general traditions such as the tradition of divine testing, traditions specific to the people of truth, and traditions specific to the people of falsehood—as his foundational framework.
The Benefits of Understanding Quranic Historical Traditions
He elaborated on the benefits of recognizing Quranic historical traditions, stating: "The first benefit is the transformation of our outlook on historical developments. Just as Imam Khomeini, speaking of the Revolution, would say, 'God liberated Khorramshahr,' and would never fall into arrogance." The second impact, he noted, is on our actions and behavior. "We stand on the side of the front of truth because we know that through resistance, divine blessings will pour down upon us."
The Ramadan War: A Concrete Miracle
The seminary and university professor also addressed the Ramadan War, adding: "In this war, the Islamic establishment, despite its small numbers and limited resources, stood against the powerful colonial system, and the Iranian nation, united and of one voice, rallied behind the new Leader of the Revolution." He described these events as miracles that must not be casually dismissed and stressed: "We must first elucidate these traditions, and then present these miracles as concrete evidence, so that even those who do not believe in the Holy Quran may be drawn in, and the people's resistance may be further strengthened."
Critique of Western Cultural Atmosphere and Modern Historiography
In another part of his address, Hojatoleslam Soleimani turned to the cultural atmosphere in the West and its efforts to marginalize theological beliefs within historical research, stating: "In Western academic circles, the prevailing thought is that 'history cannot be critiqued with theology; critique history with history!' This approach leads to the weakening of the religious foundations of the youth."
He articulated his critique of modern historical science by arguing that its definition of the observational proposition is conventional and detached from reality, whereas revelation and hadith carry greater authority than mere observation. He criticized the surrender to the hollow beliefs of Western researchers and maintained that citing Quranic verses and hadiths constitutes a scientific and documented foundation.
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