Hawzah News Agency- Speaking at the opening ceremony of the academic year at Jamiat al-Zahra Seminary on September 15, Seyedeh Zohreh Borqaei said entering the realm of study and discussion is entering the field of the "greater jihad" — a struggle whose tools are rationality and spirituality and whose ultimate goal is servitude to God.
She noted that the new academic year begins while the nation still mourns the loss of its "wise leader," saying this is the first academic year without him. "But the truth of Wilayah transcends physical life. Today, loyalty to Wilayah is manifested not in slogans but in following his path and realizing his ideals," she said.
Borqaei announced the launch of a "Comprehensive Multi-Dimensional Skills Enhancement Program; From Pre-Admission to Post-Graduation" for seminary students, describing it as a response to the historic message and statement of the "martyred Supreme Leader" on transforming the seminary into a pioneering and leading institution.
She said the program was designed to develop four influential pillars: policymakers and planners, academic staff and professors, administrative staff and managers, and students. It draws on the Supreme Leader's directives, national and seminary documents, and the "Comprehensive Education and Training Document" approved by the Council for Policy-Making of Women's Seminaries.
'Third Model' of Muslim Woman
Borqaei emphasized that the "third model" of the Muslim woman — one that is civilization-building while honoring the roles of daughter, wife, and mother, and combining rationality, servitude, and spirituality — is central to the program's implementation.
"The Supreme Leader was a source of reference who met with women from various backgrounds annually. This conduct means a society where women have agency in various fields," she said, noting that he articulated the concept of women's scientific authority.
She stressed that one of the Islamic Revolution's major strategic achievements has been giving identity to women's status as both the axis of the family and society — a model she said can be presented and exported globally through the literature of the Islamic Revolution's influence.
Rationality and Servitude: Key to Distinguishing Truth from Falsehood
Citing verse 21 of Surah Al-Hashr, Borqaei said God repeatedly calls for reflection, describing seminary rationality as the power of logical thinking to distinguish truth from falsehood amid the dust of seditions.
"If today the risen nation stands against the formidable waves of arrogance, it is thanks to the rationality that drinks from the source of revelation and Wilayah," she said.
She urged seminary students to be standard-bearers of this rationality rooted in the school of Ahl al-Bayt (AS), warning that religious scholars must have analytical power, understand the issues of their time, and provide solid answers to doubts and intellectual needs.
Borqaei cautioned that rationality without spirituality and servitude becomes "the greatest veil." She said the path is illuminated by self-purification, stressing that being a seminary student is not merely a job or academic position but a process of "becoming" that is realized only through sincere servitude.
"Science without spirituality is a veil, but science accompanied by servitude is a light that conquers hearts. Servitude is the driving engine of our nation on the path of civilization-building," she said.
Skills Enhancement a Priority
Borqaei emphasized the importance of skills enhancement, saying that merely knowing concepts is not enough to play a role in today's world. "A seminary student at the level of the Islamic Revolution must be capable. Skills enhancement does not mean departing from principles but actualizing those principles in the field of action," she said.
She noted that the seminary's heritage is rich in effective methods and styles, and the goal is to revive those methods alongside modern approaches so students acquire capabilities suited to various domains.
Borqaei said that while some professors had individually pursued multi-dimensional training with notable results, the decision has now been made to establish a comprehensive "education and training system" with cooperation from all departments of Jamiat al-Zahra Seminary alongside the education and training deputy and professors.
Women's Leadership and the Third Model
Borqaei underscored that the "third model" of the Muslim woman is presentable and replicable for the entire world, adding that one of the program's missions is to train students capable of fulfilling individual, family, and social roles simultaneously.
She said students who intend solely to be knowledgeable wives and mothers raising an effective generation are also highly valued. "Explaining the status and dignity of women in the role of wife and the sacred station of motherhood — based on the Quranic system, the Prophet's conduct with Lady Fatima (AS), and the recommendations of the two Imams of the Revolution — is of central importance to us," she said.
She added that the serious concern of motherhood and wifehood within the framework of the third model of the Muslim woman and the Supreme Leader's directives must be adapted to the requirements of time and place and the language of this generation to achieve effectiveness across various fields.
"We pledge today to make this academic year one of deep knowledge, pure servitude, and effective skills — a year for realizing the directives of Wilayah and the glory of Islam," Borqaei concluded.
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