He met and talked to the journalists of the mentioned agency on related issues to mosques, threats, strategies and functions of the Centre of Supervision on Mosques Affairs in order to enable Imams and moving ahead into flourish the mosques as the medium between the people’s life and afterlife. They talked together about the vision of the Centre about the revival of dignity and functions of mosques.
You can read the full report of this meeting in below:
Let us to ask our first question about dignity and functions of mosques. Regarding the given words on effectiveness of this holy place since the beginning years of the history of Islam till now, there is no doubt in role of these religious bulwarks in acculturate and guiding in society. What are the influence and role of mosques in localization and popularization of culture in the current year which is nominated as culture?
Well. I think we can consider this issue in various aspects. As we know, the concept of Islamic civilization is introduced with mosque and is created, fostered and published in in mosque. We can refer to this famous phrase albeit is a philosophical sentence which says:
‘’ the happened cause was the holly cause’’. It is what was assumed as pivot with its capacities in earlier times of Islam. Mosques are defined and recognized in Islamic society and this definition is remained till now. It is observable in the Islamic revolution of Iran clearly.it means, if we are witness to revival of the Islamic societies and Islamic values in the present era, then we find mosque as the main actor which has shown its role and importance since victory of our revolution.
Our revolution is famous as the revolution of mosques in all over the world. It means, we started our revolution process from mosques. If we refer to the Islamic culture, the dignity of mosque is so high with its exclusive capacities while some times we assume mosque same to other temples in macro level wrongly. This is the main difference and gap between mosque and other temples of other religions. Mosque is a high performance institute which connects the other elements of our religion together. This performance and role of mosque is observable in society also. The process of socialization and civilizing in political or social aspects refer to the mosque.
The functions of mosque has been excellent in our Islamic revolution comparing with the other temples of various religions. It was a fresh and new experience and was different from the past experiences because of its freshness and newness. If we study our era, we can find mosques as the base of monotheism, social assets, safety and educating bases of loyal human resources qua those who are educated and fostered in mosques are ready to sacrifice their life for their values. More than 97% of our martyrs in the forced was were trained in mosques. This is enough to us and we want nothing more. It is not required to refer to the theories in this field. We experienced these issues during the holly defence (Iran-Iraq war). We experienced the key role of mosques in social consolidation and creation of religious brotherhood. We can observe the most exclusive and beneficial human relationship in mosques that is based on the Islamic rules. Religious and Islamic brotherhood will be created among Muslims in mosques. For example, we can refer to some of happened peeved anecdotes such as the forced war (Iran-Iraq war) which mosque played their important role as bulwark according to decedent imam Khomeini. This is my claims that if the mosques revivals according to the Islamic pattern, all aspects of our life will be changed to celestial style. This is the task of mosque.
We believe that mosques were bulwark during the hard-war and our revolution triumphed by the help of these mosques. But how much have we used of these mosques capacities during today soft war? If we take a look at the realities of our society, how many of our youth attend the mosques? How many of them are fond to mosques? How much of their time is spent in mosques?
Although some good works are done by some of smart and innovator Imams, but we have to work more in this field to guide our youth into the mosques. Because there are many unused capabilities of mosque that requires more attention. Mosques have spiritual and divine capabilities which separate this piece of earth from some other low level social and cultural affairs. Special spiritual capabilities and inner divine connections have linked this piece of land to supernal world and distinguishes them. These are the effects of mosques. According to Quran, the will of those people who accept to be sponsor for constructing a mosques has especial effects on them to do this divine mission.
We try to keep our mosques popular and not governmental
It needs the coordination of the various orgs and institutes in relation with mosques affairs. Then we have defined Synchronization policy in the Centre of Supervision on Mosques Affairs in the name of 6+1 strategy. It means six policies for synchronization of the other related orgs together and one means synchronization inside of our centre. Blessing to God many useful and important actions are done since three years ago till now. We have established the Staff of Organizing the Mosques Affairs of Tehran and many related institutes are gathered in the mentioned staff and will be synchronized according to the defined strategy for them. It is a difficult and time consuming process but we are experienced in this work. This staff is created in the counties of Tehran province by leadership of Friday Salaat Imams and some good works are done till now. Negotiations with the relating orgs also are going on to achieve a comprehensive agreement under the defined strategies to motivate the orgs for giving service to mosques and their exact task has to be elaborated to them clearly. We care for preventing mosque to not become governmental. Our mosques have to be remained popular.
According to you, we have to pay attention to the historical role of mosques regarding this fact that mosques are not established by us. It is somewhere which has been since appearance of Islam. When we consider the historical role of mosques, we find them so effective. Even we cannot compare their social role in society before victory of the Islamic revolution of Iran or the beginning years after victory with today. During the late years the mosques are sent to margin rather the other kinds of social Medias. The supreme leader of Iran said in one of his speeches that Menbar is the special media for Shiite Muslims and the westerns doesn’t hold this media. We can use this media. But now its role in society has become pale. The revolutionary role of this media is denied and it has changed to a public religious place just for worshiping. Most of worshippers who attend mosques are mature or old. What do you think about this social phenomenon and what can we do to resolve this problem?
As I said to you before, mosques are forgotten by those who shouldn’t forgot it. I elaborate one instance to you and that is my caste means clergy caste. During the past years some additional and new dignities were defined for them and they gave priority to these new affairs instead of their original role as Imam while when we refer to the base of Islam, we find the dignity of clergies as the religious guide in society as their main task. Then, the jurists have been all imam of mosques. The lectures in moral science, religious rules and the other fields of seminaries were taken in mosques from past and mosques were as pivot. Mosque is the pulsar heart of Islamic city and country and pivot for all the social affairs.
Today we have achieved a common agreement to turn back to mosques in order to recover the present conditions of mosques.
This neglect occurred in some orgs such as institutes of clergy caste. Just take a look at the revolutionary institutes and ask them what do they do for mosques as the institutes which are belonged to mosques and their creation had been from the mosques? Each one of them has done some neglects. We have to turn back to this principle all together. We have achieved to a common agreement with the related institutes as I told you before. But I have to reform some parts of your question. I agree to you on some of the mentioned problems. But all of our mosques are not same together. Perhaps some of them don’t use their potential capabilities but we have many active mosques which are changed to a centre for gathering youth together in these healthy places. We cannot neglect of the important role of such mosques. We can observe these samples in the mosques of Tehran and its suburbs which are under our supervision. Many of these mosques exist in the other states of Iran according to the received reports.
One of our strategies is modelling which belongs to the mentioned six comprehensive strategies. It is assumed the prominent mosques which are near to the defined characteristics for the Islamic Prominent Mosque (IPM) have to be found, introduced and empowered ate the same time. These are those mosques which offer social, cultural and scientific services to people. We find these mosque one by one under the comprehensive program of these strategies. Then we have to empower these mosques and increase their functions. Because each one of them is powerful in some aspects and all fields. We want to empower all of their abilities in a same level. These three affairs were done under modelling strategy which we have started to execute them by beginning of the current year and we will be successful under God’s blessing.
Role of media is very important in this process and could help to increase the people’s expectations of mosques. A successful mosques has to be symbol of educating programs, cleanliness, family consultation, attraction of youth, creation of local coherence among people and etc. if we can increase the expectations of people to their mosques, they have to refuse those mosques which don’t have enough efficient. Because mosques are belonged to people.
The Islamic Prominent Mosque concept was defined by the supreme leader of Iran. Undoubtedly we have to hold the required means and facilities to reach this concept in actual sense. One of these means is the having active Imam in mosques. Let us know that how many mosques are required in national scale? The statistics are different together. How many Imams is required and how many of them are young? What should we do in order to empower them?
We don’t have your requested statistics exactly and the given statistics also are not exact. Even these statistics have changed since we started our work. For example the statistics showed us 1800 mosques in Tehran. But now, it is more than 2200 mosques. We are designing an information bank with more than 900 indexes which mosques fill the forms according to their information. This information bank is going to be completed soon.
More than 80% of this project is done till now in Tehran Province and we can programme for mosques. This is a good chance for us. But we have to say that we don’t have any exact statistics about the number of the mosques in Iran. It is said to be between 65000 to 75000 mosques and there is a big gap. About lack in number of mosques in Tehran Province also, we have to collect the population items beside of each other and then consider this issue.
Do you have any statistic about lack in number of Imams in state level?
Blessing to God, we are in good conditions in this section. More than 86% of our mosques have Imam but this remained amount of mosques which don’t have Imam perhaps are not able to attract Imam like a small prayer house that is registered in the name of mosque but is not capable to employ Imam. We can decrease 14% to 10% in statistics of those mosques which have not Imam. Because our Centre could appoint Imam for many of them.
As the final question, what is your plan for empowerment of the Imams? Do you have any scientific and on paper plan for this section?
Empowerment of Imams in skill and knowledge is defined in our Empowerment Strategy. But education and teaching is prior in order to prepare the required teachings for Imams. According to our plan, we will appoint some young clergy assistant beside of the old and mature Imams whom are not able to execute some of our plans in their mosques. We can use their experience and spiritual soul more if we appoint some young assistant beside of them. Many of the mentioned programs are in process of execution.