Ayatullah Sayyid Mujtaba Nur Mufidi in an Interview with Harim-e Imam Journal: The Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar Is a Pioneer Among Jurisprudential Centers

To begin, please tell us: under whose management was this center established, and what are its objectives?

This center was founded by the late Grand Ayatullah Fazel Lankarani, and since its inception, it has been managed by his son, Ayatullah Mohammad Javad Fazel Lankarani.

The Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar was established based on necessity, need, and foresight. In light of the transformations that have occurred in the contemporary world, new questions have arisen to which the necessity of providing answers is felt. When Imam Khomeini founded the Islamic Revolution, jurisprudence entered the domain of governance, and the Islamic Republic became the focus of public attention—particularly of academic, university, and religious centers—and novel issues emerged within Iran.

Entering the domain of governance compelled the administrators of the system to run the country based on Sharia standards, and for this reason, they faced needs and necessities. Apart from these cases, there were also external needs coming from Muslims and followers of the Ahl al-Bayt.

A combination of factors, such as the transformations of the modern world, the occurrence of the Revolution, and the necessities arising from entering the domain of governance, required the training of mujtahids and jurists who would be both inheritors of the predecessors (salaf) and possessors of scientific strength and rigor. Furthermore, they needed to be capable of deducing Sharia rulings using the method of Jawahiri jurisprudence (al-fiqh al-jawahiri) while being familiar with the time and its requirements.

For this reason, the Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar was established with these objectives to train mujtahids who would, in the future, respond to the needs, necessities, and transformations of society and the system.

We are in the twentieth year of the establishment of this jurisprudential center. Please tell us, to what extent has this institution succeeded in achieving the ideals you mentioned?

This center was established in 1376 SH (1997/1998 AD), and this year marks the twentieth year since its founding. This center has been a pioneer among jurisprudential centers in the seminary. Currently, although we have various jurisprudential and principles (usuli) centers, in 1376 SH, such centers had not yet been established, and the first center founded for the mentioned objectives was the Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar.

If we compare this center with the early days of its establishment, we see that we have taken good steps over these years and have been successful in terms of quantity, quality, and entering the required domains. Currently, more than sixty thousand specialized volumes on jurisprudence are at the disposal of the scholars of this center, and even scholars outside of it. The published articles and books on the subjects of exegesis, Islamic sects, jurisprudence, and so forth are among the accomplishments of this center, though we still have a distance to the ideal point.

The main problem is that, whether we like it or not, our activities are distanced from the world and the needs of contemporary humans. For jurisprudence to remain up-to-date and responsive, it must draw closer to contemporary humans and the modern world. Drawing closer to it does not mean distancing ourselves from our principles.

We believe that jurisprudence possesses the capacity to respond to new issues, because the science of jurisprudence is responsible for explaining the way of life and the rulings of all human actions in various domains. If jurisprudence by its nature possesses such a capacity, it requires tools and preliminaries.

The most important pillar in the capacity to respond and remain up-to-date is understanding contemporary transformations. Understanding contemporary transformations is a brief title and expression, but it can be interpreted and expanded in many matters. In recent years, as the speed of transformations has increased, the distances have also become wider; therefore, attaining this point and understanding the modern world requires new tools. By new tools, we mean new capabilities.

If the output of the seminary and specialized centers consists of mujtahids and jurists with these current characteristics, we require a revision in certain matters. Seminary professors must be capable, and educational texts must be placed in the path of transformations. The training provided to scholars must enjoy greater comprehensiveness. The research conducted must proceed along a correct path; meaning, a collection of coordinated and related measures must be carried out so that, after years, we can reach that ideal and intended point.

The establishment of this center is, in truth, a step that organizes a portion of these measures within a small framework. In any case, this center is associated with the Islamic seminary and must utilize the professors of this very seminary, and its educational texts and required requisites are also from these existing resources.

For this reason, professors play an important role in this matter; hence, the views of professors and researchers, or those who teach the methodology of research in this environment, are critical. Furthermore, subject-identification (mawdu’-shinasi) is important in this field.

If we compare this center to twenty years ago, we see that good and effective works have been carried out within it, and if we compare it to the ideal and intended point, we see that much work remains. Of course, a portion of it is inevitable, and another portion must be paid greater attention than in the past; because until this approximation between our understanding of new transformations occurs, we cannot provide correct responses.

If, God forbid, our understanding of transformations is incomplete and incorrect, the path of our response will diverge from the reality of society, ultimately leading to isolation and marginalization. In summary, I can state that very good works and highly constructive and beneficial measures have been carried out; but in my view, we are still distanced from the ideal point. The administrators, particularly the head of the center, spend their heart and soul, time, and energy for this institution, and I witness their efforts from close proximity.

Securing the material costs of this center is in itself a major concern. This center receives no assistance from any governmental institution or organization. The facilities and budget of this center are secured through the imitators (muqallidin) of the late Grand Ayatullah Fazel Lankarani, whose support we still enjoy.

Is the necessity of transformation in the science of jurisprudence exclusive to the contemporary era, or was such a necessity felt in society during past periods as well?

If we wish to examine the periods of the science of jurisprudence in the past, we see that in every era, jurists updated their knowledge in accordance with the needs of society, even though they lagged behind in this regard in some periods. Of course, this issue is not exclusive to jurisprudence. Islamic thinkers in philosophy, wisdom, gnosis, theology (kalam), and even in exegesis, have had ups and downs. At times, they moved in parallel with transformations; at times they were pioneers, and at other times they lagged behind.

This issue requires a comprehensive study so that we analyze all of these periods. For example, a figure like Sheikh al-Tusi was up-to-date and in line with the needs of society in his era, but in other periods, we see that some thinkers pursued the path of imitation (taqlid) of these grand figures.

For this subject to be identified more deeply and precisely, it requires exceptionally extensive investigations throughout the history of Islamic sciences, particularly the science of jurisprudence. This work helps us acquire the secret and mystery of these ups and downs. These issues have existed in all eras and are not exclusive to our era. It exists now, and it will exist in the future.

In your opinion, which of the contemporary scholars has paid attention and demonstrated commitment to the necessity of transforming the science of jurisprudence?

In my view, in the contemporary era, the late Imam provided the framework for this transformation. He did so not only in slogans, words, and recommendations, but practically opened this door himself by entering into new domains in the seminary and by issuing decrees on the influence of the elements of time and space in deducing jurisprudential rulings. This is no small feat.

The Imam emphasized this direction in one period, and emphasized expediency (maslahat) in another period, both of which are worthy of investigation. The Imam demonstrated this boldness and courage, and despite some taunts from outside and within the seminary, he opened this path. After the Imam, the Supreme Leader has emphasized this direction. Ultimately, those who face the issues and needs of society from close proximity find the necessity of jurisprudential transformations proportional to the needs of society to be more apparent and tangible.

What are the obstacles before you, and how do you confront them?

In my view, the first important obstacle is the isolation of many Islamic scholars and thinkers from new fields and their lack of familiarity with the needs of society. An engineer who draws a map visits the site himself to see the reality of the land. Jurists and scholars must also be present in these fields, and their presence does not mean being with the people in the streets. Of course, public connections have always been good, but the meaning is to feel the depth of these transformations from close proximity. Therefore, being unfamiliar with or uninformed about new transformations is one of the obstacles.

The next obstacle is the anxiety of some well-meaning scholars of the seminary who assume that this issue will destabilize the structure of deduction; especially since some in the meantime are superficial and inexperienced, and when transformation is mentioned, they dismiss the heritage of the past altogether in a superficial manner. In this case, it is natural for the well-meaning scholars of the seminary to be anxious about this matter.

Recently, disputes arose by some in which hasty and superficial opinions are observed, such that the grand scholars, thinkers, and pillars of the seminary, who are responsible for preserving this structure, have become anxious. The grand scholars have the right to be anxious; they must preserve this foundation and principles, and if a reform is to be carried out, it must be with compliance with safety issues and preserving the principles.

The third point is that the training provided to students in the Islamic seminary must, from the very beginning, be directed along this path. The sciences they study must be in a direction where their output is an understanding of contemporary transformations. Certain issues are not common in the Islamic seminary and their training must become common. This also requires a detailed discussion in terms of obstacles, requirements, anxieties, and harms, and more investigation must be conducted upon it.

From where do you acquire the courses and content taught in the Fiqh Center? In other words, what are your curricular sources in the Fiqh Center?

In the Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar, several matters are paid close attention to. The content of a portion of the courses consists of conventional seminary training. The courses that students study in the seminary at the intermediate (Sutuh) or advanced (Kharij) levels are the texts that form the axis of our training.

However, our center differs from the seminary in several aspects: first, selection, screening, and talent-identification are carried out among students who possess high talent at the intermediate level; second, the selected professors must possess scientific strength and prepare the ground. Thus, good students and good professors prepare the ground. Professors review the commentaries of educational texts, such as Kifayah, Makasib, and Rasa’il, with students in sessions outside of the classroom.

In the center, we have transcript-writing (taqrir writing) and evaluation; meaning, professors regularly evaluate the students or practice article-writing with them. These measures provide an environment in which students move toward the intended direction. Alongside these, academic sessions are held with the presence of prominent professors from both the seminary and the university. Subjects are raised in the sessions and conferences that represent a portion of the needs of society.

From the sum of these efforts of students and professors, articles are produced that are published in the Fiqh and Ijtihad Quarterly. The scholars nurtured in this environment naturally demonstrate commitment to the production of science and thought. A large portion of the publications published in this center is the product of the work of the very professors and scholars who are engaged in study, research, and investigation in this center. Perhaps around two hundred books have been published in these twenty years; meaning, ten book titles a year for the institution. This is a defensible statistic. I assume that from now on, more works will be presented because the foundations and infrastructure for it have been prepared. The subjects that will be published and presented from now on are compatible with the needs of the era and our society.

Does the Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar have other branches domestically or possibly abroad?

The central branch of Qom has various departments. Hundreds of students are engaged in research, study, and investigation in the various fields of exegesis, theology (kalam), jurisprudence, and principles. In Mashhad, a similar program is underway. A highly active branch also exists in Afghanistan.

In some other countries, religious activities exist; but their level and type are different. The branch in Syria was temporarily halted for a period due to the conflict; but it has resumed its work.

Please list the gaps that the Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar has filled so far.

The most important gaps that the Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar has been able to fill over these years include:

1. Pathfinding and Directing Seminary Activities: As you know, the primary mission of the seminary is training mujtahids who are knowledgeable of their time, and this is the inherent duty of the seminary. This mission, within a certain scope, has been on the shoulders of this center; of course, there are other centers under the supervision of the maraji’ and grand scholars that move in this very path.

2. Entering New Domains and Responding to Questions: In any case, when major scientific centers in various fields—such as medical jurisprudence, political jurisprudence, and social jurisprudence—face specialized questions, a portion of their gaze is directed toward this center for finding answers. Not that this center is referred to for all tasks, but a portion of the response to newly emerged questions has been carried out by this center. This was a gap that has been filled to some extent.

3. Creating Motivation for Concerned Students: In my view, this is an important issue. If there is no sufficient supervision over the activities of students and scholars over several years, and if the future is not delineated for them, they will suffer from a weakness in motivation. The existence of this center and its activity has provided reinforcement of motivation and a pumping of spirit for talented students and scholars so that they can continue the path they have found.

4. Assisting in Organizing the Future of Active Students: In any case, the students active in this center have found their path. Many students, after years of study in the seminary, become confused and do not know what they should do. This center has laid down a track so that students can see in which direction they wish to proceed.

What measures has the Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar taken to explain the thoughts of Hazrat Imam?

This is one of the important issues to which the Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar has demonstrated commitment. Everyone knows that the late Grand Ayatullah Fazel Lankarani harbored immense love and devotion toward Hazrat Imam. His household, especially Ayatullah Mohammad Javad Fazel, has demonstrated commitment to the Imam and promoting his thoughts. He occasionally holds sessions with the subject and axis of the Imam’s thoughts, and works in this regard are carried out in the Fiqh Center of A’immah al-Athar.

In conclusion, if there is any remaining point in this regard that is necessary for our audience to consider, please state it briefly.

The only point that comes to my mind and that I would like to mention to you is regarding the sincerity (ikhlas) of the late Grand Ayatullah Fazel Lankarani. We are in the anniversary of his passing, and I deem it necessary to point to this issue: indeed, what I witnessed from close proximity and can testify to is his sincerity in establishing this Fiqh Center. Perhaps the most important pillar and secret of the center’s success is that very sincerity.

Based on the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), I believe that any work performed for God and with sincerity will remain enduring and fruitful. A work that is not out of sincerity and in which personal agendas are pursued may not be enduring or bear fruit. Ayatullah Fazel Lankarani did not pursue other goals in establishing this center, and this, in my view, is an important point.

The next point is that, in my view, a scientific environment must be a free environment. Thought grows in a free environment. If we want thought to be produced, we must provide a free environment. Today, the importance of scientific production in the world is higher than economic production, and indeed economic production proceeds with the support of scientific production. This is not possible unless the scientific environment is a free environment without limitations.

If we wish to advance a scientific environment and a scientific center through orders and commands, it may outwardly occur, but no one can control the interior and corner of thoughts. Freedom must exist.

In the Fiqh Center, while defending the principle of the Revolution and the leadership, it has never been attempted to impose a specific political preference. In the center, we face different political preferences, from the slowest to the sharpest stances. Some students may possess extreme views, but in academic discussions, we converse very amicably and sincerely.

The seminary has a clear connection with the system; but we must not involve students in daily political conflicts. As I said, the Fiqh Center enjoys a free and good environment, and this provides the opportunity for thoughts to grow