Qom Seminary

The Qom Seminary (Persian: حوزه علمیه قم) is the largest Islamic seminary (hawza) in Iran, established in 1922 by Grand Ayatollah Abdul-Karim Haeri Yazdi in Qom.^[1] It trains Usuli scholars.

History

Although big Shi'a academies existed in Qom dating back as early as the 10th century CE,^[2] the hawza (seminarium) of the city became prominent at the time of the Safavids when Shi'a Islam became the official religion of Iran in the 16th century. The famous teachers of that era included Mulla Sadra and Shaykh Bahai. The modern Qom hawza was revitalized by Abdul Karim Haeri Yazdi and Grand Ayatollah Borujerdi and is barely a century old. There are nearly three hundred thousand clerics in Iran’s seminaries.^[3] Alireza Arafi is the director of the Qom seminaries.^[4]

The contributions of Mohammad Taqi Bafqi are significant in the establishment of the modern Qom seminary. After relocating to Qom in 1337, Bafqi motivated local scholars, including Abu al-Qasim al-Kabir Qomi, (Sheikh) Mahdi the Philosopher, and Mirza Mohammad Arbab, to create a structured academic institution. However, these scholars believed that the formation of a seminary was contingent upon the arrival of a prominent scholar from outside Qom, given the prevailing circumstances and the mindset of the local populace. Ultimately, through Bafqi's persistence and the efforts of Mirza Mohammad Arbab and Sheikh Mohammad Reza Shariatmadar Sawji, a well-known scholar of that era residing in Qom, Abdul Karim Ha'eri was invited from Arak to establish a formal seminary in the city.^[5]

Law school

Because Sharia is legally binding in Iran, the Qom seminary also functions as a law school in Iran. Ebrahim Raisi, the former Chief Justice and former President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, was one of the alumni of the Qom seminary.

All judges in the Islamic Republic of Iran must have received education in Islamic Law; most qadis are "members of the group of ruling clergies."^[6]

Factors for the establishment

The factors and reasons for the establishment of the (Qom) seminary can be listed as follows:^[7]

1 - The special religious situation of the city of Qom and the emphasis of the narrations surrounding this city

2 - The people's sense of religious need for such a base in Iran

3 - Providing national support for the establishment of the seminary by merchants and other faithful classes

4 - The encouragement, insistence and efforts of Mohammad Taqi Bafqi

5 - The encouragement and speeches of Mohammad Sultan al-Muhaqqin, a constitutional scholar, towards the establishment of the seminary

6 - The establishment of the seminary as a barrier against communism in Iran

7 - The invitation, insistence and welcome of the scholars towards the establishment of the seminary in Qom

8 - The presence of outstanding personal points in the existence of the Shiite scholar, Ha'eri, and his 8 years of experience and experience in establishing the Arak Seminary

9 - The narrowing of the field for Shiite scholars in the holy shrines and the loss of the areas of activity of the clerics in the Iraqi seminaries

10 - The need to cadre the clergy

Etc.

Notable teachers

Notable alumni

Establishment and Management of the Qom Seminary

Haeri was a prominent and renowned scholar who dedicated many years to the study of advanced jurisprudence and principles in Samarra and Najaf under the tutelage of esteemed professors, including Seyyed Mohammad Fasharaki Isfahani, Mirza Mohammad Hassan Shirazi, Akhund Mullah Mohammad Kazem Khorasani, and Seyyed Mohammad Kazem Tabatabaei Yazdi. He also imparted knowledge for several years in Karbala. In 1953 or early 1954, he relocated to Arak, where he not only taught but also took charge of the seminary's operations in that city. His academic and administrative expertise ultimately led to his invitation to Qom, where he played a crucial role in the establishment and management of the nascent Qom Seminary. Upon his arrival in Qom, numerous students from Arak, including notable individuals such as Seyyed Mohammad Taqi Khansari, Seyyed Ahmad Khansari, Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini, Seyyed Mohammad Reza Golpayegani, and Mohammad Ali Araki, followed him. During his fifteen-year tenure in Qom, which coincided with a period of significant scholarly activity, Haeri established a formidable academic institution characterized by his effective leadership.

The founding of the seminary in Qom, coupled with Haeri's esteemed reputation and administrative skills, attracted many scholars to the city. The influx of various professors and educators during Haeri's leadership underscores the intellectual vibrancy of the Qom seminary during this period. Additionally, various political and social dynamics contributed to the flourishing of the Qom seminary at its inception. The arrival of distinguished scholars such as Seyyed Abul-Hasan Isfahani and Mirza Muhammad-Hossein Na'ini from Najaf, along with Haeri's warm reception and allocation of teaching positions to them, further bolstered the institution. Another significant factor in the enhancement of the Qom seminary was the migration of scholars from Isfahan, led by Noor-Allah Isfahani (deceased 1346), who moved to Qom in opposition to the mandatory military conscription imposed by the first Pahlavi dynasty.^[8]

The period after its establishment

Between Ha'eri's death and Boroujerdi's migration to Qom, the presidency of the Qom Seminary was held by three of its great professors: Seyyed Mohammad Hojjat Kohkamari, Seyyed Mohammad Taqi Khansari, and Seyyed Sadr al-Din Sadr. It is worth mentioning that after Ha'eri's death, given the difficult conditions that the Pahlavi regime had created for the seminary and the clergy, especially the events that had occurred in the Mashhad Seminary, there was a fear that the Qom Seminary would also be closed; it was in these circumstances that these three decided to join forces to save the Qom Seminary from this danger... Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini's activity during this period as one of the prominent professors of the seminary was also remarkable, especially his ethics course had a great impact on the students. Despite all the efforts that the three mentioned authorities made to maintain and administer the Qom Seminary at this time, on the one hand, due to pressure from the government of the time and on the other hand, due to the lack of centralization in the leadership and authority of the seminary, the general situation of the Qom Seminary was chaotic at this time.

The era of Boroujerdi’s leadership

In the early 1320s, a number of elders and professors of the Qom Seminary, who were concerned about the lack of centralized management of the seminary and were aware of the scholarly status and social and religious influence of Hossein Boroujerdi, asked him to come from Boroujerdi to Qom. Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini and Rouhollah Kamalvand, one of the scholars of Khorramabad, made more efforts in this regard. Accepting this request, Boroujerdi settled in Qom in Muharram 1364/Azar 1323. Khomeini’s role in consolidating Boroujerdi’s position and authority during his stay in Qom was also significant.

With Boroujerdi’s arrival at the Qom Seminary, its prosperity increased, its scientific enthusiasm and vitality doubled, and its scientific strength was strengthened. Boroujerdi’s actions during his leadership period indicate his concern for preserving and strengthening this seminary. Borujerdi began teaching extensively upon settling in Qom... At the beginning of Borujerdi's presence in Qom in 1326, the courses in jurisprudence and principles were limited to a few people, including Borujerdi himself, Hojjat, Fayz, Khansari, and Sadr. However, by the end of his life, the number of professors of jurisprudence and principles in Qom Seminary, which had between 20 and 250 students, had increased, and in particular, a number of prominent students of Ha'eri, such as Mohammad Ali Araki, Seyyed Mohammad Reza Golpayegani, Seyyed Mohammad Damad, Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini, Seyyed Kazem Shariatmadari, and Seyyed Shahab al-Din Mar'ashi Najafi, had courses in jurisprudence outside the seminary. As the highest religious scholarly authority in Iran during his time, as well as the absolute authority to follow and the head of the Qom seminary, Borujerdi had appointed people as his liaisons with the government to advance religious and seminary affairs, and he conveyed his messages, objections, and reminders to the Shah or other officials through them. Among Borujerdi's other political and social actions, we can mention the following: proposing to include religious education in school lessons and the government's agreement with it; proposing to stop trains at stations for passengers to pray; confronting the influence of Baha'iism in government centers; supporting the Palestinian people and issuing a declaration on this subject in 1327 AH (the year the Israeli regime was founded), and...

Borujerdi also organized activities in the Qom Seminary in the international dimension, including sending Seyyed Mohammad Taqi Taleghani Al-Ahmad in 1331 AH to supervise the Shiites of Medina, and after his death, Seyyed Ahmad Lavasani and then Abdul Hussein Faqihi Rashti; sending Seyyed Zain al-Abedin Kashani to Kuwait, Seyyed Mohammad Hassan Nasher al-Islam Shushtari to Zanzibar, Shariatzadeh Isfahani to Pakistan, Mehdi Haeri Yazdi to America, and Sadr Balaghi as his traveling representative to Europe. Among Borujerdi's other international efforts was to gain the support and approval of Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Qomi for the establishment of Dar al-Taqrib in Egypt. It was due to Qomi's efforts that Sheikh Mahmoud Shaltout, Sheikh of Al-Azhar University, recognized the Ja'fari school of thought alongside other Sunni schools of jurisprudence in 1337. Borujerdi, in order to preserve and promote the Qom Seminary... scientifically, presented his new method of researching and teaching jurisprudence, which was unprecedented in Qom, and trained a generation of talented students in this field who became future professors and authorities of the seminary; he made great efforts to revive and publish major Shiite books on hadith, jurisprudence, and rijal; he paid attention to the continuation of students' education and encouraged talented individuals in various ways; he made students understand the basics of jurisprudence and rijal issues and discussions, explaining the sources of each, and when and why each issue entered the Islamic seminary. Boroujerdi took significant steps in developing the educational environment of the seminary, such as building and reviving schools, and in particular establishing the Grand Mosque and its library. In this way, Boroujerdi's effective and transformative migration brought the Qom Seminary to a level of prestige that was practically equal to the most prestigious seminary of that era, the Najaf seminary. Not only did scholars from various cities in Iran travel to Qom, but gradually people from Shiite regions of the world chose Qom for their education.^[9]

Institutions

Distributor and Tuition Office

In previous periods, those who went to the students on behalf of the religious authorities and distributed the tuition among them were called divisors. These people were often chosen from among the trusted clerics. The duty of the divisor was to take the funds and tuition of the students to the schools and, after reviewing the list of those who received tuition from among the students, distribute it among them in the tuition office. The process of distributing tuition could take several days, and therefore, each school had its own special day for distributing tuition. During the administration of Ha'eri, Seyyed Hedayatullah Aqdai, and after him, Ali Mohammad Qomi and Mohammad Sadouqi Yazdi, and during the Boroujerdi era, Mohammad Hussein Ahsan were responsible for the tuition office of these two religious authorities.

Seminar Management Council

The first seminary management council was formed after the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1359. This council was established by the order of Ruhollah Khomeini and in coordination with other religious authorities. The affairs of this organization were followed by its secretariat, which was organized into seven departments: the scientific department, the ethics and purification department, the internal management department, the propaganda and propagandists department, and the statistics and information department. The appointment of the director of the Qom Seminary is the responsibility of this council. Today, most seminaries in Iran operate based on the decisions approved by this council. Meanwhile, the two cities of Mashhad and Isfahan have their own independent management councils.

Islamic Propaganda Office

This institution was established with the efforts of Mohammad Kazem Shariatmadari. The aim of this complex was to train students for missionary work in different countries. This institution was established in 1965 and its curriculum included the principles of belief, the study of religions and sects, the interpretation and memorization of the Quran, jurisprudence and principles, the science of hadith, the memorization of religious texts, the history of Islam, the identification of Islamic countries, Persian and Arabic literature, the art of oratory and speech, and so on.

Department of Enlisted Affairs

With the obligation of students to serve in the military, an office was also established for this purpose in the Qom Seminary to organize this matter. During Ha'eri's reign, Abdolhossein Boroujerdi was responsible for handling the affairs of the seminaries. Mojtaba Iraqi was also assigned to this position during Boroujerdi's reign. In 1366 AH, with the establishment of the Seminary Management Council, the administration of the seminaries was placed in charge of this council.

References

^ Walbridge, Linda S. The most learned of the Shiʻa: the institution of the Marjaʻ taqlid Oxford University Press, p.217.
^ "Thinking ahead: Shi'ite Islam in Iraq and its seminaries, Christoph Marcinkowsi, Nayang Technological University, Singapore" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2014-07-28.
^ A History of Tension between Iran's Clerics and the State, Mehdi Khalaji July 26th 2010 Washington Institute
^ آیت‌الله اعرافی به‌عنوان مدیر حوزه‌های علمیه ابقا شد
^ تاریخ و سیر تحول حوزه علمیه قم در دوران معاصر/ 1
^ "UPDATE: A Guide to the Legal System of the Islamic Republic of Iran - GlobaLex".
^ (Different views on why the Qom Seminary was established) دیدگاه های مختلف درباره چرایی تأسیس حوزه علمیه قم
^ History and development of Qom Seminary in contemporary times Retrieved 7 December 2024
^ Qom seminary - History and development of Qom Seminary in contemporary times Retrieved 7 December 2024

External links

34°38′29″N 50°52′48″E / 34.6414°N 50.8800°E / 34.6414; 50.8800

[1] Walbridge, Linda S. The most learned of the Shiʻa: the institution of the Marjaʻ taqlid Oxford University Press, p.217.

[2] "Thinking ahead: Shi'ite Islam in Iraq and its seminaries, Christoph Marcinkowsi, Nayang Technological University, Singapore" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2014-07-28.

[3] A History of Tension between Iran's Clerics and the State, Mehdi Khalaji July 26th 2010 Washington Institute

[4] آیت‌الله اعرافی به‌عنوان مدیر حوزه‌های علمیه ابقا شد

[5] تاریخ و سیر تحول حوزه علمیه قم در دوران معاصر/ 1

[6] "UPDATE: A Guide to the Legal System of the Islamic Republic of Iran - GlobaLex".

[7] (Different views on why the Qom Seminary was established) دیدگاه های مختلف درباره چرایی تأسیس حوزه علمیه قم

[8] History and development of Qom Seminary in contemporary times Retrieved 7 December 2024

[9] Qom seminary - History and development of Qom Seminary in contemporary times Retrieved 7 December 2024

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