According to a report by the news agency of the office of Grand Ayatollah Noori Hamedani (may he live long) His Eminence said in a gathering of clerics who work in universities that the Islamic Azad University is one of the most important and largest higher education institutions in Iran and that it was established with the approval of late Imam Khomeini and it has been working with the approval of Supreme Leader. In fact, late Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani (may Allah bless him) also made tremendous efforts to make this university a success. His services should not go unnoticed.
"Today, it is the duty of scholars and clerical institution as well as the teachers to re-establish the Islamic civilization. Long ago, Islam was the pioneer in all arenas, and it is therefore necessary to examine as to how Islam's greatness and glory dwindled. Obviously, the enemies of Islam interfered in Muslims' affairs; they helped create monarchical regimes which are unlawful in the sight of Islam. However, those sultanates were meant to control the people," His Eminence said.
Grand Ayatollah Noori Hamedani further said that the people were humiliated during the monarchy period and that Muslims should learn from their history to reconstruct the Islamic civilization.
His Eminence further stated, "Cultural, political and economic assaults are always on the agenda of the enemies of the Islamic Ummah. The enemies are making every effort to dominate Muslims and the Islamic Ummah. However, the Islamic revolution is trying to recreate the glory and grandeur of the Islamic civilization."
Grand Ayatollah Noori Hamedani said that the Muslim nation of Iran remained firm and steadfast defending the revolution and Islam. Led by Imam Khomeini, the people of Iran brought Islam to their lives. He further said that the enemy is doing whatever it can to give a negative impression of scholars and clerical institution.
"The Westerners are committing all kinds of brutal crimes but they established international organizations which are defending the Westerners' rights rather than the human rights. It is so difficult for the enemies to see a country, which had long been under their domination, ridding itself of their domination and making decisions for their own country," he added.
Grand Ayatollah Noori Hamedani said that Iran's independence and sovereign state is so hard for the world to see. "The enemies have been conspiring for the past forty years to destroy the revolution but they have failed; we must be awake and traverse the path with a strong vision," he said.
Elaborating on the role of Islamic sciences in various dimensions of human life, he said, "Islam has highly important instructions addressing different aspects of man's life such as economy. Those instructions, if fulfilled appropriately, will resolve many problems of the society. There should not be any given-and-take based on usury in the Islamic banks and there is a difference between a bank operating in a Muslim country and a bank in the West. Usury makes the poor poorer. The markup interest or the usury that is received on default is haram because it is counted 'riba' (usury). Many a time we have reminded the authorities about it but no action has been taken as of today."
He further added, "It is the duty of scholars and clerics to tread the path of the prophets and noble leaders. They should undertake the responsibility to guide the society. Islam has a program for every aspect of human life. The holy Quran and Nahjul Balaghah present these programs to the human beings."
Grand Ayatollah Noori Hamedani (may he live long) went on saying, "The enemies continue to hatch their conspiracies. At one point, they launched the crusades, at another point, they worked out another plot to harm Islam."
His Eminence underscored the need for teaching history in universities. "There are incidents in the history that the students need to know about, incidents like the Treaty of Turkmenchay, the Treaty of Gulistan, the constitutionalism and such other events," he stressed.
In closing, His Eminence stressed on the need for the presence of religious scholars and clerics in academic and scientific centers considering it as highly important and sensitive.