Stating that the congress has accepted papers and books from scholars of different nationalities, the secretary of the International Congress on the Role of the Shi’a School in the Emergence and Development of Islamic Sciences said: “scholars from more than 20 different countries have submitted papers to the congress and more than 120 scholars and thinkers from 50 different countries have participated in the congress”.
According to the news headquarters, speaking in the opening ceremony of the International Congress on the Role of the Shi’a School in the Emergence and Development of Islamic Sciences, Hujjatoleslam Mohammad Ali Rezāī Esfahanī stated that the congress had begun its pre-congress meetings in 10 difference scientific fields two years before under the supervision of Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi.
He further asserted: “the secretariat of the congress as well as the policy-making, strategic, and scientific councils of the congress were formed in Aban 1395, following which 900 themes and sub-themes were identified and were published as the congress charter and then we called for papers on the themes and subthemes of the congress”.
He added: “in the second phase of the congress in 1396, more than 350 papers and 590 abstracts were submitted to the congress secretariat; at the end of the year, 1201 papers had been submitted to the congress secretariat out of which, following extensive reviews, 418 papers were accepted for publicatio”.
The secretary of the International Congress on the Role of the Shi’a School in the Emergence and Development of Islamic Sciences then stated that the papers and books which were accepted for publication were submitted by scholars from different countries. He further noted: “Scholars from more than 20 different countries submitted papers to the congress and 120 scholars from 50 different countries have participated the congress”.
Emphasizing the fact that the congress is being attended by scholars of different denominations, he continued: “the congress’s scientific support has been provided by a number of Islamic seminary scholars and professors through 110 pre-congress sessions”.
Referring to the third phase of preparations made for the congress, which included the preparation of the congress publications, Hojjatoleslam Rezāī asserted: “55 valuable scientific books, seven special-issue journals, the congress charter, various newsletters, and congress software will be unveiled in the congress. Moreover, 22 scientific and specialized-promotional journals are prepared to publish the papers accepted in the congress; currently, negotiations are being conducted for the publication of the congress papers”.
He also extended his gratitude to the 400 scholars and professors of Iranian universities and the Islamic Seminary as well as to the members of the 15 scientific councils of the congress for their contribution to the congress, and continued: “these scholars and scientists are following in the footsteps of great Shi’a scholars of the past; they are attempting to prepare a great encyclopedia of the role of the Shi’a school in the emergence and development of Islamic sciences. However, since we do not deem ourselves free of errors, we welcome the constructive suggestions of all other scholars and thinkers toward enhancing the quality of our works”.
Referring to the processing, reviewing, and preparing more than 1200 scientific papers in to 55 volumes of books, Hojjatoleslam Rezāī further stated: “the history of the development of Islamic sciences within the Shi’a school has had its ups and downs; yet, its most important era was following the demise of the Prophet (s) and the blessed time of the Imamate of Amir-al-Mu’minin (‘a)”.
He also added: “then there were the golden eras of Imam Baqir (‘a) and Imam Sadiq (‘a), then the era of Āl-e-Būyeh and the Fātimis in the 4th and 5th centuries Ah when the Islamic sciences flourished more than any other era. During these eras, Shi’a scholars were the flag-bearers of development and dissemination of different scientific fields. These included prominent scholars and scientists such as Shaykh Tūsī and Fārābī.”
Referring then to the era of the Safawiyyah dynasty in Iran, he stated that during the 200-years rein of the Safawiyyah, great scholars such as Shaykh Bahāī, Mīrdāmād, and Mullasadra provided invaluable services to the Muslim world. He the continued: “During the fifth era, and due to the sacrifices made by the martyrs and the efforts of scholars such as Imam Khomeini, the Islamic sciences have undergone such a rapid development that, in some fields, the achievements made during this era equal all of the achievements made during the past 14 centuries; this scientific leap forward can be seen in the traditional sciences, human sciences, and natural sciences”.
The secretary of the International Congress on the Role of the Shi’a School in the Emergence and Development of Islamic Sciences further noted: “the rapid development in scientific fields as well as the production of great scientific works by the Shi’a school have been the result of their access to the knowledge of the Ahl-al-Bayt (‘a) in various religious and scientific fields, the collaboration of the followers of the Ahl-al-Bayt (‘a) school with one another in different areas of science, and the scientific freedom they had along with the support given to scholars by governments”.
He continued: “the lack of access to the Ahl-al-Bayt (‘a) in some scientific areas, because they were imprisoned or martyred by oppressive rulers, the lack of access to the teachings of the Ahl-al-Bayt (‘a) by driving away their followers, the existence of oppressive rulers and their prevention of freedom of thinking and elimination of Shi’a scholars, and the fabrication of false Hadiths by the agents of these rulers were among the obstacles to the development and dissemination of various fields of science by the Shi’a school”.
