Senior Cleric Calls for Revival of Nahj al-Balagha
Ayatollah Reza Ramezani, the secretary-general of the Ahl-ul-Bayt (AS) World Assembly, made the remarks in an address to a gathering of clerics and religious scholars in Talesh, northern province of Gilan on Saturday.
“Nahj al-Balagha is a boundless ocean,” he said. “Ibn Abi al-Hadid is said to have read some of its letters a thousand times and found a new point each time.”
He also cited a Christian scholar who reportedly said, “If we had Nahj al-Balagha, we would have conquered the world.”
He urged Friday prayer leaders and directors of seminaries to institute special programs for Nahj al-Balagha, including competitions, memorization, and explanatory sessions.
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Elsewhere in his speech, Ayatollah Ramezani emphasized the need for religious discourse to adapt to modern times. He called on clerics to safeguard the religion against new forms of distortion, “especially in the field of artificial intelligence”.
“The way religion is introduced today is completely different from the past,” he stated. “If we want to explain religion today, it must be precise, deep, and comprehensive. The new generation gets answers to its questions from new sources, even artificial intelligence. We are worried that one day this tool will replace intellectual and religious authorities. We must be careful.”
He further advised that a modern cleric must be up-to-date, with a contemporary style of language and topics that meet current needs. “A sermon must convince the audience, not just make them quiet,” he added.
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