Book Reading Should Not Be Ceremonial / Astan Quds Custodian Promises Cooperation in Promoting Study

According to the Mashhad correspondent of the Iran Book News Agency (IBNA), Ayatollah Ahmad Marvi, concurrently with Book and Book Reading Week, met with a group of authors whose works have received endorsements from the Supreme Leader. The meeting, held at the “Beh Nashr Publications” bookstore in Bab al-Jawad of the holy shrine of Imam Reza, saw him state: Book reading should not be a ceremonial program or limited to a specific group; rather, it should become a part of the lives of young people and the public.

The Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi also pointed to the low reading statistics in the country, remarking: Today, the statistics for book reading in Iran are not favorable, and serious, practical action must be taken to make book reading a part of the daily lives of all people.

Ayatollah Marvi invited authors from across the country to cooperate in this cultural movement, emphasizing: The goal of this initiative is to create a general atmosphere of book reading among various segments of the public and youth, so that book reading moves beyond being merely an occasional or ceremonial activity.

He expressed hope that by organizing book reading festivals and competitions, a portion of the interest and motivation of the young generation could be guided towards study and thought.

Love for Imam Reza (AS) is Not Merely a Religious Matter

Marvi continued his speech, addressing the authors: In your books, feature aspects of Imam Reza (AS); today, love for Imam Reza (AS) is not merely a religious matter, but a national, international, and interfaith one, sweeping through Muslim and even non-Muslim communities; from Zoroastrian pilgrims to Christians who establish a spiritual connection with him. We must use this love to guide and explain the Razavi culture.

He stated that visiting Imam Reza (AS) has transcended religious boundaries, becoming a human and global attraction, adding: His miracles appear annually in the form of healing, guidance, and transformation of hearts, and the media should convey these manifestations through the language of art and literature.

The Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi further stated: Before the Revolution, the number of influential authors in the country was very small. Today, we must compensate for this gap by supporting writers and encouraging committed authors.

Endorsement: An Authentic and Reviving Tradition

In another part of his speech during the meeting with authors, the Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi described endorsement (“taqriz”) as an authentic and reviving tradition that, through a faithful pen, keeps the culture of faith, jihad, and truth alive in society.

He noted: In the past, it was customary for great figures to write a short text, known as an endorsement, at the beginning or end of books; this served as a sign of confidence in the accuracy and value of the work’s content for the reader. Unfortunately, this tradition gradually faded into oblivion.

Ayatollah Marvi introduced the Supreme Leader as the reviver of the endorsement tradition and said: Currently, in our literary and cultural sphere, the theme of martyrdom and its heroes is manifest in such works, and the heroes introduced in books make their distinguished qualities known to society.

He added: Scholars and jurists in the past, alongside scientific discussions, also documented the biographies of scholars, a clear example being Allameh Majlesi, who, in addition to collecting hadiths, left behind lasting works in the fields of kalam (theology), tafsir (exegesis), and rijal (biographical evaluation of hadith narrators). Other great figures such as Allameh Amini, with the valuable book Al-Ghadir and collections on the lives of scholars, provided a scientific and educational model. These works were not merely biographies but played a key role in the education of society.

The Impact of Narrative and Storytelling on Guiding Society

The Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi emphasized the impact of narrative and storytelling in guiding society, stating: The Holy Quran is full of stories and real examples; surahs like Yusuf and Al-Qasas bear witness to the importance of narrative in guiding humans. Almighty God has used stories to guide people and convey monotheistic and moral concepts. The story of Iblis and his disobedience to prostrate before Adam is repeated in several surahs to provide repeated lessons for humanity. Therefore, narrative is an important tool in the intellectual education of society.

He added: The biographies of martyrs also play such a role, because the audience quickly connects with them. Each martyr has specific characteristics that led to their rank and status, so introducing these qualities has a profound impact on people.

Ayatollah Marvi clarified: The Supreme Leader also acts with special care in this regard. He is a reader, and his view of the works of martyrs and authors stems from spiritual attention, not ceremony. Even during periods when he was engaged with various issues and the 12-day war, he still meticulously studied these books and even wrote marginal notes on them, which reached the authors. This dedication and deep attention to explaining jihadi and spiritual concepts is a sign of the high status of “Jihad of Elucidation” in the Supreme Leader’s thought.

Continuity of the Tradition of Narration and Elucidation by Authors

Referring to the continuity of the tradition of narration and elucidation by authors, which is an example of honoring rituals, he said: Honoring virtues and reflecting them in society through the pen is “Jihad of Elucidation.” This is the same path that Lady Zainab (AS) and Imam Sajjad (AS) took after the Ashura event to protect the virtues of Ashura from distortion.

According to the Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi, this narration must continue, and the new generation must become familiar with these concepts.

Ayatollah Marvi noted: The Supreme Leader said that some of these books should be translated, because your audience is not only Iranians, but all truth-seeking people around the world can benefit from these teachings, and today we see that in many major universities worldwide, Iran’s revolutionary and religious ideas are being paid attention to and analyzed.

At the beginning of this meeting, according to IBNA, a group of attending authors, including Alireza Mokhtarpour Qahroudi (author); Hamid Hessam (author of the book “Water Never Dies”); Mohsen Momeni Sharif (author of the book “In Ambush of a Red Rose”); Mehdi Qazali (author of the book “Thirsty Windows”); Mohammad Mirkiyani (author of the book “Tintin and Sinbad”); Razieh Tajjar (author of the book “Your Name is Mostafa”); Fatemeh Doustkami (author of the book “The Imam’s Little Soldier”); and Sajedeh Taghizadeh (author of the book “Lady Moon”), expressed their views on various cultural fields, especially Sacred Defense literature. They emphasized the necessity of deep and systematic research in the field of Sacred Defense literature, establishing theoretical chairs in the field of Revolution and Sacred Defense literature, supporting young talents, and strengthening the necessary platforms for producing exquisite works in this field.