In this part we are going to review some of the viewpoints of Ayatollah Khamenei on sciences especially humanities and how they differ from the Western humanities.

Humanities are one of the most basic principles and intellectual rudiments which express the laws ruling over human being. Humanities, as they deal with the behavioral aspect of human beings, they are very different with other sciences which pertain to their material aspects. Humanities are not related to a special society or individual. But they have emerged during history and in a historical culture. However, the Western society, especially after the Renaissance, has had much impact on humanities. Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, believes that the Western humanities have originated in materialistic tendencies and thoughts. He says, “The Western humanities are based on a different understanding of creation and are often based on the material view.”

Dear listeners, as a matter of fact the bases of humanities in the west are atheist and limited to the material world. Divine revelation has no place in these sciences. Thus, the philosophical and cultural fundamentals are evaluated according to the material inclinations of human beings. In the view of Ayatollah Khamenei these fundamentals are utterly contradictory to the religious beliefs and bases. The Leader states, “The humanities that are prevalent today have the contents that are inherently opposed and contradictory to the Islamic movement and Islamic system. These sciences have other words. The fact of the matter is that the bases of the Western humanities are ungodly, materialistic and non-monotheist; and these are incompatible with the Islamic and religious bases.”

The theme of natural sciences is the objects independent from human being. But the theme of humanities is the human being himself. As if all sciences are the body whose spirit is humanities. The uses and harms of natural sciences are clearly discernible while those of humanities are not. Therefore, they are much more difficult to tackle with. That’s why some of the students are less religious after graduation from university for most of the books and material taught in the academic centers are based on the Western outlook which is founded on the basis of secularism, humanism, utilitarianism and hedonism. Ayatollah Khamenei describes this situation as unpleasant saying, “Many of the topics of humanities are based on the philosophies which have their roots in materialism which is based on considering man as an animal, unaccountability of man before Almighty God, having no spiritual view toward man and the world. Well, these humanities are translated. What the Westerners have said and written are exactly brought and transmitted to the youths. In fact, we transmit to the youths skepticism, doubt and unbelief in the divine and Islamic bases and our own values in the form of courses. This is not that pleasant. Our humanities have been founded on the bases which are opposed to the Qur’anic and Islamic bases. The humanities of the West are mostly based on material view. Well, this view is wrong. This basis is wrong.”

From the viewpoint of Ayatollah Khamenei humanities create direction and thought for any society. It can be said that one of the reasons of his emphasis on humanities is that the Islamic Republic is a developing country and needs a role model for progress. This model and the relevant indexes and criteria are adopted from humanities. Leader of the Islamic Revolution says, “Islam considers human being as a two-faceted creature; namely the world and the Hereafter. This is the basis of all matters that should be taken into consideration for progress. This is the main index; the main distinguisher. If a civilization, a culture and creed considers man one-faceted and deems his happiness only restricted to the material and worldly life; naturally progress in its logic will be completely different from progress in the Islamic logic which considers man as two-faceted. Our country and the Islamic society will be advanced when it develops not only people’s world but also their Hereafter. The divine messengers want this: the world and the Hereafter.”

The Western humanities are not based on religion and at times they even dictate religion. In their view whenever the intellect fails to understand something it rejects it. But according to the religious bases, the intellect can understand part of the realities and phenomena; and other parts can be realized via revelation. The Leader says, “We bring these humanities in the form of translation without any Islamic thinking and research and let them enter our universities to be taught in different sections. This is while the root and basis of humanities should be found in the Qur’an. One of the important parts is the Qur’anic research. In various fields the Qur’anic points and delicacies should be noted and the bases of humanities must be sought in the Qur’an. This is a very essential and important job. If this is carried out then the thinkers, researchers and pundits can establish lofty buildings in different domains of humanities on this basis. Of course, then they can benefit from the progresses of others, Westerners and those who have made progress but the basis should be the Qur’an. We need research and innovation in the field of humanities. The fundamental material and concepts that can make the bases of law, economics, politics and other basic sections of humanities exist in the deep Islamic culture in the real sense of the word.”

Ayatollah Khamenei adds, “What can be seen in the scientific atmosphere of is that, and in my opinion is one of the great defects, is that for scores of years we have been repeating the foreign texts. We study them, memorize them and teach and learn according to them. But we don’t find in ourselves the ability to question and find fault with them!”

RM/SS