Imam Khomeini did not view the separation of the seminary and the university as merely a dispute between two academic institutions. He saw it as a deliberate scheme to dismantle society’s intellectual cohesion.
Imam Khomeini did not view the separation of the seminary and the university as merely a dispute between two academic institutions. He saw it as a deliberate scheme to dismantle society’s intellectual cohesion.
In his view, when these two influential segments of society are pitted against one another, the ability to forge a unified, independent national will is undermined.
The issue today is not simply about placing the seminary and the university side by side. The real challenge is to overcome historical misunderstandings and build genuine cooperation on matters concerning the nation.
This message is still very relevant today. The core idea: unity isn’t proximity, it’s cooperation and trust.
Imam Khomeini on Unity between Seminary and university says as following:
"There was a time when universities and seminaries were not merely separate. An atmosphere had been created in which they were, perhaps, even hostile toward one another. Neither the university academic could tolerate the cleric, nor the cleric the academic.”
Imam further said:
“The underlying motive was to keep these two groups apart and at odds — because their unity would unite the entire nation. The goal was to prevent national unity. Praise be to God, this Islamic movement and revolution have brought about a profound transformation. God willing, neither group now views itself as separate from the other."
Extracted from the article titled "The Strategy of ‘Unity between seminary and university’ from perspective of Imam Khomeini’s ideals: Moving beyond mere slogans to true understanding"