Pezzekian: The mosque is not only a place of worship, but also a base for serving the people

According to Ashura News, citing Mehr News Agency, President Masoud Pezzekian expressed his pleasure at the first joint gathering of the National Headquarters of the Mosque, which was held on Saturday evening, October 16, 1404, at the Presidential Palace. He expressed his pleasure at being present among the members of the National Headquarters of the Mosque. In his speech, he emphasized that if we serve the society and the people sincerely and our behavior is honest, no one can cause our society any problems. He stated: If our behavior with the people is correct, we will be influential in the society and attract different social groups, because for the people, not the words of the officials, but their pragmatism is the criterion for resolving their problems.

Recalling a memory of his medical career in the years following the victory of the Islamic Revolution and when various political and social movements were taking shape in the country, the President added: "In those days, patients from various strata and tastes of society came to us, but as doctors, we had a duty to treat and provide services without considering their intellectual, religious, or physical orientation. Serving all people honestly, regardless of any categorization or discriminatory view, is our human and divine duty." The doctors continued by emphasizing the social role of the mosque, saying: "The mosque is not only a place of worship, but also a base for serving people and meeting the needs of society. Prayer and other acts of worship are in fact a prelude to helping the oppressed, taking care of orphans, and caring for the needy. Religious scholars and activists have a duty to feel responsible for all members of society, regardless of their taste, clothing, or attitude." Our religious view requires that no one be left out of the circle of love and service, because the criteria in God's view are honesty, humanity, and service to the people.

The President considered serving all members of society as a guarantee of social cohesion and solidarity, and considering the deprived, prisoners, and the poor as among the Quranic recommendations, and said: Martyr Al-Hashem, as the Imam of Tabriz Friday Prayer, was able to attract people with his behavior and approach. Like him, we must also keep in mind the recommendations of Imam Ali (AS) in dealing with the people, and if we want Islam to be preserved and America to be able to do nothing wrong, we must try to ensure that the mosque remains a mosque, preserves its people's identity, and benefits from the capacity and help of every spectrum and taste in it.

Medesian stated that people's reformation through the mosque is possible if the role of all members of society from every stratum is seen in the mosque and the mosque is a refuge for the people, and stated: Mosques that have been successful in this field should be introduced and their experience should be used. In addition, mosques should not file cases against people who have lost their way; if these things are done wrong, people will distance themselves from us.

He clarified: People seek honesty, justice, and fairness in society, and the Quran is full of verses that refer to these components. If we serve all members of society without considering political and personal preferences, even counter-revolutionaries will be attracted to us. Society will not be reformed by arresting, imprisoning, and expelling individuals. The mosque and congregational imams should be spiritual doctors for people with behavioral problems and work to treat them.

Stating that “I believe that if the mosque wills, no one will commit a sin,” the president referred to part of his time in Zabol and said: “At that time, individuals and groups tried to attract me to their side, but I chose the path of truth and refused to accompany them.” In dealing with people, I tried to treat each person based on their characteristics, needs, and capacities, so that I could guide them to the right path in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Quran and the life of the pure Imams (AS).

Referring to the teachings of the Quran, the President added: In the Quran, God tells the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) to consult even with those who left him alone in the Battle of Uhud; this is a clear message for all of us that we should not exclude honest and concerned people from the service cycle due to occasional slips. Some people may slip or make mistakes in their service, but removing them from the social arena will cause isolation and weaken national solidarity. We must believe that changing behavior and correcting attitudes is a gradual process that can be achieved with patience, dialogue, and the support of the people.

In another part of his speech, the doctor emphasized: Consensus, empathy, steadfastness, and social solidarity must be maintained; In this case, the enemy cannot bring a country to its knees by firing missiles and martyring people and commanders.

The mosque should not be reserved for a specific group of people in society

At the beginning of this ceremony, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance stated that during the time of the Prophet, the mosque was a social institution and said: Unfortunately, now we have distanced ourselves from the components of this social institution and the mosque is considered a place of worship for believers.

Salehi introduced the mosque as the house of God and the house of the people and said: The mosque should not be reserved for a specific group of people in society. Also, the views of some sectors of the mosque will fragment it and change its structure. Fortunately, Dr. Pezzekian's approach has been people-centered from the very beginning and does not have a bureaucratic and administrative view of matters. He believes that people are the solution to problems. In addition, if we want the mosque to be centered and become a social institution, it must be reserved for all tastes.