The Research Institute for Contemporary Jurisprudence Studies, in collaboration with the Office for the Development and Empowerment of Islamic Sciences of the Islamic Propagation Office, held the 57th session of the summer series “Method on Sundays” on Thursday, September 18, 2025, with the topic “The Impact of the Governance Approach on the Methodology of Transforming Islamic Knowledge into Public Culture.” This academic session featured presentations by two distinguished scholars in Islamic and human sciences, Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Dr. Najaf Lakzaee and Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Dr. Reza Gholami, and was moderated by Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Mohammad Kazem Haqqani Fazl, the director of the Contemporary Fiqh Encyclopedia.

At the beginning of the session, Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Haqqani Fazl outlined the purpose of these series of meetings, citing the Qur’anic verse “That He may make it prevail over all religions” (Qur’an, 48:28). He stated: “The primary concern of religious individuals is the widespread dissemination of religious knowledge, and this prevalence occurs in two domains: political and cultural.”

Additionally, the director of the Contemporary Fiqh Encyclopedia, referencing the words of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said: “We began with the Islamic Revolution to reach an Islamic government, from an Islamic government to an Islamic state, and from there to an Islamic society.” He added: “It is evident that a ruler’s policies—from culture-building and cultural establishment to legislation, and even their smallest actions, such as their approach to economics and political conduct—can all influence a country’s public and religious culture. Therefore, it is important to examine the issue of governance, particularly religious governance, from the perspective of its impact on public culture and its role in transforming Islamic knowledge into public culture.”

The session continued with Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Dr. Reza Gholami, a faculty member of the Research Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies and the Cultural Attaché of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Austria, who praised the organization of these sessions and expressed hope that they would progressively move toward their goal, leading to insights and understanding that could be impactful in practice.

Dr. Reza Gholami addressed the central role of sound and capable governance in achieving the transformation of Islamic knowledge into public culture. He emphasized the role of “governance” in realizing Islamic knowledge within society and stated: “If we seek to transform Islamic knowledge into public culture, we must understand that without sound, capable, and committed governance, this transformation will not succeed. As long as governance lacks proper foundations, no sustainable cultural transformation will occur in society.”

The faculty member of the Research Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, stressing pluralism and avoiding a single-theory perspective, said: “I believe diverse and pluralistic theories should emerge, and the most effective one will prove influential in practice.”

He also emphasized the need for in-depth study and theorization to develop a framework for proper Islamic governance, adding: “We are still at the beginning of this journey, and we lack significant theories in this field.”

The Cultural Attaché of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Austria highlighted the necessity of proper study and planning to promote and elevate public culture, stating: “First, through extensive and in-depth study and various theorizations, we must establish a comprehensive and robust framework for Islamic governance based on human values. This is inevitable, and while efforts made in this regard are commendable and worthy of appreciation, we are still at the beginning and have not yet achieved significant theories in this domain.”

The professor of human sciences then introduced five foundational pillars of Islamic governance, which, in his view, provide the necessary groundwork for disseminating Islamic knowledge into public culture:

Human Dignity:

“The first pillar, which I consider crucial in governance, is human dignity. The Qur’an states: ‘And We have certainly honored the children of Adam’ (Qur’an, 17:70). All descendants of Adam possess dignity. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that people are equal in dignity. Thus, governance that disregards human dignity will never achieve true legitimacy. This is a fundamental pillar for any governance we envision for Islam.”

Individual and Social Freedoms:

Citing the verse “There is no compulsion in religion” (Qur’an, 2:256), the Cultural Attaché of Iran in Austria stated: “There is no foundation for coercion in religion. Beliefs that conflict with rational certainties are invalid. Moreover, our society, due to its profound human depth, is diverse, with intellectual and cultural variety. This diversity should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat. Without respect for individual freedoms, this diversity cannot be transformed into an opportunity, and its threatening aspects will constantly manifest. Some of these perceived threats are our own illusions. Nevertheless, individual freedoms are of great importance here.”

Social Justice:

Emphasizing the necessity of implementing justice in society, he stated: “The Qur’an presents justice as the purpose of the prophets’ mission. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said that justice sustains the system. In other words, the survival and vitality of a political system depend on the presence of appropriate levels of justice. Today, in our society, we observe class disparities and injustices. Unfortunately, these disparities and injustices are evident, and one of my points in this session is that until we achieve a desirable level of justice in practice, our public culture will not significantly improve. These are closely interconnected. When justice is weak, fundamental cultural transformation is hardly feasible, and numerous obstacles emerge.”

Ethics-Centered Approach:

Dr. Gholami highlighted the role of ethics in governance for transforming Islamic knowledge into public culture, explaining: “Ethics is the foundation of all social and political relationships. If public trust is damaged, the solution lies not in propaganda but in rebuilding ethics. Sincerity, fairness, humility, fidelity to promises, respect, and responsibility must be institutionalized in governance. While ethics and public culture are not identical, if ethics becomes relatively prevalent in individuals’ lives, a significant portion of public culture will also be reformed and strengthened.”

Religious Democracy:

Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Gholami identified religious democracy as a key pillar of governance, stating: “Success lies in being with the people, not above them. Political legitimacy is sustainable only when it is accompanied by the informed and active satisfaction of the people. People must tangibly experience the results of cultural transformation in their daily lives.”

Dr. Gholami then addressed the cultural and structural requirements of Islamic governance, emphasizing aspects such as social responsibility, acceptance of cultural diversity, the role of the education system, reform of civil laws, and leveraging successful international experiences. He added: “If people do not tangibly experience the results of cultural transformation in their daily lives, the transformation will not be sustainable.”

Dr. Gholami further elaborated on some cultural and structural requirements of Islamic governance that play a decisive role in elevating public culture, highlighting the following:

• Social Responsibility:
• The faculty member of the Research Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies considered social responsibility a key factor in transforming Islamic knowledge into public norms, emphasizing: “If people consciously cherish their country and fellow citizens, even without coercion, their level of responsibility will naturally increase. This sense of responsibility can work wonders in families, workplaces, and society.”
• Acceptance of Cultural Diversity:
• Citing the verse “And We made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another” (Qur’an, 49:13), he stated: “Uniformizing society in all cultural dimensions is entirely wrong and will lead to the failure of cultural transformation. Cultural diversity is an opportunity for understanding, creativity, and collaboration, not a threat to unity.”
• The Role of the Education System:
• He highlighted the distinguished role of the education system in culture-building, noting: “Cultural transformation cannot be achieved by merely adding a few lessons to curricula. The education system must be redesigned based on critical thinking, ethical training, social responsibility, and cultural diversity.”
• Reform of Civil Laws:
• Dr. Gholami considered order, justice, fairness, and ethics as fundamental bases for enacting civil laws, adding: “We must design laws that are compatible with Islamic culture—laws that operate based on order, justice, fairness, and ethics. If governance is not legally just, no cultural program will be effective.”
• Attention to Successful International Experiences:
• He described learning from the successful experiences of other countries as a way to address existing challenges, stating: “We should utilize the achievements of countries that have succeeded in public culture—not through blind imitation, but through informed and deliberate study. Cultural transformation requires learning, just as it requires confidence.”

In conclusion, Dr. Gholami re-emphasized the people-centered nature of Islamic governance, stating: “It is crucial that people tangibly experience the results of cultural transformation in improving their daily lives. If their lives do not improve, the transformation will not be sustainable or may not occur at all. We cannot treat the outcomes of cultural transformation as something deferred to an uncertain future. No, if a cultural transformation is sound and reasonable, it can manifest signs of improving life. If there are no signs of enhanced quality of life, there is a flaw somewhere in the process. We cannot universalize Islamic culture through mere propaganda. We must win hearts through justice, respect, and ethics. If culture is imposed, it will quickly fade. But if people choose it themselves, it will endure. Successful Islamic governance is one that is with the people, not above them. The key to our success lies in persuasion, fairness, and empathy.”

Continuing the session, Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Dr. Najaf Lakzaee, president of the Research Institute for Islamic Sciences and Culture, provided a systematic analysis of the relationship between fiqh and modern governance, stating: “Governance, as a science and approach, must be able to elevate fiqh beyond individual teachings and apply it at the strategic level of governance.”

Dr. Lakzaee examined the role of fiqh in modern governance, asserting: “My reflection began with how governance, as a science and approach, can contribute to the strategic extension of fiqh in society—not merely implementing the cultural or intellectual teachings of religion, but elevating fiqh from an individual level to a strategic level in governance.”

Critiquing the traditional understanding of governance as synonymous with “government” or “state,” he explained: “In traditional governance, the state is considered solely responsible for all affairs. However, in modern governance, a consensus has emerged that major societal issues, particularly progress, can only be addressed through the synergy of all governmental and non-governmental sectors.”

Hojjat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen Lakzaee referred to the experience of developed countries, stating: “When countries realized that neither money, nor programs, nor specific political parties could solve problems alone, they understood the need to change the model of societal administration. This gave rise to the concept of modern governance.”

The president of the Research Institute for Islamic Sciences and Culture continued his presentation by addressing the role of fiqh in solving complex social issues. Citing Martyr Sadr’s definition of a “legal ruling” as “a legislation issued by God to regulate human life,” he posed the question: “If fiqh considers itself responsible for regulating human life, not just individual rulings, it must be able to offer programs for issues such as progress, development, governance, and social order.”

He further added: “If fiqh accepts the responsibility to address these issues, it requires the use of modern governance methodologies. Otherwise, it will remain confined to the individual level, addressing matters like doubts in prayer, ablution, and ritual purification.”