Great Meeting with Great Teachers(الحوار مع المدرسین الحوزة العلمية في قم المقدسة)

On my spiritual journey to the holy city of Qum, home to the largest seminary of Shia Muslims in the world, I had the blessing of attending a three-hour meeting with a group of the highest teachers of this central sanctuary, organized by Fahim Institution!

This group of active and advocating clergy is known for their knowledge, intellect, and moderate approach to religious, political, and international issues . I shared with the seminary professors and honorable Ayatollahs my personal experiences of living in the UK and US for the last 34 years. I emphasized my interest not only in community services but also in deep involvement in interfaith approaches.

We discussed various topics, including the nature of democracy in America, Islamophobia, the recent US student uprisings in solidarity with Gaza, the upcoming U.S. elections, religious values in the US, the five fundamental freedoms in the U.S. Constitution, and the chances of Biden and Trump in the coming presidential elections, among many others.

This was a heavenly night that reminded me of over half a century ago when I traveled from my seminary in Esfahan to Qum to officially receive the blessing of my turban from the hands of the late Ayatollah Golpayegani.

At the end, I presented the seminary teachers with a copy of my message to history, a 24-page document reflecting on the resurrection of Gaza

genocide, and a prayer for peace and normal life in Gaza, the West Bank, South and North Lebanon, and the rest of the region and the world.

It is hard to describe the joy and success of this beautiful meeting. So grateful to God for this inspiring opportunity.