Memories of Akbar Hashemi - June 1, 2002

Regarding the role of ijtihad, reason, custom, and the powers of government for the flexibility of Islam in accordance with the conditions of time and place, I discussed various points and portrayed rigidity, stagnation, and radicalism as obstacles to the effectiveness of the Islamic system.

Complete text of the daily report:

In the morning, we went to the amphitheater near Milad Hospital [Social Security Organization] named Zakariah Razi Hall of Iran University of Medical Sciences. At the conference 'Prayer and Student,' attended by a group of professors, students, media representatives, and the assembly responsible for Islamic teachings in universities [= Assembly of Professors of Islamic Knowledge in Universities], Mr. Taghipour, [the secretary of the conference], gave a report. I gave an extensive speech about worship and prayer, considering the causes and factors of collective destiny and the significant effects of prayer. I donated [the book] the Preserved Tablet.

I worked in my office until the afternoon. In the evening, a group of sociology professors from the university came. They provided statistics regarding the acceptance of the system and the phenomenon of globalization and secularization in society and, considering the risk of decreasing acceptance of the system, called for cooperation with the Council of the Expediency of the System and the Strategic Research Center. I spoke about the role of ijtihad, reason, custom, and the powers of the government, emphasizing Islam's flexibility according to the conditions of time and place, and I introduced stagnation, rigidity, and radicalism as obstacles to the effectiveness of the Islamic system.

The crisis between India and Pakistan continues. Many countries, including Iran, have called back their staff families and individuals whose presence there is not essential. The wave of pressure and mediation is intense. [Pervez] Musharraf, [the President of Pakistan], and [Atal Bihari] Vajpayee, the Prime Minister of India, both attended the Kazakhstan conference, but the Indian Prime Minister has stated he is not willing to negotiate with Musharraf there; although Musharraf has expressed a willingness to talk with India, India has explicitly stated that if Pakistan does not stop the influx of militants going to Kashmir for jihad, it will occupy the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. The Pakistani representative at the United Nations has stated that Pakistan may use nuclear weapons, but Musharraf has said he is not thinking of using nuclear weapons at all.

In Palestine, daily repeated assaults by Israel continue. Western countries also have no reaction and are preparing themselves for their proposed peace. The eight to nothing defeat of Saudi Arabia in the World Cup in Korea is one of the wonders of football. For four days, extensive celebrations have been underway for the fiftieth anniversary of the reign of [Queen Elizabeth II] of England, and the fire at part of Buckingham Palace has soured these celebrations. On this occasion, British soldiers in Afghanistan have raised the flag and emblem of England at the highest point in the center of Kabul.