The Quran and the Islamic Revolution (7)

Quranic research is one of the important domains in which women have had active presence after the Islamic Revolution.

As a way of revering these ladies, the International Women's Conference of the Quran is held every year. Secretary of Scientific Section of the International Women's Conference of the Quran, Hojjatoleslam Abdullahian says, "Considering the fact that the ladies of our Islamic society are by nature fit for Quranic teachings and have received these teachings with ease of heart and have a very good discourse ability, they have been effective in this field. They can use this language of emotion and kindness to deepen the divine teachings first inside the family, and then in the society. Therefore, women in every domain that they embark on they can internalize a variety of issues, especially Quranic issues, which contain deep spiritual and divine foundations. A Quranic lady will impact her family by the Quran."

He added that every year guests from different Islamic and non-Islamic countries like Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, etc. attend a conference of Quranic ladies. These ladies always mention the events of the conference with a special surprise; because such a conference in which the Quranic ladies engage in various fields of research, culture, art, etc. are not available in other Islamic countries. This is the blessings of the holy system of the Islamic Republic.

One of the fruits of the conference is the gathering of Quranic dissertations across the country. Now, in the Quranic Institute of Imam Reza (AS), about 21,000 Quranic dissertations have been collected, out of which nearly 15,000 are prepared by women. The first dissertation of the Quranic ladies was defended in 1987 which is one of the outcomes of the revolution, because before the revolution there was not a single dissertation of ladies in the field of Quran in the country. Imam Reza Quranic Institute has been founded since 1984 and is a center with four magazines on Quran. The institute, which has been founded with the aim of teaching and research in Islamic culture and Quranic education, has published two magazines namely "Bayyenat" (for special Quranic researches) and "Besharat" (for young people). It has succeeded to make an effective effort to promote the lofty culture of the Quran.

Before the Islamic Revolution, women used to teach the Quran at home. After the Islamic Revolution, grounds were set for further growth and education of ladies in different domains including the Quran. Ms. Monireh Gorji is the exegete of the Quran and the only lady who was elected as a member of the Assembly of Experts. This great lady used to organize classes for interpreting the noble Quran and encourage women to participate in politics in the years before the revolution. The Quran's exegesis on the basis of Quran is one of the outstanding features of Ms. Gorji's work. Her book, "The Quran's view on the Women's Presence in the History of Prophets" was published by Sevin Publication in 2008. Monireh Gojgi has also established the first Women's NGO called "Institute for Women's Studies and Research."

Dr. Taherah Saffarzadeh, the researcher and translator of the Quran, translated this divine book into English and Farsi. Dr. Saffarzadeh was named "Khaademat-ul Quran" (Servant of Quran) in 2001 after publishing the translation of the Quran into English and Farsi. In 2005, she was selected by the Association of African and Asian Writers in Egypt as the highest Muslim lady.

The translation of "The Fundamental Concepts of the Noble Quran" was published by Tahereh Safarzadeh in March 1997. This book can be considered as a synopsis of her scientific views regarding the translation of the noble Quran in Farsi and English, which explains her look and concern toward the Quran which she describes as different translations of the noble Quran.

As the Islamic Republic of Iran provided the grounds for safeguarding of ladies' dignity and value, this part of society was persuaded to pursue Quranic studies and get more familiar with this divine scripture. In the period from 2002 to 2009, the number of reciters and memorizers of the noble Quran was 30,000, almost 12,000 of which were women, namely 40% of the reciters and memorizers of the Quran. Plus, the number of female students studying in the seminary from 2000 to 2006 had a 20% growth. The foundation of 450 seminaries in the country is another factor of honour for the Islamic Republic of Iran in raising religious scholars. This has led to 65 thousand students and 43 thousand graduates in seminaries.

A system of education has been set up for female students of religious studies who are knowledgeable and skilled for propagating. This system provides courses in three levels of BA, MA and Ph.D. with the approach of science-production and theorization in various fields of seminary studies. 

Full-time, part-time, and virtual education for female students and their extensive presence in various fields indicates the value and status of ladies in the Islamic Republic.

Today, not only the Islamic Republic hosts foreign female students in the country, but the number of preachers sent around the world indicate the dynamics of theological schools of Iranian ladies, which is unmatched in the region and the world.

While before the revolution, there were few (if any of women's religious and cultural products), after the Islamic Revolution, female religious students have written thousands of books, researches, dissertations, software and works of cyberspace.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution said, "The very attention that our ladies pay to the Quran and their presence in the Quranic scene is a phenomenon that should be considered as the great success of the Islamic Republic of Iran before the eyes of viewers, researchers, critics, lovers, and opponents."