In the meeting, Ayatollah Javadi Amoli stated:
A number of points have been emphasized to which if we pay more attention, we will be more successful in our religious mission and in propagation of Islam. First is that we should not take others as aliens, for the language of Revelation is the language of fitrah and is, therefore, familiar to human beings, which is neither Farsi nor Arabic; neither Hebrew nor Syriac. The language of fitrah is a familiar language. Therefore, all messengers have propagated such instructions; for different messengers there are different Shari'ahs (laws and rules) and Minhajes (ways):
لِکلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنْکمْ شِرْعَةً وَ مِنْهَاجاً
(…for every one of you did We appoint a law and a way)
However, Islam is one and:
إِنَّ الدِّینَ عِندَ اللّهِ الْإِسْلاَمُ
(Surely the (true) religion with Allah is Islam)
If there are words of naskh (abrogation) and the like of it, they refer to Shari'ah and Minhaj, and not to religion. Within the realm of religion, each of the prophets (peace be upon them) were sent down by the slogan of "مُصَدِّقاً لِمَا بَینَ یدَیهِ" (verifying that which is before it); the blessed being of Jesus as well as Moses- the Interlocutor with Allah (peace be upon them both) are "مُصَدِّقاً لِمَا بَینَ یدَیهِ" (verifying that which is before it). Within the realm of Shari'ah "لِکلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنْکمْ شِرْعَةً وَ مِنْهَاجاً" (for every one of you did We appoint a law and a way) and thus every prophet has his specific secondary canon law. How many rak'ah (units of the length of prayers) are prescribed for the prayers in every religion, and towards which Qiblah (direction of prayer) are people supposed to establish their prayers? These vary by religion. The general lines and directions of all religions, therefore, are verified by all messengers. The blessed being of the Honorable Prophet (of Islam) is "مُصَدِّقاً لِمَا بَینَ یدَیهِ" ( verifying that which is before it) and so are other prophets. Hence, even though they were in the West and the East of the universe, and while speaking in different languages, they had the same things to say. So it becomes evident that the Quran, the religion, and the Revelation speak to Men in the language of fitrah, and not in the human cultures. As a result, one can communicate the message of Islam to the entire world, and this is not limited to a certain local, regional or international area; all are ready for and already hearing the words of the messengers.
Ayatollah Javadi Amoli further added:
That is to say we should conduct our religious mission (propagation) and our instructions in accordance and similar to the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran has a ta'leem [education] (one); it has a tazkiyah [purification] (two); and it has another ta'leem [education] (three); the latter ta'leem which is in the third level is different from the former which is in the first level. This third level education I say because nowadays human societies are exhausted after having experienced many affairs and they are establishing tendencies to some types of irfan (gnosis). If we fail to provide them with true gnosis, they will go for the fake one. Prophets were sent down and satisfied our inner thirst for the true gnosis, telling us who our ma'ruf (the One to be known through gnosis) should be; they pointed us our aarif (knower) and our ma'rifat (knowledge). They clarified as such to satisfy our needs.
If we place the Quran in our agenda, we will see that at times God, the Glorified, mentions education (ta'leem) before purification (tazkiyah) and at other times He mentions purification before education. Generally, it is so concluded that knowledge is an introduction to purification and not prior to it; as it is an introduction to purification, it is mentioned before purification that "یعَلِّمُهُمُ الْکتَابَ وَ الْحِکمَةَ" (teaching them the Book and the wisdom). However, where purification precedes education, it is because it is prior to education not its introduction; accordingly, He says: "یزَکیهِمْ وَ یعَلِّمَهُمُ الْکتَابَ وَ الْحِکمَةَ" (purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom). This is a common combination; yet, under both, the knowledge is the knowledge of school, the acquired knowledge, knowledge of seminary and university, and science. These are unable to satisfy the thirsts; rather, they are instruments. Here, it will become clear why these cannot satisfy the thirsts and [why is it that while] many people teach for some forty or fifty years, write books, conduct researches and devote themselves to writing, yet they don't feel satiated. So it turns out that these are something and what has to satiate us is something else. We believe where education is given priority to purification refers to this knowledge acquired at seminaries and universities; because unless Man learns to distinguish between the good and the evil, and between the obligatory and the religiously unlawful, he cannot step in the path. However, as soon as he steps in the path, the path will become ethics; it will no longer be knowledge; and then he is doing deeds of righteousness and purification of the soul and becoming possessed of the attributes; the issue is the deeds and the deeds serve as the provisions for the Hereafter. Religion has words for the common people and you tell those words to them. Still, it has some words for the special people; when it is to issue a message for the special people, its subtle interpretation can be that "تَزَوَّدُوا فَإِنَّ خَیرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَی" (make provision, for surely the provision is the guarding of oneself); that is to say, make provision. You translate and interpret this statement as the fact that you should go to heaven by taqwa (piety and virtue); however, once you look back at it and try to find the true meaning, you will say: taqwa will be the provision, but for what destination? Why do we prepare the provision? To become pious; what for? If we stop at this stage and linger over this level, there will be no difference between us and the common people. We made our best effort to prepare provision, is that enough?! That is to say, we tried to be possessed of good morals, knowledge, justice, virtue, and humbleness, only so that we be given "جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِی مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ" (gardens in which rivers flow)?! Is that enough?! Are we obligated up to this level or there is still more henceforward? When religion tells us "تَزَوَّدُوا فَإِنَّ خَیرَ الزَّادِ التَّقْوَی" (make provision, for surely the provision is the guarding of oneself), it means that taqwa is a provision; it tells us to take the provision and go (along the path). So it turns out that we are to go elsewhere. Some people traverse the path on foot and some go mounted. The blessed being of Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him) said in one of his illuminating words:
إنّ الوصول الی الله سفرٌ لایدرک الاّ بامتطاء اللیل
(Surely the journey towards God shall not be traveled save through the steed of night)
That is to say, Man has a destination (one); there is a goal in that destination (two), and that is meeting with Allah. Such a long journey should be traveled by piety for piety is your provision for the way. If you traverse the path on foot, it will be difficult and if you go mounted you will arrive more easily. To go mounted demands "اتّخاذ مَطیّه" (taking as steed); "مطیّه" is a roadster, "الامتطاء أخذ المطیئه" (it is to take an easy-paced steed). Imam said, the easy-paced steed to arrive at the destination is night prayers. Tawassul (endeavoring to recommend oneself to the notice and favor of God) is for this wuṣul (attainment to the truth); then it is when tawassul itself will become provision. As for the one who is a man of night prayers, an exemplary evidence of:
"إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّیلِ هِی أَشَدُّ وَطْأً وَ أَقْوَمُ قِیلاً"
(Surely the rising by night is the firmest way to tread and the best corrective of speech)
Such a one, who is a man of piety, has good provision and a good steed. One who runs around and spends all his time solely to provide provision will not reach the destination. Such a one will reach the heaven and the rooms created therein, yet it will not be possible for him to meet the presence of Imams. Our master Late Allameh Tabataba'i quoted his master Late Ayatollah Aqa Sheikh Mohammad-Hussain Isfahani (May God bless them both) that the blessed being of the Master of Martyrs, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) emanates to the dwellers of the heaven once a year. It is not the case that whoever wishes to visit him can find the opportunity; and only once a year this shall be possible. So it turns out here that there are also higher and more sublime levels and degrees.
The great exegete of the Quran said on the last verses of Surah al-Qamar:
إِنَّ الْمُتَّقِینَ فِی جَنَّاتٍ وَ نَهَرٍ * فِی مَقْعَدِ صِدْقٍ عِندَ مَلِیک مُقْتَدِرٍ
(Surely those who guard (against evil) shall be in gardens and rivers * In the seat of honor with a most Powerful King)
A man of piety and night prayers is "فِی جَنَّاتٍ وَ نَهَرٍ" (in gardens and rivers); yet, it is not possible for all to be "عِندَ مَلِیک مُقْتَدِرٍ" (with a most Powerful King), because such people only intend to obtain the provision. For instance, for a person who is to go on a pilgrimage to Mashad, the holy shrine of Imam Reza (peace be upon him), a package of food is enough; some food and fruit which will become no more than a carton. Such a one does not need a truck of food. Yet, he has spent all his time to collect a truck of food. Of course, there (in Mashad) he can bestow upon many people of his food and gain spiritual reward and degrees. Yet, he will not see and perceive wilayah (Imam as a guardian and friend) and Imamah. He will merely perceive the shrine and the tomb. We should endeavor to take provision as much we need; i.e. to say obligatory and recommended prayers. Such has been said; but these are aql (rationality) and aql and aql! Take the affection and ma'rifah (knowledge) in the Munajat (Whispered Prayer) of Shabaniyah; such an affection and knowledge are equal to reaching the destination. As you know the Whispered Prayer of Shabaniya is the whispered prayer of all Imams (peace be upon them). After the introductions, there will be time for munada, call from a distance; then will come the munajat (whispered prayer); the call will end in a whispered prayer. That is to say, when we become closer, we will no more call "O Lord". Late Koleini (May God bless him) has quoted two parts in al-Kafi, saying that one should say "یا الله" (O Allah) and "یا رب" (O Lord) for ten times and should then say "ربّ" (Lord); it is said that "یا" (O…) has been dropped; however, one who knows the Whispered Prayer of Shabaniyah would say that there is no room for "یا" (O…); more specifically, it is wrong to say "یا" (O…) in such a place. Once you arrive, there is no "call" but "whisper". Therefore, the beginning is with munada (call) and then it comes the munajat (whispered prayer); first nida (call) and then najwa (whisper). Once we pass this stage, we will be allowed to say to God that it is His turn, that we wish Him to say and we listen. This is nothing to do with piety and lessons and discussions; this is not provision, but is destination per se:
الاهی اجعلنی ممّن ناجیته
(My Lord, make me one of those whom You whisper to them secretly)
You whisper secretly and I will listen.