Martyred Leader’s greatest legacy was raising an aware, responsible and capable generation: Scholar

By Press TV Website Staff

The true legacy of the Martyr Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei lies in the generations he inspired to embrace their historical responsibility, a prominent scholar of interfaith dialogue says.

Speaking to the Press TV website, Sayyed Ali Sayyed Qassem, a member of the Vatican City-based Pontifical International Marian Academy, noted that the enduring legacy of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution should be measured not by political power or public tributes, but by the ideas and values he left behind

“The true legacy of Imam Khamenei lies not in momentary positions, but in a school of thought that calls for transforming faith into a civilizational project and building generations with knowledge, awareness and the ability to accept historical responsibility,” said the Lebanese scholar.

He underscored the awareness that the martyred leader fostered among younger generations.

“I believe every historical figure should be evaluated by the impact they have in creating awareness, not by the amount of power they possessed,” he said.

From that perspective, he stated, Martyr Ayatollah Khamenei left behind an intellectual and mission-oriented legacy that extended beyond the borders of a single country to reach the broader Muslim community and humanity at large.

Qassem said the martyred Leader, drawing inspiration from the Holy Qur’an, promoted a vision in which religion was “not a collection of rituals,” but “a project for building the human being, preserving human dignity, establishing justice and confronting oppression.”

He said the martyred Leader viewed independence not as a political slogan but as a prerequisite for safeguarding the identity of nations, while maintaining that genuine strength begins with developing people who are scientifically, morally and spiritually aware.

The scholar further stated that the lasting value of the martyred Leader’s legacy would be judged by its ability to inspire people to become “more just, more compassionate and more steadfast,” rather than by the number of books or speeches devoted to him.

Qassem also reflected on the broad international participation in week-long funeral ceremonies for the martyred Leader, saying the attendance of government and religious delegations from around 100 countries carried significance beyond diplomatic protocol.

He said such unprecedented participation demonstrated that personalities who leave a profound mark on history eventually become a matter of global interest, both for supporters and for those who disagree with them.

The funeral ceremonies drew millions of mourners across Iran, with the main procession in Tehran on Monday described by officials as the largest public gathering in the country's modern history.

Foreign dignitaries joined commemorations that began on Friday, while more ceremonies are scheduled in the Iranian cities of Qom and Mashhad, as well as the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.

Qassem said the greatest value of the international participation was that it reaffirmed the possibility of dialogue and mutual respect despite political and intellectual differences.

“If an occasion of this magnitude has succeeded in bringing together representatives of different nations and cultures around the values of respect and loyalty, then it offers a message that humanity, despite the intensity of conflicts, is still capable of finding common ground,” he said, adding that the challenge now is to transform such moments into lasting humanitarian diplomacy that promotes dialogue, respects the uniqueness of nations and defends justice as the foundation of genuine peace.

Martyred Leader and interfaith dialogue

Turning to Martyr Ayatollah Khamenei's role in promoting interfaith dialogue and closer relations among Islamic schools of thought, Qassem said this aspect of his legacy deserved greater attention because it revealed the civilizational dimension of his project.

The scholar said the martyred Leader regarded differences as part of divine wisdom, but believed they should never become a justification for hostility or exclusion. Instead, he consistently encouraged managing diversity responsibly while prioritizing shared Islamic and human values over division.

Qassem said Martyr Ayatollah Khamenei's support for Islamic unity was reflected in his continued backing of initiatives aimed at bringing Muslim schools of thought closer together, as well as his encouragement of dialogue with followers of other religions based on mutual respect and the preservation of human dignity.

He said that approach was consistent with Quranic teachings calling on believers to remain united and to engage with the People of the Book “in the best manner” (Holy Qur’an, 29:46).

Drawing on his own experience as a member of the International Committee for Interreligious Dialogue, Qassem said the world could no longer endure hate-driven discourse.

“The world needs leaders who combine steadfastness in identity with openness toward humanity. Genuine dialogue does not mean abandoning one's beliefs; it means presenting them with ethics and turning them into a source of mercy, justice and cooperation. I believe this is one of the most important features of the legacy Imam Khamenei left behind.”

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.ir