TEHRAN-15 Books on Ahl al-Bayt (AS) and Shia culture have been released in nine languages by the Ahlulbayt (AS) World Assembly at the 35th Tehran International Book Fair.

In a ceremony attended by Ayatollah Reza Ramazani, Secretary-General of the Ahlulbayt (AS) World Assembly, the books were unveiled on Tuesday, IRNA reported.

Ahl al-Bayt is a designation in Islam referring to the holy family of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), particularly his daughter Hazrat Faṭemeh,  her husband Imam Ali, their sons Ḥassan and Hossain, and their descendants.

“Sunset in the West” in German, “Special Rulings for Women” and “Guardian of the Ahl al-Bayt School (The Life of Allameh Seyyed Morteza Asgari)” in English, “Introduction to Islam” in Russian, and “Shi’a and the Arts of Islam” in French were among the books unveiled at the ceremony.

The publications of the Ahlulbayt (AS) World Assembly is a pioneer in producing audiobooks on Ahl al-Bayt (AS) teachings in various languages. Last year, it produced two audiobooks in Spanish: “Exemplary Youth of Islam” by Mohammad Ali Chenarani, translated by Martha Golzar and Rahmatollah Golzar, narrated by Soheil As’ad, and “The Perfect Model (An Ethical Look at the Life of the Prophet)” by Hemmat Sohrabpour, translated by Martha Golzar and Rahmatollah Golzar, narrated by Abdul Hakim Agilar.

“A progressive society is an informed society. The more knowledge grows, the more the community will develop and become powerful. Knowledge empowers society and establishes its authority. Wherever knowledge flourishes in various fields of basic sciences, physics, chemistry, theology, philosophy, and logic, society will also thrive. The growth of society is the growth of its individuals in ethical and practical terms. The more awareness and knowledge there is, the wealthier and more prosperous that society becomes,” Ayatollah Ramazani said during the event”.

He emphasized the role of books in connecting the past and the future and said: “Books allow humans to connect with both the past and the future. The history of the past, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, scientific developments, and wars—all have been transmitted to us through books”.

“Books bridge the gap between the past and the future, shedding light on the path and carrying humanity from the past to the future,” he added.

Ayatollah Ramazani also highlighted the importance of scholarly authority in scientific matters. “At the beginning of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran ranked 57th in scientific achievements, but today we have reached the 15th position globally in certain fields. This scholarly authority should extend to the production of knowledge in religious and theological domains as well,” he asserted.

“The art lies in being able to convey this content (religious and theological issues) to today’s generation in contemporary literature,” he concluded.

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