Razavi University of Islamic Sciences

General Information
Acquring the Islamic knowledge and science is an undeniable necessity and a lasting fact, as old as the Islamic creed itself. It began with the Qur'anic message recommending: "Migrate to acquire knowledge", and continued all through the time until it fully bloomed at the time when Imam Jafar Sadiq, peace be upon him, established a school in Madinah in which all those fond of knowledge gathered together.
This school, fully flourished in his time, continued for decades and centuries and was the seed for the blooming and established of Shi'ite religious centres which kept the banner of the Revealed knowledge hoisted throughout the world.
In the present era, it is the Razavi University of Islamic Sciences which as a non-governmental institute benefits from the experience of the learned men and the Orient and the Occident, and can offer a system of learning and acquiring knowledge, suitable and well-tested.
Razavi University for Islamic Sciences was established by Astan Quds Razavi in the precincts of the holy shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.) to train scholars, thinkers, researchers and writers in the different fields of Islamic sciences by combining the systems of education of universities and Islamic seminaries with more emphasis on the traditional system of the Islamic seminaries. The old Mirza Jafar and Khairat Khan Islamic seminaries situated in the precincts of the holy shrine were renovated and some new buildings were added which together comprise the present university complex. It is located in the north of Inquilab courtyard and in the eastern side of the Shaykh Toosi sanctuary.
This great centre of learning which is also considered as one of the glorious achievements of the Islamic revolution consists of 22 classrooms, bedrooms, and hostels with a capacity for 250 students, seven lecture halls, one mosque, two amphitheaters and some other essential facilities.
This Islamic University was inaugurated on 11th Zee al-Qa'dah, 1404 A.H./ 8 August, 1984. At present more than 600 students from Iran, Pakistan, China, Afghanistan and Arab countries are pursuing their higher studies in the Islamic sciences at the graduate, pot-graduate and doctoral levels, The degrees at these levels are granted by the Ministry of Higher Education. The faculty of the university consists of the Holy Qur'an and Hadith sciences, philosophy and theology and jurisprudence departments.
Razavi University of Islamic Sciences, was founded in 1984 by the efforts of the esteemed representative of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution and the Grand Reverend Custodian of the holy shrine of Imam Reza(A.S.)[Astan Quds Razavi], His Holiness Ayatullah Abbas Vaez Tabassi.
This university gave a new attire to two of the ancient religious centres of Mashhad :Madrasah Mirza Ja'far and Madrasah Khayrat Khan, each with a 400 year-old history.
This university, emphasing the continuation of its seminary identity functions as one of the official institutes of higher education of Iran.

University Goals
Razavi University of Islamic Sciences has been organised to achieve the following goals:
- Training of Islamologists, reseachers, and professors in various fields
- Training of experts in law and judges.
- Training of qualified man-power for educational centres.

University Pillars
As per the constitution approved by the High Council of the Cultural Revolution, Razavi University of Islamic Sciences has the following pillars.
Founder: has particular authority, including designating the Chancellor, as well as members of the board of trustees.
Board of Trustees: is made up of a group of experts of Hawzah (Islamic Seminary) and university supervising the general trend of the university.
The Chancellor: guides and manages the university; he is appointed by a decree issued by the honourable founder.
University Council: is responsible for the duties set by the regulations for the University Council, such as a coordination between educational programmes on the one hand and the educational departments and courses on the other.

Educational Levels
Razavi University of Islamic Sciences has three educational levels, each lasting five years on average:
B.A. Level: comprising of seminary subjects up to the end of the first level, a foreign language general courses of one of the major fields.
M.A. Level: comprising of seminary courses up to the end of "Kifayah al-Usul" plus major courses of chosen field of study
Ph.D.Level: comprising of the seminary subjects of "Kharij Fiqh wa Usul"[advanced courses in Islamic jurisprudence and its principles] plus the major courses of chosen field of study.

Fields of Study, B.A. Level
At present there exist three fields of study in Razavi University of Islamic Sciences: The Qur'anic Sciences, Islamic Philosophy and Kalam (Theology), and law which are part of the Islamic sciences and are a combination of the Hawzah (Islamic Seminary) teachings and of the university. These are classified in three parts:
The seminary subjects cover Arabic literature, logic, Fiqh (jurisprudence) and Usul as far as the "Kharij" level.
The general courses of theology and Islamic sciences.
Major courses consisting of the major courses of each of the three fields of the Qur'anic sciences, philosophy and Kalam, and law.
The University is at present planning to expand the fields of study up to eighteen.

Educational Departments
The Educational Departments are as follows:
The specialised Department of Qur'anic sciences and hadith (narrations)
The specialised department of Islamic philosophy and Kalam (theology)
The specialised department of Law
The department of Arabic Language and Literature
The department of English
The department of Fiqh and Usul
The department of Persian Language and Literature

Gruduate Studies
This university has so far accepted, in four academic periods, M.A. students, some of whom have graduated in:
Criminal law and criminology, private law, international law, Qur'anic sciences, philosophy and Kalam.
Some of the theses written by the students have been printed and published.

Research Centre
The Qur'anic Science and Hadith, made up of the three branches of Qur'anic Sciences, Qur'anic Exegesis, and Hadith.
Philosophy and Islamic Kalam (theology), made up of three branches:
Political Philosophy, Islamic Kalam, and Islamic Gnosis
Law, comprises of the criminal, private and international laws.

Fiqh and Usul
Translation and Foreign Languages
Research Workers' Training Unit
Computer Unit
Audio-Visual and Language Laboratory Unit
Library

Research Activities
The Research Departments has so far published hundreds of articles, some specialised and students' magazines, and many books.
The magazines published by the university are:Andisheh Hawzah; specialised magazines on Qur'anic sciences and Hadith (narrtations), Fiqh and Usul, law, philosophy and Islamic Kalam (theology).

Students and Cultural Office
This office is structually made up of the three units: Students' and Cultural Affairs, Medical Affairs, and Consultation.

Educational and Welfare Facilities
Razavi University of Islamic Sciences has proper educational and welfare facilities available. Enjoying the cooperation of the outstanding professors in each field of study, along with modern technological advancements such as language laboratory, computer centre, and other educational potentials, the university is taking every step to provide the students with the best possible mean of learning and achieving high educational standards.
Further all the welfare facilities are provided to the students which includes tuition, food and laundry, the dormitory for the unmarried students, housing allowance, and food allowance are supplied for all the students.

Foreign Students
Because Razavi University of Islamic Science is a university of international repute and status, from the beginning paid special attention to the foreign students' affairs, and has up to now students from China, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Uganda, Tajikstan, Afghanistan, Bosnia and India. Some have graduated, others are still studying.

Educational Curriculum
Foreign students are registered according to special criteria. After they finish their Persian language programme, they can follow their studies in one of the university courses.
Welfare facilities of Razavi University of Islamic Sciences has foreseen paricular facilities for foreign students so as these dear students will peacefully continue their Islamic studies, prepare themselves for a bright future without any anxiety, and use all their efforts in learning, teaching and purification of their souls. Some of these facilities are as follows:
Dormitory: unmarried students receive suitable dormitory and necessary welfare facilities
Medical Facilities: each student will have a medical insurance booklet through which all his medical expenses will be paid.
Visa and Residence: the university will obtain foreign students' entry visa and will pay for it as well as for their travel expenses to their country of origin.
Physical education,recreational facilities,gymnasium, recreational activities and scientific tours are benefits the students can make use of. In addition to the welfare facilities mentioned above, the university will pay each staudent some money as tuition expenses.
The Students scientific status and their research activities
The students of this university have secured high scientific ranks among the other univerities of the country. In addition to success in the scientific international Olympics competitions,they have also attained the highest levels.

Address:
Razavi University of Islamic Sciences
Holy Shrine of Imam Reza(A.S.)
Holy City of Mashhad
Islamic Republic of Iran