TEHRAN -- President Mohammad Khatami said here Tuesday that Islam is a religion of wisdom and logic and is based on realities of life.
Addressing a gathering of Friday prayer leaders, the president stressed that thoughts cannot be blocked, adding that instead of confronting different thoughts and ideas all should rather exercise open-mindedness and tolerance towards different opinions.
The president advised the participants to exert their utmost efforts to keep away from worldly materials and become further acquainted with the people and their sufferings.
Stressing that religion and prosperity are both targets, he said religion should not be politically oriented rather, politics should be directed towards religion.
President Khatami said people's problems cannot be diagnosed and solved through idealism, adding that in order to find solution to the problems, convergence should be developed with people.
To this end, he further remarked, identification of realities is a prerequisite to a reformist government to attract the people, adding that the clergy and scholars shoulder a grave responsibility in this respect.
President Khatami who is also the head of the High Cultural Revolution Council said that the youth, who make up the majority of the Iranian population, seek moral values. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the clergy to further encourage the young generation in this regard.
(IRNA)