According to the university's public relations: Following the passing of Ayatollah Momen (ra), Ayatollah Alireza Aarafi was appointed as a regular member of the Board of Trustees of Qom Industrial Universities, Hazrat Masoumeh (sa), Qom, and Ayatollah Borujerdi by the Minister of Science, Research, and Technology.
He was born in 1959 in the city of Meybod, located in the province of Yazd. His father, Muhammad Ibrahim Aarafi, was a cleric from Meybod and a close friend of Seyyed Ruhollah Khomeini. Years before the victory of the revolution, he held Friday prayers and delivered sermons while armed. His mother was also considered to be a descendant of Kazem Malek Afzali Ardekani.
He began his classical education in Meybod and, after studying literature, moved to Qom in 1970 to complete his primary education there. Simultaneously, he started his seminary studies and completed preliminary and intermediate levels, eventually entering advanced studies in 1977. He pursued courses in philosophy and ethics and learned Arabic and English while studying seminary subjects. He also engaged in studies in mathematics and Western philosophy, participated in the teacher training program of the Office of Islamic seminary and University Collaboration (Research Institute for the Islamic seminary and University), and during the holidays, discussed the interpretation of Al-Mizan and the commentary of Nahj al-Balagha by Ibn Abi al-Hadid.
He was a student of Ali Mashkini in the fields of interpretation and studied the books Philosophically and Our Economy written by Seyyed Mohammad Baqir Sadr with Seyyed Kazem Haeri. In advanced jurisprudence and principles, he was a student of teachers such as Ayatollah Morteza Haeri Yazdi, Ayatollah Mohammad Fazel Lankarani, Ayatollah Wahid Khorasani, and Ayatollah Mirza Javad Tabrizi. He studied the four journeys, Burhan Shifa, Fusus al-Hikam, and Tamhid al-Qawaid with Ayatollah Jawadi Amoli, and learned some parts of the journeys from Ayatollah Misbah Yazdi.
Ayatollah Aarafi has been closely connected and collaborating with universities since the age of twenty and has provided outstanding academic services at the International Center of Al-Mustafa in 60 countries worldwide. Establishing 129 programs, offering major fields in 7 living languages of the world, and founding the largest center for Persian literature in the world are exemplary of his activities during his tenure.
Since the Islamic Revolution, he has held significant responsibilities and was recently appointed by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution as one of the jurists of the Guardian Council.
Some of his professional history includes:
* Presidency of the World Center for Islamic Sciences and membership in its Board of Trustees
* Membership in the Cultural-Social Council of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology
* Membership in the Public Culture Council of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance
* Presidency of the Research Institute for the Islamic seminary and University in Qom
* Management of the Educational and Research Group of Imam Khomeini Educational and Research Institute (ra)
* Membership in the Scientific Research Council of the country
* Presidency of the Al-Mustafa International Society
* Director of Islamic seminaries across the country