As a leading university in providing a scholarly and academic environment for topics in Humanities, Mofid University was founded in 1989by great efforts of late Grand Ayatollah Mousavi Ardebili (May God sanctify his spirit); though the idea to establish such an institution to do research in humanities in connection with religious principles, had been formed in his mind some decades before 1980s.

The initial idea based on systematic methods to train the future generation first appeared in 1960s in the form of Mofid schools and Maktab-e Mofid. By removal of obstacles and support of many intellectuals and prominent figures in approximating religious ideas and current issues in the world, MU started its activity as one of the few special universities in the field of Humanities in Iran, the first university in Qom, and one of the few private universities in Iran. In fact, the main objective of late Ardebili and his associates of founding and expanding such a system was to develop a school of thought that today, after several decades of effort and thinking, it can be called as a religious intellectualism within the framework of religious tradition called «School of Mofid». Such organized activities based on the initial idea mentioned above, are what we inherit from our predecessors and from people of knowledge and religion; and that is what MU follows as one of its main objectives.

At the time of founding the university, the idea of linking the topics and subjects in the field of Humanities to religious issues had long been formed and engaged the thinkers in different ways; however, there was not such a broad Academic center, in the real sense of the word, at that time in Iran to accomplish this goal. Therefore, Late Mousavi Ardebili, an intellect who sought to answer the questions of modern men about religion and current issues, far from any bias or making an attempt to provide justification without any reason, founded a university where one can freely think about questions and provide answers as much as they can afford.

Creating an academic environment for research and providing all the required facilities to achieve this goal should be considered as one of the most significant criteria to distinguish a leading university. By attracting top university graduates and scholars of Iranian seminaries, MU tried to provide a good grounding for research and development of religious knowledge and connect it to modern humanities and take a critical view of religious issues and teachings. This caused the academic training and education result in positive outcomes in improvement and mobility of the university, which in turn led to the development and more scrutiny of such subjects as: Islamic Philosophy and its relation to Western philosophies, human rights from Islamic point of view, rights of children and women, Islamic economic system and the interaction between economic issues in Islam and the existing economy in the world, Shia theology, Islamic Jurisprudence and tradition (Hadith), basic principles of political thought in Islam and the world today, Bioethics and religious morality, and other subjects. Combination of religious knowledge and modern science that faculty members enjoy can be considered as a major factor that helps achieve this goal at MU; as some publications by MU faculty members and researchers have become primary sources and references in their related fields and are honored at the national and international levels.

Following their professors and by their own efforts, students and graduates trained in this school of thought, thank God, have the best academic degrees and careers in Iran and abroad and enjoy the high human, scientific, social and economic positions. Among nearly 10.000 graduates of the university, some have become the faculty members of universities in Iran and abroad, ministers, ambassadors, political, cultural, and economic officials of Iran and other countries, writers, and distinguished judges and lawyers; this proves that MU has been able to accomplish a large portion of its ideals and objectives. By establishing a rich library in the field of Humanities and creating special research environment, legal and psychological clinics, children’s rights clinic, close relationships with institutes and universities of Iran and such countries as the United States, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Swiss, Spain, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Australia, Ireland, Luxemburg, China, Russia, South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, The Philippines, Tajikistan, Qatar, UAE, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc… and holding scientific associations as well as joint international conferences with the United Nations and the related agencies, and calling the professors and thinkers of foreign countries to exchange ideas and hold scientific meetings, MU has put all its efforts to expand the intended concepts and issues and teach or communicate them to others.

MU and its campus covers an area of about 173 Acres and provides financial incentives, free postgraduate studies, student scholarships, has modern student dormitories, sports and recreation areas, wide forest area, Psychological Counseling Centre, self-service and a VIP restaurant, body building clubs, health and cycling route, artificial turf ground, indoor sports hall, open online training center, free high speed internet, etc. It provides the students and scholars with the best facilities and services to have more peace and comfort.

MU offers 31 majors in six departments of «Economics», «Law», «Philosophy», «Political Science», «Theology», and «English Language» in three Bachelor «s، Master» s، and Doctoral degrees. Admission to MU is possible through participation in national entrance examination, special exam (for seminary students) and entrance without exam. Currently, more than 1200 male and female students (Iranian and non-Iranian) are studying at this university.

Islamic sciences have been developed and flourished in history through seminary schools; However, relying on traditional methods of teaching, research, and thinking have made those schools incapable of providing answers to challenges of the day from Islamic standpoint.

The idea that nowadays providing Islamic views on economic, legal, and political subjects, or any other discipline of Humanities- that Islam is concerned with- requires one to know well both new and theological sciences, led Grand Ayatollah Mousavi Ardebili to start various scientific activities, collaborating with such individuals as Ayatollah Dr. Beheshti, Ayatollah Motahhari and Dr. Bahonar , to overcome this shortcoming in seminaries.

Having this concern in his mind, Ayatollah Mousavi Ardebili established MU in 1989 with the permission of Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, so that by combining seminary and academic sciences and training experts in both areas provide a ground to answer contemporary world questions from Islamic point of view.

MU is known for its development of new ideas , scientific reviews, and conflict of ideas in scientific societies. The emphasis placed by the late founder of the university on avoiding to mix the academic environment with other existing positions in society, has gathered different thoughts and orientations together at MU and provided a lively academic environment to pursue various issues in the field of Humanities.

MU has also facilitated, developed, and expanded many academic trends in society, including: topics related to various fundamental areas of human rights, women's rights, children's rights, improving the quality of the judiciary system, removing the challenges of the Islamic economic system, interest-free banking, social justice , etc. MU has significant activities such as holding biennial international conferences on human rights in its record; this has made many Western scholars acquainted with the views and opinions of Muslim scholars.

By material and spiritual support of researchers, MU has presented worthy works to scholars in its own fields of activity; Moreover, within the last three decades, nearly ten thousand Iranian and non-Iranian male and female students have graduated from MU, many of whom are working and serving in various careers related to their special fields inside and outside the country.