مجمع الكتب📗📘

Directives from the grand Ayatollah Shaykh Ishaq Fayyadh may God prolong his life, Relayed by his son, during his visit, to the Unites States of America in April 2012


4-- It has been noticed that some believers departed their home countries to foreign countries, without having a clear goal or being confident of their status in those societies. Thus, they became a burden of weaklings (on the believers), to say the least. Neither did they gain from what they traveled toward, nor did they satisfy an aspect of the need in that society. Rather, they returned with broken souls, no longer finding some of the beliefs and righteous considerations which had once rested in their souls.
In light of this, believers in such societies should strive to attain excellent academic scores and understand the responsibility on their shoulders. For, indeed, power lies in action, or in knowledge which an individual there knows well – as power for the principles and values which he/she serves. If the people of a single faith and school of thought, over there, connect to the connection of religious education then that will be a (source of) power for them and a guarantee (to protect) their interests. We also anticipate that the increase in the number of believers in those countries will give hope to reduce the extremeness in misunderstanding Islam, faith, and the attributes of believers. (This is the extremeness) as marketed by those with a prejudice and others beneficiaries who paint an evil image of Islamic countries.

5-- The formation of Shia thought, ever since its beginnings in the first generation after the advent of Islam, was not limited to a region or group. Rather, it is the conscience of Islam and its call – a call which was answered by people of every kind. The worked diligently with seeking knowledge and teaching until they casted the summary of their knowledge in their verdicts. That is why you see the Shia refer back to the Grand Jurists, based on the principle which is confirmed by all intellectuals – the ignorant one refers to the knowledgeable one. For they are unable to reach the basis for the verdict, which represents God’s judgment in the matter in question, and they do not find it okay – rationally speaking – to refer to anyone but the most learned one, in order to fulfill the legal responsibility laid down by the system of law which they believe in. Hence, if the most learned scholar is proven to them, or if his most learned nature is at the level to allow them to emulate him, they do not hesitate to refer to him, no matter what his nationality or ethnicity may be. There is nothing strange about that, for the intellectuals of the entire world agree that if they are assured regarding the qualifications or knowledge of a given person in an area which they need him, they turn to him with their need, follow him, and obey his commands to attain their objective. Emulating a Grand Jurist is not different from this (intellectual) practice. It should not be seen as strange, then, if an American citizen, for instance, emulates a Grand Jurist in Najaf or Qum because the Grand Jurist is directing him/her within (the framework of) what his/her faith dictates, and that does not at all contradict the conditions for his/her citizenship, with all that it entails in terms of (observing) agreements and (avoiding) violations.
Yes, when it comes to matters dealing with governance in that country and the established laws which organize the rights of citizens regardless of their religion, and in order to have harmonious coexistence, the Grand Jurists find it necessary to abide by these (laws) and comply with their content.

@AbodeofWisdom

clearly illustrated how to perform it for us and how many rak’ats each prayer should be. b) Zakat. In the Qur’an, zakat has only been mentioned as an Islamic ruling. It was the Prophet who expressed which things have zakat and what the criteria for zakat becoming wajib for each one is. c) Hajj. The Qur’an says that Hajj is wajib and no more, but the Prophet has explained how it is supposed to be performed.

Therefore, it is wrong to expect to be able to find every detail in the Qur’an. So it is a big mistake not to follow the imams just because of the fact that none of their names have come in the Qur’an. That’s why no one says that noon prayers (which are 4 rak’ats) have to be prayed 2 rak’ats just because the Qur’an hasn’t mentioned how many rak’ats each prayer is.

2- In issues like this, in which there are big chances that others will disagree, it is much better for the Qur’an to express the truth implicitly rather than explicitly, otherwise there is a high possibility that they will end up denying the Qur’an as a whole. It’s very obvious that such a problem isn’t to the benefit of the Muslim ummah. Of course, the Qur’an says: “Surely we have revealed the Reminder (the Qur’an), and We will most surely be its guardian” [11], but one should remember that one of the ways of protecting the Qur’an and not letting others falsify or change it, is for it to speak in a way that others (such as the hypocrites who show that they are Muslims on the outside even though they aren’t within) don’t get sensitive and provoked. In this way, the high respect and value of the Qur’an will be kept, and certain individuals won’t think of changing or falsifying it in a way that will comply with their personal desires and wicked goals or just because they disagree with something. [12]

Shahid Ayatollah Motahhari answers this question in the following way. He says: “The answer to the question that why hasn’t Imam Ali’s khilafah and imamat been mentioned in the Qur’an, is that 1- The Qur’an usually expresses general laws. 2- The Prophet or Allah didn’t want such an issue in which people are sensitive about and prefer their own desires (to what Islam wants), to be presented explicitly, and although it wasn’t, people still went against it and falsely interpreted the Prophet’s sayings to their own benefit. In other words even if the Qur’an had clearly stated that Ali is successor to the Prophet they still would have found a way around it. The Prophet said: (Ali is his Mawla). How much more clear can one get? (Yet they interpreted what he said falsely and according to their will.)Yet there is a big difference between ignoring what the Prophet has said after him passing away regardless of all of its clarity and ignoring what the Qur’an has been completely clear about one day after his demise. That is why I have narrated in my book “Khilafah and Wilayah” that once during Imam Ali’s reign, a Jew wanted to attack and criticize the Muslim ummah for undesirable events that took place in the beginning of Islam. He told Imam Ali (and of course what he said really was a negative point) that you (the Muslim ummah) started quarreling over your prophet even before completely burying him after his death. Imam Ali answered: We argued about what he had instructed, not over the Prophet himself, but you (meaning the Jews) disregarded the most important principle of your religion which is tawhid (oneness of God), and asked your prophet to build an idol for you to worship. So there is a big difference between you and us; we didn’t argue about our prophet, we argued about what the interpretation of his saying was (and what he wanted us to do after his death). These two vary tremendously. (Motahhari goes on to say that) there is a big difference between saying that the people back then had misunderstood what the Prophet had said and saying that the Muslims back then rejected what the Qur’an had clearly stated or had falsified it.[13]

So one can say that the main reason behind not mentioning the names of the imams, or at least Imam Ali’s name, is the protection of the

Imam Muhammad Baqir peace be with him said:

“…Does the one who claims to be of the Shia think it is enough to (simply) speak of loving us, Ahlulbayt (the Prophet’s family)?

By God, our Shia are only those who are mindful of God and obey Him. They were known…only (in light of their) modesty, humility, trustworthiness, abundant remembrance of God, fasting, prayer, honoring parents, caring for neighbors, the poor, people in need, those in debt, and orphans… (they were known for their) truthful words, the recitation of Qur’an, and holding their tongues back unless it was to speak good of people. They were the trustees (entrusted) by their peoples in (the various) affairs…”

Pg. 74, Vol. 2 of al-Kafi by Sheykh Kulayni

The history of Ashoura:

We remember Ashoura to live the circumstances of this occasion - on which hundreds of years have passed but still beats with spiritual meanings. When we remember the figures of Ashoura, we feel that each and every personality is a spirit by itself, one that flies and ascends above and transforms the body to a spiritual beat, joining between the intellect and the emotions and between the matter and the spirit.

Therefore, we look at Ashoura based on the spiritual values and the movement whose leaders and faithful masses are open to righteousness, instead of viewing it as a tragedy. It is a movement that has two open eyes looking at the nation and the world, and staring at the Islamic and humanitarian march as a whole.

Even when we discuss Ashoura in terms of the Imamate, we do not mean to give it a sectarian aspect, but it rather gives it a spiritual framework that is open to mankind and Islam as a whole.

From Ashoura, we enrich ourselves with its various dimensions and meanings. Our problem is that we gave Ashoura sectarian meanings and locked it in the prison of our creeds and backwardness and customs which lack any cause, because we did not see the cause Al-Husein peace be with him represents, but the person who is filled with wounds, the one who experienced thirst and the tragedy of his sons and relatives.

We looked at Al-Husein peace be with him as the person, not the mission and the cause. So we abandoned the mission and did not find Al-Husein peace be with him and we will never find him if he does not represent to us a mission, freedom, glory, dignity and an entity that represents mankind and Islam. This is the real essence of Ashoura.

But we limited the Karbala (tragic) character to the extent that our tears have become cold. Only those who consider the freedom, resistance, opposition, and challenge shed warm tears when they think of the tragedy.

The issue of Ashoura through the slogans raised by Imam Al-Husein peace be with him is a humanitarian issue. Imam Al-Husein peace be with him used to look at the human being, go into his inner feelings and concerns about his humanity from those who crush the human character of the people. What did he say when he described the rulers of Bani Umayah? He said: "They took the money of Allah as theirs, and regarded His people as their slaves." He is saying that the public money which organizes the people's lives is the money that belongs to God: "And give them of the wealth of Allah which He has given you." (24:33). This money should be spent in what pleases God, and in order for the people to live in dignity and glory. But this money became the money of the prince and his entourage. In our times, the money of the nation, particularly the oil, has become the money of a certain family and a certain king and sultan and those who kiss the feet of the sultan.

Many of those who talk about the nation and Islam glorify these kings and families. They actually worship the family and its head, and then they talk to you about the belief in one God, and then hold other people as infidels through some jurisprudences, but they worship those who have money: "They took the money of Allah for themselves and enslaved His people."

The contemporary pledge and the historical pledge

During Al-Hurra battle, we saw that Yazid asked his Wali who triumphed over the people of Al-Madina to ask for their pledge in their capacity as slaves for Yazid. They used to enslave the people by the power of money and sword. If we look at history books, we see that when the pledge was obtained for Yazid, a man who has a sword in one hand, and money in the other hand, said: Who gives the pledge to Yazid will get the money, and who doesn't will get this sword. After that, Yazid was the "Commander of the Faithful."

Today, we are witnessing a contemporary kind of the pledge, one that rests on money. For example, people gave their pledge to President George Bush and today they are giving the pledge to the European Union and many Arab figures, for various considerations and ambitions.

Letter of Imam Ali to Malik-e Ashtar
(Part Eleven)

4. The Administration of Revenues

☀️☀️Look after the revenue (khiraj, land tax) affairs in such a way that those engaged in it remain prosperous because in their prosperity lies the prosperity of all others. The others cannot prosper without them because all people are dependent on the revenue and on its payers.

☀️☀️You should also keep an eye on the cultivation of the land more than on the collection of revenue because revenue cannot be obtained without cultivation and whoever asks for revenue without cultivation ruins the area and brings death to the people. His rule will not last but only for a moment.

☀️☀️If they complain of the heaviness (of the revenue) or of diseases, or of scarcity of water, or of an excess of water, or of a change in the condition of the land either due to flood or to drought..., you should remit the revenue to the extent that you hope would improve their status.

☀️☀️The remission granted by you for the removal of distress from them should not be grudged by you because it is an investment which they will return to you in the shape of the prosperity of your country and the progress of your domain in addition to earning their praise and happiness for meting out justice to them.

☀️☀️You can depend upon their strength because of the investment made by you in them through catering to their convenience and can have confidence in them because of the justice extended to them by being kind to them. After that, circumstances may so turn that you may have a need for their assistance. It is then that they will bear it happily, for prosperity is capable of bearing whatever you load on it. The ruin of the land is caused by the poverty of the cultivators, while the cultivators become poor when the officers concentrate on the collection (of money), having little hope for continuance (in their posts) and deriving no benefit from warnings.

☀️☀️@AbodeofWisdom

Call each other to unity

In his sermon, Imam Ali (a.s.) continues to say: “calling each other to it and advising each other about it”, for it is not enough just not to disperse or just to unite. Rather, each one of you should carry the message of rejecting division and calling for unity, for it is necessary to urge people to maintain unity and to call one another to adopt it. This is what Allah wanted us to do and this is what He made clear in Al-Asr Surah: “and enjoin on each other right, and enjoin on each other patience” (103:03). It is not enough to believe in the right; you should call for it too, and the right is all what elevates people’s level to bring them closer to Allah and closer to their [best] interests.

Therefore, through the significations of these connotations, you ought to open up to all the values, for it is insufficient to follow the values, and you should urge people and enjoin them to follow them too. The truth is that Islam wants every Muslim to call for piety besides adopting and following it, for Allah says: “And from among you there should be a party who invite to good and enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong” (03:104).

Then, the Imam (a.s.) moves in this sermon to highlight the negative aspects, so he says: “You avoid everything which broke their backbone”, and the backbone here signifies the pillar on the basis of which the society is founded, as compared to the backbone that once broken will make man lose his upright posture and no longer walk the way he should, “and weakened their power” and strength, “such as malice in the heart”, where each heart holds grudge against the other, and naturally, grudge entails hatred and enmity; thus, leading to the collapse of the entire society, “hatred in the chest”, whereby chests that signify one’s internal feelings and emotions would also embody grudge and act according to it with people, “turning away (from each other's help)” whereby each would turn his back to the other and go in a different direction and take an opposing stand regardless of whatever could bring them together in this respect “and withholding the hand from one another's assistance”, whereby one would not give the other a hand especially when he is offended by people.

@AbodeofWisdom

On family relations Islam says:

From the point of view of Islam, husband is the breadwinner and guardian in the financial affairs of the family. Since the responsibility for providing the livelihood of the household and living expenses rests with him initially, therefore in matters such buying or selling of the house, carpets, clothing and household necessities, etc., the final decision and responsibility is with him.
About other affairs of matrimonial life it states:
1. He who marries must honor and pay deep respect to his wife.24

2. When a man enters his house he should make known his presence by calling out his wife’s name or greeting her tenderly.25

3. A woman (wife) who welcomes her husband warm-heartedly or sees him off to work or journey or stays with him in times of hardship has earned half the reward of a martyr that is promised by God.26

4. A good husband eats the kind of food his wife likes.27

5. The best of women is she who on going out of the house wears the armor of decency and chastity and when at home with her husband takes that armor off.28

6. Husbands should give a helping hand to their wives in the housework, like Imam Ali (the commander of the faithful) who would bring firewood or sweep the house and Fatima (a.s.) who would prepare the dough or bake bread.29

7. "A husband must never show any suspicion out of place towards his wife, because this leads a correct woman to evil and a chaste woman to deflection.”30

8. A father and a good husband on occasions, such as weekends or public celebrations should give gifts to the members of his household and give priority to girls over boys when handing out the presents.31

9. When a husband returns home from a journey he must make sure that he will arrive home at a good hour and take gifts with himself for the members of his family.32

10. How can a husband raise his hands against his wife? (Tenderness and roughness are in evident contradiction)33

11. If your wife gave birth to a girl do not be displeased for they have five advantages over boys:

• They are fonder of their parents and care of great help to their parents.
• They stay at home more often than boys and are of great help to their parents.
• Girls are fonder of their parents and lack toughness or coarseness.
• They are endowed with God’s blessings and mercy.
• They are more concerned about tidiness and show more diligence in cleanliness

12. Do not take a woman into consultation unless her wisdom and prudence is known to you.

13. “But consort with your wife in kindness and if it happens that ye hate her it may be that ye hate a thing wherein Allah hath placed much good. You do not know the mysteries of the world, even if you know some clear ones you know but little.” (Holy Quran, Al-Nisa’, 4:19)

14. "The best traits of woman are those which are the worst traits of men, namely: vanity, cowardice and miserliness. Thus, since the woman is vain she will not allow anyone access to herself; since she is miserly, she will preserve her own property and the property of her husband; and since she is weak-hearted, she will be frightened with everything that befalls her.”34

15. A father is obliged to fulfil four things binding on him for his children:

• Choose a becoming name so that his children are content with it.

• Educate his children. If all Muslims do so, illiteracy will be uprooted.

• Give them in marriage as soon as they reach the age of puberty.

• Teach them courtesy in manners and guide them for a practical life. Imam Ali (a.s.) did so by leaving a letter for his son, which is still being used by people for reference.

It may come as a surprise to some of our dear readers to state that there are more than hundred verses and traditions concerning the courtship of husband and wife in Islam.
——————————————
24. Bihar, 103/224
25. Bihar, 76/11&12
26. Wasail 14/17
27. Wasail 27/13
28. Wasail 14/15
29. Bihar vol 43/50
30. Nahjul Balagha, Letter 31.
31. Wasail 9692
32. Wasail 25220
33. Wasail 25323
34. Nahjul Balagha, Pg 618
@AbodeofWisdom

Imam Muhammad Baqir peace be with him said:

“…Does the one who claims to be of the Shia think it is enough to (simply) speak of loving us, Ahlulbayt (the Prophet’s family)?

By God, our Shia are only those who are mindful of God and obey Him. They were known…only (in light of their) modesty, humility, trustworthiness, abundant remembrance of God, fasting, prayer, honoring parents, caring for neighbors, the poor, people in need, those in debt, and orphans… (they were known for their) truthful words, the recitation of Qur’an, and holding their tongues back unless it was to speak good of people. They were the trustees (entrusted) by their peoples in (the various) affairs…”

Pg. 74, Vol. 2 of al-Kafi by Sheykh Kulayni

Do we have the right to ask about the Logic behind Islamic Laws?


Do we have the right to ask about the Logic behind Islamic Laws?

We discuss the most important topics about Islamic laws, its rules and regulations and their philosophy and most of the questions and answers are based on this.

“Why should we pray Prayers is the question every person asks himself? Why should a person go for the pilgrimage of House of Allah? Why it is forbidden to take interest in Islam? What is the philosophy for prohibiting pork? Why is polygamy allowed in Islam? Why it is prohibited to eat in gold and silver utensils? Etc.

Some learned people and scholars have discussed about these in a beautiful way. From them some have derived only one side of the question. Some think that we should not inquire about the logic behind the Islamic laws and others think the opposite of this; that it is necessary to understand the logic behind the Islamic laws.

Keeping in mind the views of these scholars, we present our views on the subject:

You may be astonished that both the groups are right. We have this right to ask and we also do not have this right. We mean that while idea of each group is not accepted, but only the special part of it is accepted.

It can be explained in this way:

From the holy Quran, Holy Prophet (a.s.) and the traditions of Holy Imams (a.s.) and from the sayings of their companions and friends we come to know that there was always a tradition of discussing the philosophy of Islamic laws among themselves and it should also be like that because they were thinking that the holy Quran was an independent and logical way and they had given the right to themselves that they should discuss the Islamic laws in a logical way and ask questions about its philosophy.

According to the principles of Islam, this introduces Allah in this way:

He is such an existence, which has infinite knowledge and wisdom and He is independent from all things and persons. All His acts are based on wisdom, whether we understand it or not. His acts never include any foolishness or meaninglessness and He has sent the Prophets for teaching, training and inviting the people towards truth and justice.

The introduction of Allah in such a way encourages us to question about the Islamic laws, their effect and their philosophy, which naturally have great influence on our life.

It is a mistake to think that the holy Quran is not about the practical law and other information; and that it only is about the roots of religion and beliefs because we see that the holy Quran after the command of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan says:

“You keep fast so that you can become pious.” [Surah Baqarah 2:183]

In this way, He wants us to know that the logic behind fasting is to remain away from sins, which can be attained through this spiritual exercise and through controlling the desires. The Quran says about the sick and travelers who are exempted from keeping the fast:

And whoever is sick or upon a journey, then (he shall fast) a (like) number of other days; Allah desires ease for you, and He does not desire for you difficulty… [Surah Baqarah 2:185]

And Allah does not want hardships and mistakes; this is the philosophy behind it.

The Quran prohibits gambling and wine and says about them:

The Shaitan only desires to cause enmity and hatred to spring in your midst by means of intoxicants and games of chance, and to keep you off from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. Will you then desist? (Surah al-Ma’idah 5:91)

The Quran says about the strange women by not looking at them:

Say to the believing men that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts; that is purer for them; surely, Allah is Aware of what they do. (Surah al-Nur 24:30)

@AbodeofWisdom

This deed is good for their chastity. And it says about the prohibition of entering of the infidels in the mosque of Makkah that:

O you who believe! The idolaters are nothing but unclean, so they shall not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year… [Surah Tauba 9:28]

The infidels are impure and that is why they are not allowed to enter the holy mosque.

The Quran says about the public property and its one part should be spent on the poor people that:

Whatever Allah has restored to His Apostle from the people of the towns, it is for Allah and for the Apostle, and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, so that it may not be a thing taken by turns among the rich of you… [Surah Hashr 59:7]

Allah has reserved this wealth for the Prophet (a.s.) and general expenses so that the wealth may not be limited between the rich and wealthy people and that the common people may not remain poor.

And in this way many philosophies of the Islamic laws are explained, to mention all of which would lengthen the book unduly.

We also get such examples from the traditions of the Holy Prophet (a.s.) and Imams (a.s.). The Imams (a.s.) themselves explained the philosophies of the Islamic laws or replied when asked by their companions. The great scholar Shaykh al-Saduq (a.r.) has written a famous book, Ilal al-Shara’i, as the name itself shows the book is the collection of such traditions.

Therefore, when we see that the glorious Quran itself and the Islamic leaders on many occasions have explained the logic behind Islamic laws, it is a proof that they have given us the right to discuss about it. If the situation were opposite, they would have prevented us from contemplation and research in the Islamic laws.

From whatever is said above, we conclude that it is allowed to do research and find the reasons behind Islamic laws.

And in this way the style and explanation of the Holy Prophet (a.s.) and the Holy Imams (a.s.) has given us the right to know the secrets of Islamic laws.

It is wrong to think that by explaining the philosophies of Islamic laws their importance and value is decreased, but in fact explanation of these things satisfies intellect and reason of a person and then he applies laws in his practical life, which makes his life more dynamic. And in this way a person does not follow the Islamic law in a dry way but acts on the laws of Islam with great fervor. This was one side of the question.

The other is that, as the time goes no matter how much our knowledge increases, it shall always be limited. We cannot come to know everything. If man had known all the things of the world, then the caravan of knowledge and research would have been stopped.

Rather the things, which we do not know are like a huge sea and the things, which we know are just like a __drop, or the things, which we know are like one line from a big book. And to know the things, which we do not know, we will require a professor from the other world, then also we will not be able to understand them. In the same way if the people who lived a thousand years ago were taught the scientific knowledge of this age so they would not have been able to understand. They would not have been able to reach the depth through their own thinking and intelligence.

We all know that the source of heavenly wisdom is from the infinite knowledge of the Almighty Allah. He is such a source that He is aware of the whole universe. For Him words like past, future, absent, present have no meaning; rather He is all knowing and aware of everything.

@AbodeofWisdom

How to grow and develop, according to master of believers Imam Ali (عليه الصلاة والسلام)

Translated by: Manal Samhat

By Religious Authority, Ayatollah Sayyed Mohammad Husain Fadlullah (رضوان الله تعالي عليه)

Imam Ali (a.s.) has talked a lot about fanaticism and its destructive impacts on individuals and groups alike, and he mentioned many things that are capable of immunizing people against this repugnant immoral disease and attaching them to the human values, which, if they abide to, will make them ascend, progress, grow and open up to the positions of strength in the world.

The role of cognitive experience

As we go through this issue, we notice that Imam Ali (a.s.) calls on us to study the history of the nations in all their points of weakness and strength determined according to their negative experiences that were harmful to their situations or the positive experiences that elevated their level. The Imam (a.s.) actually wants the people to study the thought, any thought, in its theoretical and practical framework and to examine its influences on the ground, when experienced, for experience, scientifically speaking, proves what the thought truly is. A negative experience of a negative thought will prove that if such a thought is applied in reality, it will lead to negative results in man’s life, while a positive experience that is based on a positive thought will definitely prove how realistic this thought is and confirm its positive effects on man’s life.

And we know that cognition and knowledge in Islam are based on two aspects:

1- The aspect of contemplation, that is when an idea is brought up and man tries to use his mind to contemplate its elements and determine how realistic it can be, and this is the approach of the philosophers throughout history.

2- The aspect of experience, whereby Islam came to base knowledge on experience. It is narrated that Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “Experience is a created mind”.

Experience, through its dynamism and extensions, represents the mental knowledge practiced on the ground, and it is narrated in a Hadith by Imam Ali (a.s.), in which he calls on people to benefit from experience, that he said: “The best of what you experienced is what gives you advice”.

Experience extends on two lines:

The first line is the experience you acquire from your personal practices, for you go through bitterness and sweetness, repulsiveness and pleasantness and goodness and evilness to unravel from within these traits the good and bad elements they entail, which determines the nature of what you went through whether positively or negatively.

The second line is the others’ experiences, whereby history, throughout time, shows you the experiences of others in the private and public lives. On the one hand, there are those who confronted the prophets, rebelled against them, stood against their movement in society and stirred conflicts, disagreements and seditions that are based on negative values, spearheaded by fanaticism. On the other hand, there are those who sided with them and demonstrated unity, amiability, harmony, accord and integration, values that if any nation upholds will be undertaking the line that leads to goodness and peace and lays the foundation for civilization, which could lead to development in knowledge and science and progress in the movement of openness, awareness and so on.

Lessons from past experiences

We know this from the Quranic revelation that talked about stories from the past about people who opposed the prophets and persecuted them and others who believed in them and helped them, whereby Allah mentioned the bad and good results of each action. This is evident in Allah’s saying: “In their histories there is certainly a lesson for men of understanding” (12:111), and the lesson here stands for the knowledge man acquires from experience after studying its nature and results.

@AbodeofWisdom

Call each other to unity

In his sermon, Imam Ali (a.s.) continues to say: “calling each other to it and advising each other about it”, for it is not enough just not to disperse or just to unite. Rather, each one of you should carry the message of rejecting division and calling for unity, for it is necessary to urge people to maintain unity and to call one another to adopt it. This is what Allah wanted us to do and this is what He made clear in Al-Asr Surah: “and enjoin on each other right, and enjoin on each other patience” (103:03). It is not enough to believe in the right; you should call for it too, and the right is all what elevates people’s level to bring them closer to Allah and closer to their [best] interests.

Therefore, through the significations of these connotations, you ought to open up to all the values, for it is insufficient to follow the values, and you should urge people and enjoin them to follow them too. The truth is that Islam wants every Muslim to call for piety besides adopting and following it, for Allah says: “And from among you there should be a party who invite to good and enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong” (03:104).

Then, the Imam (a.s.) moves in this sermon to highlight the negative aspects, so he says: “You avoid everything which broke their backbone”, and the backbone here signifies the pillar on the basis of which the society is founded, as compared to the backbone that once broken will make man lose his upright posture and no longer walk the way he should, “and weakened their power” and strength, “such as malice in the heart”, where each heart holds grudge against the other, and naturally, grudge entails hatred and enmity; thus, leading to the collapse of the entire society, “hatred in the chest”, whereby chests that signify one’s internal feelings and emotions would also embody grudge and act according to it with people, “turning away (from each other's help)” whereby each would turn his back to the other and go in a different direction and take an opposing stand regardless of whatever could bring them together in this respect “and withholding the hand from one another's assistance”, whereby one would not give the other a hand especially when he is offended by people.

@AbodeofWisdom

The history of Ashoura:

We remember Ashoura to live the circumstances of this occasion - on which hundreds of years have passed but still beats with spiritual meanings. When we remember the figures of Ashoura, we feel that each and every personality is a spirit by itself, one that flies and ascends above and transforms the body to a spiritual beat, joining between the intellect and the emotions and between the matter and the spirit.

Therefore, we look at Ashoura based on the spiritual values and the movement whose leaders and faithful masses are open to righteousness, instead of viewing it as a tragedy. It is a movement that has two open eyes looking at the nation and the world, and staring at the Islamic and humanitarian march as a whole.

Even when we discuss Ashoura in terms of the Imamate, we do not mean to give it a sectarian aspect, but it rather gives it a spiritual framework that is open to mankind and Islam as a whole.

From Ashoura, we enrich ourselves with its various dimensions and meanings. Our problem is that we gave Ashoura sectarian meanings and locked it in the prison of our creeds and backwardness and customs which lack any cause, because we did not see the cause Al-Husein peace be with him represents, but the person who is filled with wounds, the one who experienced thirst and the tragedy of his sons and relatives.

We looked at Al-Husein peace be with him as the person, not the mission and the cause. So we abandoned the mission and did not find Al-Husein peace be with him and we will never find him if he does not represent to us a mission, freedom, glory, dignity and an entity that represents mankind and Islam. This is the real essence of Ashoura.

But we limited the Karbala (tragic) character to the extent that our tears have become cold. Only those who consider the freedom, resistance, opposition, and challenge shed warm tears when they think of the tragedy.

The issue of Ashoura through the slogans raised by Imam Al-Husein peace be with him is a humanitarian issue. Imam Al-Husein peace be with him used to look at the human being, go into his inner feelings and concerns about his humanity from those who crush the human character of the people. What did he say when he described the rulers of Bani Umayah? He said: "They took the money of Allah as theirs, and regarded His people as their slaves." He is saying that the public money which organizes the people's lives is the money that belongs to God: "And give them of the wealth of Allah which He has given you." (24:33). This money should be spent in what pleases God, and in order for the people to live in dignity and glory. But this money became the money of the prince and his entourage. In our times, the money of the nation, particularly the oil, has become the money of a certain family and a certain king and sultan and those who kiss the feet of the sultan.

Many of those who talk about the nation and Islam glorify these kings and families. They actually worship the family and its head, and then they talk to you about the belief in one God, and then hold other people as infidels through some jurisprudences, but they worship those who have money: "They took the money of Allah for themselves and enslaved His people."

The contemporary pledge and the historical pledge

During Al-Hurra battle, we saw that Yazid asked his Wali who triumphed over the people of Al-Madina to ask for their pledge in their capacity as slaves for Yazid. They used to enslave the people by the power of money and sword. If we look at history books, we see that when the pledge was obtained for Yazid, a man who has a sword in one hand, and money in the other hand, said: Who gives the pledge to Yazid will get the money, and who doesn't will get this sword. After that, Yazid was the "Commander of the Faithful."

Today, we are witnessing a contemporary kind of the pledge, one that rests on money. For example, people gave their pledge to President George Bush and today they are giving the pledge to the European Union and many Arab figures, for various considerations and ambitions.

A thoughtful comment on this 👆talk

“It never ceases to amaze me how the American society (with crumbling infrastructure, healthcare system, education system, and severe climate issues) is okay with donating such amount of money to a country with free healthcare and free universities.

Meanwhile in Iran, donating some oil to the poor people of Lebanon leads to turmoil.”

@AbodeofWisdom