Unity Week Special (4)

These days most Muslims all over the world are marking the Islamic Unity Week on the occasion of the blessed birth anniversary of the Messenger of Mercy, Prophet Mohammad (Blessings of God upon him and his progeny).

According to Sunni Muslims, on the basis of the narrations of the Sahaba, he was born on the 12th of Rabi’ul Awwal, while Shi’a Muslims who regard the accounts of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt or Impeccable Household as more reliable, he was born on the 17th of this month. Forty years ago, in order to bridge this 5-day gap and to bring the Islamic Ummah on the platform of solidarity, the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA) took the dynamic initiative of declaring the Prophet’s birthday as Islamic Unity Week.

We use this opportunity to study in brief some of the merits of Allah’s Best-Ever Creation. The following is the 4th episode of this series.

 “We have not sent you but as Mercy unto to the creation”. This is how God Almighty has introduced in Ayah 107 of Surah Anbiya of the holy Qur’an, his Last and Greatest Messenger, Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). As it has been clearly mentioned in the books of Hadith and history, the Prophet of Islam was the only Messenger of God who never cursed the people who tormented him. This was in contrast to the prophets of the past, who fed up with the persecution at the hands of the tyrants and the misled masses, who heaped all sorts of problems upon them and even murdered them, had no choice but to invoke the wrath of God upon them. But the Prophet of Islam never did such a thing, although as he himself said no prophet had been tormented as much as he was, including the plot to murder him in Mecca by conspirators who included his own misled uncle, Abu Lahab.

The plot miserably failed as the Prophet safely migrated to Medina, thanks to the courage of his young cousin Imam Ali (AS), who volunteered to sleep on the Prophet’s bed so that the infidels hovering around the abode of Divine Revelation would think their intended victim was still there, and in the morning he could be easily murdered.

History bears witness that the Prophets of God have always been the target of sedition by the followers of Satan intending who intended to distort the divine mission. This trend continues today and will persist till the re-emergence of the Prophet of Islam’s 12th and Last Infallible Heir, the Saviour of mankind Imam Mahdi (AS) who will cleanse the Planet of all traces of corruption and oppression by establishing the global government of peace, prosperity and justice. The ringleaders of today’s devilish trends are the illegal Zionist entity called Israel and the US, which is indeed the Great Satan of our times.

The western corporate media is playing the role of the horn of Satan through its campaign of Islamophobe and intense targeting of the Islamic Republic of Iran, because of being the centre of the Islamic movement. Zionism and imperialism, in league with Arab reactionaries who are following the ways of the pre-Islamic Arab Jahiliyya, are trying to depict virtuous Muslims as terrorists, when in fact they themselves are the chief culprits and breeders and funders of macabrely murderous terrorist outfits, such as Daesh and other takfiri groups. who do not tolerate followers of other creeds.

It has now become obvious to people all over the world that the Daesh and other takfiri terrorist outfits have no connection to Islam and the teachings of Prophet, in view of their devilish behaviour, and their being trained by the US and the Zionists, with funds from the oil rich Arab reactionary regimes, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Islamic unity and solidarity among all Muslims is the only way to confront such seditious plots. The Ummah needs to stress the fundamental commonalities of all Islamic schools of jurisprudence in order to thwart the plots of enemies. Once unity is materialized among Muslims there will be no chance for the enemies to spread takfiri and terroristic ideology. That’s why God advises us in ayah 46 of surah Anfaal of the Qur’an:

“And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute, or you will lose heart and your power will be gone. And be patient; indeed Allah is with the patient.”

As a matter of fact, quarreling about petty differences weakens Muslims and will make them easy targets for enemies. We should realize that we are one single monolithic Ummah despite the superficial differences of ethnicity, features, colour of skin, cultures, and languages spoken. This is indeed university in diversity as preached by the Prophet whose prominent companions included Salman the Iranian, Bilal the black skinned African, and Sohaib, the Roman.

In ayah 92 of surah Anbiya God stresses that the Islamic Ummah is the One and United Ummah and He is their Lord so they should worship Him. “Indeed this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord. So worship Me.”

A brief look at the history of Islam shows that the Prophet took practical measures to bolster unity amongst Muslims. He made the Muhajerin (or the migrants from Mecca) and Ansar (or the helpers of Medina) brothers to one another so they overcome the animosities of the days of ignorance. Thus, in view of the Prophet’s dynamic guidelines, Muslims today should take practical steps to remove the causes of discord and spare no efforts to portray to the whole world the monolithic image of the Islamic Ummah.

Therefore, the Unity Week is the symbol of convergence around the peerless personality of Prophet Mohammad (blessings of God upon him and his progeny). He was the symbol of mercy and affection, and the greatest opponent of the arrogant oppressors. Muslims should follow him as the best role model for dealing kindly with all people of the world and standing firmly against the enemies of humanity.  

Deal of Century doomed to failure against efforts, faith of Resistance front: Leader

TEHRAN - Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, in a message to the great congregation of pilgrims to this year’s edition of Hajj rituals, called upon Muslims to take advantage of the event to promote awareness against the harms of the so-called Deal of the Century for Palestinians.

“The ploy of Deal of the Century prepared by the oppressive US, and its treasonous cohorts, is a crime against human society, and not just the Palestinian nation,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, in his message released on Saturday, on the advent of the start of the Hajj rituals of this year.

“We are inviting everyone to actively participate in overcoming this deception by the enemy, and with the power and help of God, we consider this and all other ruses by the arrogant front doomed to failure against the efforts, and faith of the Resistance front,” the Leader underlined.

“Today, one of the most important issues of the Muslim world is Palestine, which is at the top of Muslims’ political issues, regardless of their school of thought, race, and language,” he stressed.

“The greatest injustice in recent history has happened in Palestine. In this painful affair, all that a nation had—their land, homes, farms, belongings, dignity, and identity—was confiscated. With God’s assistance, this nation has not surrendered to defeat, and has not given up, and today, they are on the battlefields more enthusiastic, and braver than yesterday. But the ultimate outcome requires assistance from all Muslims,” Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted.

Last month, Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that remarks by Hezbollah Chief Seyed Hassan Nasrallah about saying prayers at Beit al-Muqaddas is a completely achievable goal.

"That Mr. Seyed Hassan Nasrallah says 'I will pray at Masjid al-Aqsa (Al-Aqsa mosque), God willing,' is an absolutely practical and achievable aspiration for us. If we all act upon our duties, the divine promise will definitely come true," Ayatollah Khamenei said in a meeting with a Palestinian delegation headed by Saleh al-Arouri, the Deputy Chairman of the politburo of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Tehran on July 22.

"The victory of the people of Palestine and the return of this holy land to the World of Islam is not a strange and unattainable matter. 40 years ago no one could believe that in Iran — which was the center of US's influence and aspirations — a religious government would emerge and the Israeli embassy in Tehran turn into Palestine’s embassy," he added.

Here is the full text of Ayatollah Khamenei's Hajj 

message:

In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace be upon his exalted, trustworthy messenger, Muhammad the last of the prophets, and his pure progeny, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth, and on his chosen companions and those who faithfully followed them, until the day of judgment.

Every year, the time of Hajj is the resort for the Islamic Ummah where they receive the Lord’s mercy. Quran’s call of “And proclaim Hajj among men” [Quran 22:27] is a call to everyone throughout history to come to this distribution of mercy, so that their God-seeking hearts and souls, and their thoughts and views benefit from its blessings; and every year, the lessons and teachings of Hajj propagate throughout the Muslim world by congregations of people.

The Hajj presents a miniature scale of a set of fundamental pillars of the Islamic society by placing the elixir of Dhikr and servitude—which is the main element for the cultivation, progress, and growth of individuals and the society— next to congregation and unity, which are the symbols of the unified Ummah; the movement around a unique center, and on the path towards a common goal—which are the keys to the endeavor and livelihood of the Ummah based on monotheism—;and through harmony among every Hajj pilgrim, where there is no distinction—which is the sign of removing discrimination and providing everyone with the same opportunity. Every one of the rituals of Hajj including Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i, wuquf, ramy, movement and repose, is a symbolic reminder of a part of the picture presented by Islam of its ideal society.

Exchange of knowledge and assets between people of different countries and places far apart, and spreading awareness and experience, asking for the news of one another, removing barriers of misunderstanding, bringing the hearts closer, and storing strength to confront common enemies are the vital and magnificent outcomes of Hajj, which otherwise would not be achieved through hundreds of the usual and typical gatherings.

The ritual of Bara’ah which means refusing every instance of mercilessness, cruelty, wrongdoing and corruption of the tyrants of any time, and rising against intimidation and extortion by the arrogant throughout history, is one of the great blessings of Hajj, and an opportunity for oppressed Muslim nations. Today, repudiating the front of shirk [polytheism] and kufr [disbelief] made up of the arrogant powers—the foremost of them being the U.S.—equals refusing the killing of the oppressed, and waging wars. It equals condemning the sources of terrorism, including ISIS and the American Black Water. It is the Islamic Ummah’s shout at the child killers of the Zionist regime, and their backers and cohorts. It is a condemnation of the United States and their associates’ warmongering, in the sensitive regions of West Asia and North Africa, who have pushed the nations’ pain and suffering beyond limits and who impose on them new catastrophes every day. It means refusing racism, and discrimination based on geography, race, and color of skin. It means detesting the arrogant and vicious behavior of aggressive and seditious powers against dignified, noble and just behavior recommended to everyone by Islam.

These are some of the benedictions of the Abrahamic Hajj that the pure Islam calls us to. And this is the incarnation of an important part of the ideals of the Islamic society that every year, through every one of the participating Muslims, and directed by Hajj, puts on a grand and rich spectacle, calling everyone through a clear language, to try to create such a society.

The elite of the Muslim world, some of whom are now present at Hajj from different countries, have a crucial and important duty. These lessons must be transferred to all nations and the public through their efforts and ingenuity, and moral exchange of ideas, motivations, experience, and knowledge must be realized by them.

Today, one of the most important issues of the Muslim world is Palestine, which is at the top of Muslims’ political issues, regardless of their school of thought, race, and language. The greatest injustice in recent history has happened in Palestine. In this painful affair, all that a nation had—their land, homes, farms, belongings, dignity, and identity—was confiscated. With God’s assistance, this nation has not surrendered to defeat and has not given up, and today, they are on the battlefields more enthusiastic, and braver than yesterday. But the ultimate outcome requires assistance from all Muslims. The stratagem of the ‘Deal of the Century’ prepared by the oppressive U.S., and its treasonous cohorts, is a crime against the society of humankind, and not just the Palestinian nation. We are inviting everyone to active participation in overcoming this stratagem by the enemy, and with the power and help of God, we consider this and every other ruse by the Arrogant Front doomed to failure against the efforts, and faith of the Resistance Front.

Almighty Allah said: “Or do they intend a plot? But those who defy Allah are themselves involved in a Plot!” [Quran 52:42]. True is what Almighty Allah said. I supplicate Almighty God for success, blessing, comfort, and acceptance of prayers for every one of you respected pilgrims.

Sayyed Ali Khamenei

 August 6th, 2019 (Dhu'l-Hijjah 3rd, 1440)

Teacher Day, in memory of Ayatollah Motahhari

Ordibehesht 12 in the Iranian calendar (corresponding with May 2), is the martyrdom anniversary of the great scholar, Morteza Motahhari, who led a life of inexhaustible effort to guide the people, especially the youth, through debates, speeches, books and behavior. He was a real teacher.

Appreciation of teacher is appreciation of the gardener who takes care of blossoms till they bud into flowers and then fructify. According to the Prophet of Islam: "Scholars on the earth are like the stars in the sky. In the dark of the land and the sea, the right way will be found through them; and when they set, so many a guided person will go astray."

We commemorate Teacher Day and present you an article on the status of teacher and the thoughts of martyr Ayatollah Motahhari.

Knowledge increases the human value and rationality, and a teacher is a means for learning, so he has a great right over students while being seriously responsible before these trusts of God. He preserves divine trusts from corruption and deviation, and tries to set the ground for their growth and perfection. The holy Prophet said: "Verily, God and the angels and the inhabitants of the earth, even the ant in its hole and the fish in sea, greet the ones who teach goodness to people." He advised the disciples to respect their teachers and observe their rights.

The Prophet said three times, "O God, have mercy upon my successors." He was asked, "Who are your successors?" He answered, "Those who convey my hadith and practice to all and then teach it to my Ummah."

The most fundamental feature of a teacher is his effort to make real humans. The noble Quran describes the Prophet of Islam as the great teacher of human history, saying that the Prophet "is distressed by the losses you sustain, who is ardently desirous of your welfare and is tender and merciful to those that believe." The intense love and desire for guiding humans is very good for a teacher, and no teacher can be successful without this love. In fact, it is the driving engine for training the students that are apt and ready to learn.

Teaching is an art and a teacher is an artist. Knowledge, contemplation and creativity are the characteristics of a teacher that go along with the science of the day. A successful teacher is the one who keeps updating his awareness of the daily advancement in science and tries to apply them in class. He/she should be like a spring or a river that is not stagnant.

Because of the spiritual impact of teachers, students are highly affected by them so that they may even change the fate of their nation. Most people owe their success to their teachers. On the other hand, many failures may originate in the teachings and behavior of teachers. Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari, recalling the memories of one of his great teachers, called Haj Mirza Ali Aqa Shirazi would say, "He was a great man. For the first time, he made me familiar with Nahj al-Balaghah. I always consider him as one of the most valuable reserves in my life. I don't like to exchange him for anything, and not a single night or day passes except that his memory flashes in my mind and I remember him and utter his name."

The Islamic Revolution is indebted to the intellectual and cultural endeavors of prominent Muslim thinkers and scholars. Martyr Motahhari was one of the most prominent intellectual and cultural figures of modern time. With a very high command of Islamic teachings, he met myriads of the needs of the present generation. Having novel ideas, creative thoughts, and proper understanding of Islam, Ayatollah Motahhari played an important role in the enlightenment of enthusiasts, especially teachers and academics. He left behind valuable works that fulfilled the needs of millions of eager souls both in Iran and abroad as many of his work have been translated into a number of languages. This great Muslim scholar was very thoughtful of the needs of the time and looked for the topics of interest and need of the young generation to provide due answers to the intellectual and ideological ambiguities of them.

Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari was born in a religious family in 1919 in Fariman, 75 km away from the holy city of Mashhad. In his childhood, he went to school and began learning elementary lessons. At the age of twelve, he attended the theological school of Mashhad and began studying the foundations of Islamic sciences. In 1937, during the hostility of Reza Khan against religion and religious people, despite the opposition of his friends and relatives, he went to the Qom Seminary to complete his education. During his 15-year stay in Qom, Martyr Motahhari highly benefited from classes of Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi, Imam Khomeini and Allameh Seyyed Mohammad Hussein Tabatabai. In 1952 he migrated to Tehran and very soon catapulted to fame as the top scholar and master of various Islamic sciences. He taught at Marvi Seminary in Tehran and was engaged in writing books and delivering speeches. In 1955, the first session of interpretation of the Qur'an was held by him at the Islamic Students' Association.

Martyr Ayatollah Motahhari was one of the main axes of coordination among ulema and university professors during the exile of Imam Khomeini (God's mercy upon him). He strongly believed in the ability of Islam to administer the society. Hence, he outlined the views of the Islamic Revolution and clarified its various dimensions for every stratum even the laymen. In a climate where a variety of advocates were promoting their ideologies to deviate people, especially the young generation and academics, Ayatollah Motahhari traced the footsteps of Imam Khomeini to defend the genuine teachings of Islam which had been manifested in the form of the Islamic Revolution.

Ayatollah Motahhari has always been regarded as a very knowledgeable expert of Islam and a powerful philosopher who was aware of the conditions of time. He confronted the ideological deviations, insofar as he sacrificed his life for his ideal. Imam Khomeini, lamenting the martyrdom of this bright scholar, stated in his message, "I have lost a very dear child and I am mourning for him as was one of the characters that was the fruit of my life. Dear Islam has sustained a fracture, due to the martyrdom of this erudite child and eternal scholar, that nothing can fill its place." 

Considering the deep impact of Martyr Motahhari's ideas on the Islamic society, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei, said that for flourishing and advancement of society, intellectual work should be done on his thoughts and works. Enthusiasts should extract Martyr Motahhari's thoughts and opinions in different fields.

The Leader says, "Of course, the works of this great scholar are alive, like his memory. Martyr Motahhari's books are not terminable. No one should think that we are repeating the books of Martyr Motahhari after the revolution as we have kept republishing them. There is no repetition in true words and in the words of wisdom. The society and the younger generation and our cultural and scientific community still need to know the things that the great scholar has written and put at the disposal of Islamic Ummah."  

Imam Khomeini changed the world for the better: German activist

By Mohammad Homaeefar

TEHRAN – Imam Khomeini not only changed the Muslim world, but he also changed the entire world for the better through his movement, says Jurgen Grassmann, a Shia German peace activist based in Berlin.

Grassmann made the remarks in an interview with the Tehran Times on the sidelines of the 32nd International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran on Sunday. 

“Imam Khomeini woke up the Islamic Ummah, not just the Shia Muslims, but even the Sunni Muslims,” said Grassmann, who had attend the conference in Tehran.

He said despite more than a thousand years of Islamic distortion through Wahhabism and other dogmatic ways, Imam Khomeini made Islam the right way.

“He established velayat-e faqih (rule of the supreme jurisprudent) and that’s why Iran is the only Islamic country in the world,” he remarked.

The peace activist said he is very proud of the Islamic Republic of Iran because of its Islamic nature.

The Islamic Republic is also a truly democratic country whose regional and international policies are commendable, he added.

Grassmann also said he regularly visits Iran to attend similar events and has developed a special liking for the Islamic Republic because of velayat-e faqih. “Without velayat I will never come to Iran again.” 

“Velayat is the only path in this world that I can follow deeply,” he said, describing velayat-e faqih as the most important point in the Islamic world.

He went on to express his admiration for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, and highlighted his important role as the true leader of the Islamic Ummah.

Following Ayatollah Khamenei should be the first priority for all Muslims, Grassmann suggested.

Asked about his take on the first day of the conference, he said President Hassan Rouhani’s speech was the best and also the most important one made in the conference.

“Mr. Rouhani tried his best and although I am not a follower of him, I should say that he made the best speech at the conference,” he stated.

He further praised the event for gathering lots of people from around the world, but added that the number of participants is not that important. Instead, he said, such a conference should focus on attracting a much more diverse crowd.

On the most significant problems that the Muslim world is facing today, Grassmann hinted at the destructive policies of the Zionist regime, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, calling on all Muslims to spare no efforts to free Mecca, Medina and Palestine, which he described as the three key places for Muslims.

“The Zionists work and plan for the future. I’m sure they know that Saudi Arabia will not exist so long, because they (the Saudis) are too stupid. And that’s why we should liberate Mecca, Medina and Palestine, since they belong to us,” he said.

He added that the Saudi rulers are just a family of gangsters and non-believers, who have created their own nonsensical version of Islam in Saudi Arabia.

“Who created terrorism?” he asked rhetorically in response to a question about the threat of terrorism. “Everybody knows; terrorism is built one hundred percent by America, Israel and Saudi Arabia,” he explained.

Pointing to the future of the Islamic world, the German activist said young people need to take the wheel and build a better future through a revolutionary mindset.

“For me, Islam has to be revolutionary, especially in this era,” he concluded.

Iran Confident of Islamic Ummah’s Victory Over Unholy Alliances

By: S. Nawabzadeh

The sanctities of Islam, irrespective of their geographical location and in whichever of the spurious time-bound political entities they may be situated at the moment, belong to the whole Ummah, which means the regimes that have usurped control over them, have no right either to desecrate these sites or place restrictions on the entry of Muslims into their sacred precincts. This was the gist of yesterday’s memorable message of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution on the threshold of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, concerning the three most sacred cities, that is, Mecca and Medina in Hijaz and Bayt al-Moqaddas in Palestine. Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei minced no words when he said in a clear tone: "The Masjid al-Haraam in Mecca that encloses the holy Ka’ba, the Qibla (focal point) of the daily five-times-a-day ritual prayers of Muslims all over the world, belongs to all Muslims, and so does Medina – the holy city housing the blessed shrine of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) – and not to those who dominate the land where these most sacred Islamic sites are situated… Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia creates problems for the Hajj pilgrims and prevents some Hajj rituals from being performed.”

He also said in the most unambiguous words regarding the quixotic US president, Donald Trump’s devilish plot to Judaize most of the Zionist usurped land of Palestine: "The Americans call their satanic policy on Palestine ‘the deal of the century’ but to their dismay, by Divine Grace, this will never materialize, and the city of Bayt al-Moqaddas, the first Qibla of Muslims, will forever be for Muslims and will always remain the centre of Palestine.” It is an undeniable fact that in 1925, with Britain’s backing, the desert brigand of Najd, Abdul-Aziz Aal-e Saud – a salaried servant of the British crown who had earlier occupied the eastern Persian Gulf coast of Arabia – seized the Land of Revelation Hijaz by shedding torrents of Muslim blood in the sacred precincts of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, the Red Sea port of Jeddah and the Shi’a Muslim-majority mountain resort of Ta’ef. As a reward for his blasphemous crimes against Islam and Muslims, the spurious entity called Saudi Arabia was created in 1932 for him by Britain, which sixteen years later in 1948 planted in Palestine the illegal Zionist entity called Israel – having illegally settled between the Two World Wars tens of thousands of east European Khazar Jews in this Muslim land. The plot was to keep under perpetual colonial control the holiest sites of Islam, and thus, with the setting of the sun on the British Empire, London handed over both Arabia and Palestine to its imperialist heirs, the Americans.

For those still in doubt about the Jewish origin of the Saudi clan, the divisions and destabilization caused in the Muslim world by the heretical Wahhabis, mostly through their creation of Takfiri terrorist outfits, and their open dalliance now with their Zionist cousins against the interests of Palestinians and the rest of the Ummah, ought to be sufficient proof of the devilish designs of the archenemies of Islam. The Leader of the Islamic Revolution in his Monday’s speech stressed Muslim unity for restoration of the dignity of the Ummah by pointing out that the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca is ample proof of the fact that there is no separation between religion and politics in Islam, or for that matter between the transient world and afterlife, as well as between spirituality and materialism. He cautioned the regime in Riyadh against meddling with the Hajj rituals and called for serious probe of the trampling to death in 2015 in the inviolable land of Mena of over 2,000 pilgrims including some 500 Iranians. Ayatollah Khamenei expressed regret: "Unfortunately, some Muslim states, due to their lack of belief in the essence of Islam – let alone the Palestinian cause – have turned into servants for the US and sacrifice themselves for the sake of the US. They will gain no benefits. By God’s grace, the Palestinian nation will gain victory over the enemies. The day will dawn when the Zionist entity is obliterated.” The Islamic Republic with its principled policies on Islamic affairs, as well as national, regional and international issues that include end of American hegemony throughout the region and a referendum under UN supervision to resolve once and for all the chronic question of the Zionist-usurped land of Palestine, has been target of the most intricate plots of the US, which following forty years of failure, has teamed up with the Zionist devils and the rootless, repressive, unrepresentative, reactionary Arab regimes, to try to browbeat Iran into submission.

With trust in God, with faith in its dedicated Muslims masses whose spectacular progress in all fields enables them to defend the interests of people throughout the neighbourhood, and with firm belief in the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (AS) for establishment of the global government of peace, prosperity and justice, Iran is confident of its grand victory over the Great Satan, the liberation of Palestine, and the rebuilding of the holy shrines in Hijaz – the Land of Revelation where only Islamic laws will prevail and not any heretical tendencies.