• Statements
• 23 Thil Hijja 1431

Imam Ali (a.s.) Foundation in London guidance for orators and mubaligheen on the advent of the month of Muharram and the painful tragedy of Al-Taf (Karbala)

Under the banner of Imam Ja’far ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq’s (a.s) saying:
"Revive our events, God bless those who revive our events”

Imam Ali (a.s) Foundation in London presents the following guidance for orators and mubaligheen on the advent of the month of Muharram and the painful tragedy of Al-Taf (Karbala):

In The Name of Allah The Compassionate The Merciful

All praise is due to Allah Lord of the worlds and peace and blessing be upon Muhammad and his pure household.

Allah Almighty says in the holy Qur’an:

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ - فصلت : 33
And who is better in speech than he who invites (men) to come to Allâh and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims." -Spelled Out: 33

We are approaching the months of Muharram and Safar, two of the most significant months on the Islamic calendar for their important religious commemorations. The demise of the Umma’s prophet, guide and saviour (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him and his family). The martyrdom of his grandson, Al-Hussain ibn Ali (a.s), the reviver and restorer of his grandfather’s Sharia’. He continued on from his grandfather to protect Sharia’ from danger and extinction. He was as determined and concerned as his grandfather, until Sharia’ conceded he was its protector and he never died and disappeared. Therefore confirming the Messenger’s prophecy when he said: “Hussain is of me and I am of Hussain”

Majalis are convened and orators spread far and wide, during this period - for Tabligh. Speakers give talks.

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ
And who is better in speech than he who invites (men) to come to Allâh.. - Spelled out: 33

So, what is this invitation to Allah?
It is an invitation to that which Allah has designated for a human being’s life..

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اسْتَجِيبُواْ لِلّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُم لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ .. - الانفال24
O you who believe! Answer Allâh (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life.. (The Spoils of War: 24 )

It is an invitation to Islam, to adhere to its teachings and tenets firmly and to correct the Umma’s path when it strays. Thus was the aim of Al- Hussain (a.s) in his uprising - describing it clearly in his sermons and declarations on the day of A’shura when he said:

ألا ترون الى الحق لايعمل به والى الباطل لايتناهى عنه ؟
“Do you not see that justice is not being upheld and injustice is not being forbidden?”
إنما خرجت لطلب الإصلاح في أمة جدي محمد (ص), أريد أن آمر بالمعروف وانهى عن المنكر
“I only came seeking reform in the nation of my grandfather Muhammad (s.a.w.w,) I mean to enjoin good and forbid evil”
من رأى منكم سلطاناً جائراً, مستحلاً لحرام الله, فلم ييغير عليه بفعل ولابقول, كان على الله يدخله مدخله..
"If you see a unfair ruler who legitimises what Allah has forbidden, and who does not heed to an effort or word to the contrary, then he deserves where Allah shall place him [hell’s fire]"

Therefore, the honourable orators and mubaligheen need to reveal the secrets of the Hussaini uprising in this era where evil is superseding good and injustice is being confused with justice. Lying has become a virtue and truth impiety; leading people out the path of Islam towards perversity of thought, ideology and behaviour - a result of their spirit being fed with worldly pleasures - selling their eternal-life for this transient world, repudiating the tenets and principles (of Islam) and the fundamentals of religion. Religion has become a phrase on their tongues – uttered whenever their sustenance necessitates.

Our duty today is to refute these misconceptions and fallacies with verses from the holy Quran and Ahadith (narrations) of Ahlul-Bayt (a.s) so as to cultivate friendship and love in the heart of the listener – making it the aim of the lectures and talks. Otherwise the enemy would be allowed to betray everyone, which the holy Quran has forbidden us to do:

... وَلاَ تَنَازَعُواْ فَتَفْشَلُواْ وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ .. - الانفال : 46
..and do not dispute (with one another) lest you lose courage and your strength depart, (The Spoils of War: 46)
وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ وَاذْكُرُواْ نِعْمَةَ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاء فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا - آل عمران: 103
And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allâh (i.e. this Qur'ân), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allâh's Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islâmic Faith), (Al-Imran: 103)

We trust that all advocates of Islam to enjoy the highest level of sincerity. Practicing what they preach (the teacher must first teach himself) and not be among those referred to by Allah in the Quran as:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ - الصف:2
O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? (Battle Array:2)

Not forgetting the important part of the subject in these Majalis and that is to generate tears and sadness for the tragedy that befell upon Al-Hussain and his household (a.s) and to portray their grievances in line with his sayings (a.s):

حدثوا شيعتنا بما جرى علينا Tell our Shia’s what happened to us
انشدني برقة Chant for me melancholically

Thus arousing emotions by various melodic methods – as Imam Ali ibn Moussa Al-Redha (a.s) said:

من ذكر بمصابنا فبكى وابكى, لم تبك عينه يوم تعمى العيون
“He who is reminded of our suffering and weeps and makes others weep, shall not shed a tear on the day when eyes are blinded”

Abi Abd-illah Al-Sadiq (a.s) said:

من ذكر الحسبن عنده فخرج من عينه من الدموع مقدار جناح الذباب كان ثوابه على الله ولم يرض له بدون الجنة
“Whenever Hussain is mentioned and a tear the size of a fly’s wing comes out of one’s eyes, one’s reward will be with Allah and He [Allah] shall not be satisfied with anything else for that person except paradise.”

The crown of this message is the following points, as emphasised by the Marja’iyya:

1- Limit the teachings of Ahlul-Bayt (a.s) to what people can comprehend with no superfluities, in line with his saying (a.s):

" Talk to people according to their intellectual levels” تكلم الناس على قدر عقولهم

2- Convey the goodness in the words of the Imams (a.s) that will endear them to the public and refrain from stating that which has no particular effect. As Imam Al-Redha (a.s) said:

"رحم الله عبداً احيا أمرنا فقلت: وكيف يحيي امركم ؟ قال: يتعلم علومنا, ويعلمها الناس, فان الناس لو علموا محاسن كلامنا لاتبعونا" - بحار الانوار ج2/30
“Blessed is he who revives our events” and he was asked; “how does one revive your events?” He (a.s) said: “To learn our knowledge and teach it to the people for if people knew the goodness of our words they would surely follow us.” (Bihaul-Anwar: vol.2-p.30)

3- Refrain from reporting anything concerning the Imams (a.s), that is unsubstantiated by witnesses and occurrence (during their time).

4- Allocate part of the Majlis for everyday jurisprudential laws (Ahkam) required by the people, be it concerning acts of worship or transactions and other relevant Ahkams.

5- Educate people and increase their social awareness. Include historical accounts that will serve as a lesson to the listners’ present and future.

We wish all the honourable orators and mubaligheen success to that which will please the Almighty - not to forgetting us in their Duas. Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatoh

Imam Ali (a.s) Foundation, Liaison Office of H. E.
Ayatullah al-Udhma Al-Sayyid Al-Seestani (long may he live) – London
23 Thil Hijja 1431 (I December 2010)