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• 22 Shanban 1445

The Representative of the Leading Marja’iya in Europe meets with scholars and preachers and Imams of Centres in Toronto/Canada and conveys to them the recommendations of the Leading Marja’iya on the advent of the Holy month of Ramadhan.

On the advent of the holy month of Ramadan Samahat Al-Sayyid Murtadha Al-Kashmiri, met with the preachers and Imams of centers in Toronto (Canada), and conveyed to them the recommendations of the Leading Marja’iya in the Holy City of Najaf, with special emphasis on the following:

1-He conveyed to them His Eminence’s Salams and Duas for their success and progress for the good of both worlds.

2- To focus on purifying and cultivating the self on virtues and perfections in a way that qualifies them to be role models for others, because an error by the Alim [scholar] is like a sinking ship that drowns many people with it (an error of the Alim is like the breaking of a ship that sinks and sinks).

3- Not to call for that which you do not apply to yourself. Amirul-Momineen (a.s.) said: “He who teaches should teach himself first. “ As Allah Almighty has said: ((يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ ، كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَنْ تَقُولُوا مَا لا تفعلون)) O Ye who believe, why say ye that which you not do! (Holy Qur’an 61:2)

He recounted a case from Sheikh Jaafar Al-Shoushtari, a scholar of ethics who preached and delivered his moral sermons and advice daily in the courtyard of the sacred Alawi shrine (in Najaf). A person came and asked him to talk about the virtue of emancipation for the sake of Allah. The Sheikh did not speak until a year later, so the man came and said, “Our Sheikh a year ago. I asked you to talk about this resource and only now you are talking! The Sheikh replied: I have accustomed myself not to say anything unless I have done it, and I was not able to implement what you asked for until yesterday. Therefore, brothers, we must accustom ourselves not to advise or guide anyone before we, ourselves, act on that advice and that guidance.

4- Be humble to people and open your hearts to whoever asks you, whether young or old, man or woman, whatever the issue. The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) says: “The means of leadership is being open-hearted.” I especially mention young Muslims, who today have become prey for enemies who distort their thoughts and plant suspicions in their minds, in their religion, belief, and Islam. Your care for them will counter the enemies’ opportunity. This is your responsibility for which you will be held accountable on the day you stand before Allah وَقِفُوهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ مَسْئُولُونَ "But stop them, for they must be asked: (37:24)

5-The sanctity of the attire you wear should be observed, as politeness [from you] appears better than it does from others- in your comings and goings, in your speech and in your silence. This is because people watch you closely and see your mistakes as being more serious than that of others and expect the manners of the Ma’soomeen (a.s.) from you - at least that which reminds people of them (a.s.)

6- Concentrate on introducing people to their Imams (peace be upon them), their position in the religion of Allah, their words, mentioning their perfections, the virtues of their speech, the position bestowed upon them by Allah, and the importance of relating to them appropriately.

Imam Al-Rida (a.s.) says: May Allah have mercy on a servant who revives our tradition, so I said: How can he revive your tradition? He, peace be upon him, said, “He learns our sciences and teach it to other people. If people knew the virtues of our words, they would follow us.

7- That no one should claim to have more knowledge and understanding than what he knows and teaches - so as to draw people to towards himself, so they praise and elevate him, and show him as if he were the most knowledgeable of his time.

(Beware of two fatal traits: giving people your opinion, or saying what you do not know.) (Whoever gives a fatwa to people without knowledge or guidance from Allah, the angels of mercy and the angels of torment will curse him, and the burden of whoever acts upon his fatwa will befall him.)

We have seen in recent times many people who cause confusion among so many who lack experience.

We must not be ashamed to learn. Everyone, except the pure and infallible ones (peace be upon them), needs to strive to acquire knowledge. Even our Maraji’, may Allah bless them, do not stop searching throughout their lives. The poet says: Learn: for a person is not born a scholar And is not a brother of knowledge like one who is ignorant

To Verify everything you convey to people, and remember that you are on the Mimbar [pulpit] of Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad (PBUH), and every word that comes out will be held accountable, and let it be known that Imam Al-Zaman (a.t.f.) is a witness.

As Allah Almighty says: وَقُلِ اعْمَلُوا فَسَيَرَى اللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَالِمِ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
And say: "Work (righteousness): Soon will Allah observe your work, and His Messenger, and the Believers: Soon will ye be brought back to the knower of what is hidden and what is open: then will He show you the truth of all that ye did” (9:105)

8- The month of Ramadhan is in a few days. It is the season of the Qur’an. For everything there is a season, and the season of the Qur’an is the month of Ramadhan, so teach your children and youth the Qur’an by memorization, recitation, and contemplation (for whoever recites a verse in it will have a reward for completing the Qur’an in other months). Let your mosques and homes be filled with the recitation of the Qur’an. Angels reside in the place where The Qur’an is recited and Satans abandon it. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.w.) said (Enlighten your homes as much as you can, for the house in which the Qur’an is recited becomes spacious for its people, its goodness abundant, the angels attend it, and Satans abandon it).

9- Get people, especially the young ones, accustomed to reciting the supplications mentioned in the month of Ramadhan, both the night and day ones, so they can do the same during the rest of the days and nights of the year. Our pure and infallible Imams (peace be upon them) have taught us many supplications that refine and educate the soul on virtues - especially the Duas mentioned in Al-Sahifa Al-Sajjadiyya and other Dua books that are Our most important heritage after the Qur’an and Nahj al-Balagha.

10- Remind people of Allah’s favours and blessings so that they may love Allah Almighty. It was reported on the authority of Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him) that Allah Almighty revealed to His Prophet Musa (peace be upon him): Endeared Me to my creation and endear My creation to Me. He said: O Lord, how should I do that? He said: Remind them of My favours and blessings so that they may love Me. If you refer a slave to My door, or a strayer from My annihilation, it is better for you than a hundred year’s worshiping by fasting days and praying nights.

Musa (peace be upon him) said: Who is this slave who will be spared from you? He said: The rebellious sinner. Musa said: Who is lost from your annihilation? He said: The one who is ignorant of the Imam of his time, and the one who is absent from him after knowing him, the one who is ignorant of the laws of his religion, you inform him of his Shari’a and how to worship his Lord and achieves His pleasure.

He (peace be upon him) said (So give good tidings to our Shiite scholars of the greatest and reward).

Most importantly mentioned in this blessed text is reminding people of Allah’s favours (i.e: moral gifts) and His blessings (outer gifts), and thus reviving in them that complete love for their Creator. Their love for Him, Glory be to Him, makes them obedient to their Lord and beloved by Him. In this way we have endeared people to their Lord and His love for them.

We ask the Lord Almighty to make us among those who receive the goodness and blessings of this holy month and to grant us success in fasting, praying, worshiping and reciting His Book, and observing its days and nights. He is the Grantor of success.