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• 8 Ramadhan 1434H

The leading Marja’iya’s representative in Europe Sayyid Kashmiri:
• Calls on Muslims to be mannered like the Prophet (s.a.w.w.) and his pure descendants of Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.) in dealing with others - to ensure unity.
• And wishes for those who offended Muslim personalities to bear in mind the lives of the pure descendants in dealing with others so as to exemplify the saying of Al-Sadiq (a.s.): Be a good example for us, not a bad one. Endear us to people and do not make them hate us, muster all love for us and repel all evil.

This statement came in an answer to a question from the Voice of the Iraqi Community: What is the duty of Muslims in general and the followers of the school of Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.), especially in the tense atmosphere that prevails today?

He replied: The best approach in dealing with others is to maintain contact, love and unity of word as a commitment to holy Quran’s approach, which has not ignored the dialogue between people who differ in thought, belief , social and political ideas etc.., on the contrary. The holy Quran has focused on the wisdom that is putting things in their rightful place and the scientific methods applied in this context. Also the holy Qur’ran has not ignored the moral aspect, namely; good speech, debate and dialogue in the best manner.

It was the prophet (s.a.w.w.) and the pure Imams who mastered the Quranic dialogue - implementing it the best way possible with those for and against them. Their manner was that of the holy Quran from which non will be separated until judgment day.

History books have conveyed to us the saying of the prophet (s.a.w.w.): My Lord has advised me nine [things], ... until he said; that I forgive who has wronged me, give to who has deprived me and seek who has broken his links with me.

There are many stations in the history of the prophet’s (s.a.w.w’s) descendants, the Imams (as), that teach us how to live with other people. For example when Imam Hassan Al-Mujtaba (a.s.) was cursed and sown at, his reply was: I think you are a stranger here. If you are hungry we will feed you and if you need clothes we shall clothe you and if you are a stranger we shall accommodate you and if you are in need we shall assist you. So he said: Allah knows where he places his message. Then he said: You entered this town and you and your father hated me more than anyone else and you leave this [town] and you and your father love me more than anyone else.

We also have the highest example from Imam Al-Sadiq’s (a.s.) dialogue with the atheists and among them Ibn Abi al-Ojah who was very intelligent, strong in his arguments who rejected the creator and mocked Shari’a. But when he and others saw the Imam’s refined way of dialogue they ended up obeying him (a.s.).

Also as related by Mua’wiyah ibn Wahab in his Sahiha when he said to Imam Al-Sadiq, Abu Abdil-llah (a.s.) How should we live with each other, others in our family and people in general who are not of our tradition ? He (a.s.) said: Look at your Imams that you emulate and do as they do for by God they visit their sick, participate in their funeral, witness for and against them and return what has been entrusted to them (Al-Kafi, vol:1, p:636)

In the Sahiha of Hisham Al-Kindy, he relates: I heard Abu Abdil-llah (a.s.) say: Beware not to do something that will make people humiliate us because the bad son’s father gets humiliated for his son’s bad action. Be good with he who has broken links with you and do not be bad with him. Visit your kinfolk and their sick. Participate in their funerals and do not let them precede you with a good deed for you should be first. (Al-Kafi, vol:1, p:219)

In a similar narration he relates: Abu Abdil-llah (a.s.) said: Pray in mosques, be neighbourly to people, bear witness and attend funerals for you need people and no one’s life can be without people and people are made for each other. (Al-Kafi, vol1, p635)

Ibn Mosskan relates: Abu Abdil-llah (a.s.) said to me: If Ali (a.s.) was sworn at in front of you, you would break the nose of the insulting person if you could. O by Allah, may my life be sacrificed for you, I and my family are like this. He (a.s.) then said: Do not do this, by Allah I may have heard Ali (a.s.) being sworn at with only a pillar separating us and behind which I would conceal myself and when I finish praying, I would call him say Salam to him and shake his hands (Al-Sara’eir, vol3, p647)

Thus we see Ahlul-Bayt’s 8th Imam’s agnomen is ‘Al-Redha’ (meaning contentment/satisfaction) because of his distinguished quality of calm and meaningful dialogue with other people, until it [this quality] became an intrinsic part of his life (a.s.) and his agnomen known to those who agree and disagree with him.

Also today, we find the way of the Grand Maraji’ from their representatives, [representatives of Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.)] in the age of occultation, have adopted the same path and conduct.

During my visit to the leading Marja’iyah, I found him stressing upon the visiting delegations from all over the world to unite their word and ranks. Addressing them by saying: Be good in speech and manner with those who have wronged you. Respond to them with greetings, try to win their affection and be near them, because when a Muslim says I love you to another Muslim, this sows the seed of love in his heart. He said: We need to teach our people and our societies the culture of love and affection. I noticed him emphasizing on the importance of scholars adopting moderate and un-provocative speech with others and to disseminate the culture of peaceful co-existence based on mutual respect between people of different faiths, which will strengthen Muslims.

This is a brief answer to your question. I hope the faithful will benefit from this blessed month to purify the heart from resentment and animosity, implementing the word of the Almighty:

((And obey Allah and His Messenger; and fall into no disputes, lest ye lose heart and your power depart;...) Holy Qur’an (8:46)