• Statements
• 28 Thi Alhija 1435

Message to speakers and lecturers (Mubaligheen and Mubalighat) on the occasion of the advent of the month of Muharram for the year 1436 AH

((الَّذِينَ يُبَلِّغُونَ رِسَالَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَخْشَوْنَهُ وَلَا يَخْشَوْنَ أَحَداً إِلَّا اللَّهَ))
Those who deliver the messages of Allah and fear Him, and do not fear anyone but Allah.... (Holy Qur’an 33:39)

Those who deliver the messages of Allah and fear Him, and do not fear anyone but Allah.... (Holy Qur’an 33:39)

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds and peace and blessings on Muhammad and blessed household

The holy month of Muharram has arrived and with it begin the Hussaini Majalis throughout the world – renewing allegiance to the household of the prophet (a.s.) and commiseration to the awaited Imam (a.j.)

As in previous years, Imam Ali (a.s.) Foundation felt the need to offer advice and guidance to male and female speakers which, under the present and sensitive circumstances experienced by the Muslim world and the Shia in particular, should be taken into account through the need to focus on the following points:

1- Invite people to adhere to the teachings of Islam and its tenets and correct the path of the Ummah when it diverges [from the straight path] which is the aim of Imam Hussain’s (a.s.) movement. He (a.s.) clearly stated:
ألا ترون إلى الحق لا يعمل به ، وإلى الباطل لا يتناهى عنه
Do you not see that justice is not being implemented and falsehood not being forbidden?
• (( ألا ترون إلى الحق لا يعمل به ، وإلى الباطل لا يتناهى عنه ))
• (( إنما خرجت لطلب الإصلاح في أمة جدي محمد (صلى الله عليه واله)، أريد أن آمر بالمعروف ، وأنهى عن المنكر ))
• (( من رأى منكم سلطاناً جائراً ، مستحلاً لحرام الله ، فلم يغير عليه بفعل ولا قول ، كان حقاً على الله أن يدخله مدخله ........ ))

The above is among other speeches and sayings by Imam Hussain (a.s.) on the day of Ashura

So it is up to the speakers and Mubaligheen to explain the secrets of the Hussaini movement, in an era when evil has overshadowed good and justice has been confused with falsehood. Lies have become a virtue and truth reprehensible - leading people astray away from the path of Islam to intellectual, ideological and behavioural deviation; due to their souls being polluted with the lust and pleasures of this world; selling their afterlife for this transient world; negating the tenets and principles of the true religion and using it whenever their sustenance necessitates.

Our duty today to refute these suspicions and inaccuracies and falsehoods promoted by today’s biased people to undermine the spirit of the faithful towards their religion and faith and their Hosseini ceremonies. Speakers must conclude their response by verses from the Holy Qur’an and sayings of the Imams of Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.), thus cultivating, in the hearts of the listener, the spirit of love and devotion for their Imams - making it a slogan of their sermons and lectures.

3- The Mubaligheen and Mubalighat need to enjoy the highest degree of dedication for what they preach, because sincerity is the basis of Tabligh work, on condition that the Mubaligh and Mubaligha diagnose the illness and then prescribe the medication to his/her patients in order to ensure the soundness of their religion and their worldly existence. This is the aim of the mission of the prophets (peace be upon them) and those righteous people, tutors and scholars who tread in their path.
Imam Ali (a.s.) described some of the qualities of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.w.) as: “a roaming doctor, confident of his medicine and cures, accurately prescribing to those whose hearts are blinded, the deaf and dumb, taking his cure to wherever there is ignorance and confused lands.”

4- Words should depict actions, otherwise the sermons will not be effective (the teacher must first teach himself)
What! Do you enjoin people to be good and forget your own selves while you read the Book? Have you then no sense? O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? (Holy Qur’an Battle Array:2)
It is narrated that: If the Alim does not apply his knowledge then his sermon will slip of the hearts [of listeners] like a drop [of water] on a rock.

5-Conform to good ethics and morality to encourage and attract Momineen to the realm of Iman - as did the Messenger of Allah. It was with his high morals that he was able to guide people and save them from darkness to the right path.
وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظّاً غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لاَنفَضُّواْ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ )ال عمران 159(
..and had you been rough, hard-hearted they would certainly have dispersed from around you (3:159)
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ )القلم 4(
And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality (68:4)

6- Urge the faithful to be compassionate with each other and care for their poor and destitute and their orphans who have increased these days as a result of the terrorist attacks on them.

7- To speak to people on their wavelength, and not delve into ambiguous matters which cannot be fathomed, or use various philosophical and scientific terminology only experts can understand; as the narration goes: “we associate with prophets and we talk to people according to their mental capacity”.

8-Convey the beauty of the words of our Imams (a.s.) so as to cultivate their love in the hearts of the listener, as our Imam Al-Ridha (a.s.) said: Blessed is the one who relives our traditions, I said: How do we relive your traditions? He said: To learn our knowledge and teach it to the people – for if they only knew the beauty of our words they would surely follow us.”

9- Allocate part of the Majlis for everyday jurisprudential laws (Ahkam) whether on Ibadaat or Muamalaat based of rulings from Islamic law books.

10- The Mubaligh must also read useful books as much as possible nurturing his soul with knowledge in order to have an insight into the concepts, thoughts and visions he wishes to convey, so he does not become as Amirul-Momineen (a.s.) said: “He who trades without knowledge shall be plagued and plagued.” This narration does not only apply to commercial trading, but to every action one embarks upon without knowledge. “

11- Refrain from that which causes insult to prominent Muslim figures. Otherwise they will be targeted by the enemy, 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)

So that we may safeguard the Islamic unity because the Muslim world today is experiencing difficult circumstances necessitating co-operation, unity and closing of ranks and rejecting discord. Therefore Muslims must do their utmost to discard marginal differences and love one another. The Shias of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) in particular must follow the path of their Imams in dealing with unity among Muslims and the interests of Islam.
(والله لأُسَلِمن ما سلمت أمور المسلمين, ولم يكن فيها جَور إلا عَليَّ خاصة..)

• To live among people as directed by Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.) and attend their public ceremonies in and revive important Muslim rites which Islam cared about and most importantly congregational prayers and general social relations.
• As narrated by Al-Halaby from Abu Abdullah (a.s.) who said: “He who prays with them in the first line [of prayers] is as though he prays behind the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.w.).
• As narrated from Abi-Usama Zaid Al-Sha’haam from Abu Abdillah (a.s.) who said:
(وَأُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ... وَاشْهَدُوا جَنَائِزَهُمْ ، وَعُودُوا مَرْضَاهُمْ ، وَأَدُّوا حُقُوقَهُمْ ؛ فَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ مِنْكُمْ إِذَا وَرِعَ فِي دِينِهِ).
• From Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s):
• عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ زَيْدٍ الشَّحَّامِ قَالَ : قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام (وَأُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ... وَاشْهَدُوا جَنَائِزَهُمْ ، وَعُودُوا مَرْضَاهُمْ ، وَأَدُّوا حُقُوقَهُمْ ؛ فَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ مِنْكُمْ إِذَا وَرِعَ فِي دِينِهِ).
• في صحيحة معاوية بن وهب، قال: قلت له: كيف ينبغي لنا أن نصنع فيما بيننا وبين قومنا وبين خلطائنا من الناس ممن ليسوا على أمرنا؟ قال: (تنظرون إلى أئمتكم الذين تقتدون بهم فتصنعون كما يصنعون، فوالله إنهم ليعودون مرضاهم، ويشهدون جنائزهم، ويقيمون الشهادة لهم وعليهم، ويؤدّون الأمانة إليهم.).

بل وحتى على مستوى العلاقة مع من لا يوالي اهل البيت عليهم السلام ان نجاملهم ونوثق العلاقة معهم حفاظا على وحدة النسيج الاسلامي.
قال الصادق (ع) لابن مسكان: إني لأحسبك إذا شتم عليّ بين يديك لو تستطيع أن تأكل أنف شاتمه لفعلت ، فقلت: إي والله جعلت فداك !.. إني لهكذا وأهل بيتي ، فقال لي: فلا تفعل !.. فوالله لربما سمعت من يشتم علياً وما بيني وبينه إلا اسطوانة ، فأستتر بها فإذا فرغت من صلواتي فأمرّ به، فاسلّم عليه وأصافحه.

أ‌- واكدوا على التناصر والتعاون بين المسلمين.
• قال رسول الله (ص): (من أصبح لا يهتم بأمور المسلمين فليس بمسلم).
• وقال (ص): (من اصبح لا يهتم بأمور المسلمين فليس منهم، ومن سمع رجلا ينادي يا للمسلمين فلم يجبه فليس بمسلم).
• عن الصادق (المسلم أخو المسلم، لا يظلمه ولا يخذله ولا يخونه).

فعلى المبلغين الافاضل الاشارة الى ما ذكرنا لبيان موقف اهل البيت عليهم السلام من الوحدة الاسلامية ومناداتهم وتوصياتهم بما يؤدي اليها.

12- We must teach our generations about the role of the Marja’iyah, its position and status; from the time of the death of the fourth ambassador of the awaited Imam Al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance) to the present day. We need to make it clear to the world that this position [of the Marja’iyah] is one of the greatest positions and status for the Shia Imamiyah. In fact it is the secret of the survival of this religion to this day. If it were not for the efforts of scholars like Shaykh Al-Mufid and Sayyid Murtadha and Shaykh Al-Tusi and those after them till today, the Shia entity would have eroded long ago. It is these great minds and their magnificent writings that have preserved the prestige and stature of this faith in everyone’s eyes. The world has began to pay special consideration to these entities because of the spiritual influences that lead them to take appropriate decisions, when the essence of Islam is endangered or its security and sanctities come under threat, as ordained by the religion,.

The Marja’iyah’s position is well known since the tobacco fatwa, the jihad and the 20’s revolution till the recent fatwa by the leading Marjah’iyah on ‘sufficient defense’ (Al-Difa’ Al-Kifa’ii). Such was the blessed fatwa that confounded the enemies and foiled their plans.

We should not forget the important part of the Majalis which 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): “Tell our Shia’s what happened to us. Chant me with tenderness” arousing emotions in the hearts of Momineen by various soul-stirring methods without distorting the spirit and magnificence of these commemorations by giving due consideration to the circumstances and time of these Majalis.

Imam Ali ibn Moussa Al-Redha (a.s.) said: “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: “Whenever Hussain is mentioned and a tear the size of a fly’s wing is shed, Allah will reward that person and He [Allah] shall not be satisfied with anything else for him except paradise.”

Lastly, we ask the Almighty, the Omnipotent, to grant all Mubaligheen success to that which pleases Him and that they do not to forget us in their Duas.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabaraktoh
Imam Ali (a.s.) Foundation – London
The Liaison Office Of H. E. Ayatullah Al-Udhma Sayyid Seestani (long may he live)
29 Thul-Hijja 1435
24 October 2014