On the threshold of the month of Muharram al-Haram, on the evening of Wednesday, 23rd of Dhu al-Hijjah 1436 AH, the annual gathering of preachers and students of religious sciences was held in the city of knowledge and jurisprudence, Qom, at the residence of the Grand Marja' of the Shia world, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Hosseini Shirazi, and featured his valuable and guiding remarks.
In this gathering, which was attended by a large number of scholars, seminarians, and preachers from seminaries across the country and from several other Islamic and non-Islamic countries, the Grand Marja' delivered important and enlightening words. He stated:
"Islam is Muhammadan in origin, and Hussaini in preservation."
“Islam was manifested and brought into existence by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), but its endurance and continuity are owed to the sacrifices of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him).”
He explained that while Islam came into practical existence through the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), since the Almighty God created this world as a place of trial and testing, everyone must pass through the crucible of that trial. Thus, some people came to the Messenger of God (PBUH) and professed Islam outwardly, but in truth, they were hypocrites and had not truly embraced faith.
He added:
A number of the Prophet’s companions were hypocrites, as the Holy Qur’an mentions in several places. In fact, there is an entire surah named Al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites). In this surah, Almighty God says to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family):
“They are the [real] enemies, so beware of them. May Allah destroy them!” (Al-Munafiqun: 4).
This brief three-word phrase in the verse—“هُمُ الْعَدُوُّ” (They are the enemy)—is so forceful and definitive that few statements in the Qur’an equal its intensity; perhaps none do. According to the Qur’an, disbelievers do not reach the level of enmity that hypocrites do, because the use of the phrase “They are the [real] enemies” implies exclusivity. The verse continues:
“So beware of them; may Allah destroy them.”
The Grand Ayatollah continued:
As was destined by divine trial, this group of hypocrites seized control after the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and led the people astray—those same people whom the Qur’an describes as:
“Most of them do not use reason” (Surah Al-Ankabut: 63)
and whom the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) described as:
“Like scattered cattle, followers of every loud voice.”
This deviation has existed from long ago and continues to this day. In the name of Islam, they implemented something that cannot even be described as disbelief—it must be considered worse than disbelief.
Let me address something to the world—both to scholars and elites, and to the rest of society:
Study history with care and deep reflection.
The Pharaohs, Nimrods, Shaddads, and even Abu Sufyan and Abu Jahl during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had oppressive laws and committed many injustices. Yet, their oppression did not reach the level of those who ruled in the name of Islam, such as the Umayyads, Marwanids, and Abbasids. The rulers of disbelief never beheaded and burned over thirty thousand men, women, and children in a matter of days. But as documented in both Sunni and Shia historical sources, Muawiyah—who claimed to be the caliph of the Muslims and ruled in the name of Islam—killed more than thirty thousand Shia Muslims in just a few days through horrific atrocities.
He further said:
‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, a Marwanid ruler, once said:
“If, on the Day of Judgment, every religion brings forth its oppressors, and the Muslims bring only Hajjaj, they will still have the upper hand.”
Who was Hajjaj? He was the appointed representative of the so-called caliph of the Muslims, Abdul Malik ibn Marwan, who ruled under the banner of Islam. Hajjaj outwardly followed Islamic rituals—he prayed, fasted, and performed Hajj—but he committed tyranny in the name of Islam. And the caliphs before and after him acted similarly: they maintained the outer appearance of Islam while committing the gravest injustices under its name.
His Eminence continued:
I am not intending here to recount history, for you, the scholars and learned individuals, are people of research and are more or less familiar with historical events. Rather, the purpose of mentioning these historical points is to clarify for those who will hear my words that the Islam of these oppressors and their followers—even to this very day—is not the true Islam that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) brought.
Therefore, you scholars must act to save the world from the injustices that afflict all people—even those living in Western societies, who consider themselves free and pride themselves on being bastions of liberty. You must present the reality of authentic Islam to them.
Intellectuals and researchers should also study history and contemplate solutions for the future of humanity. Everyone must act according to their own capacity, and we hope that Almighty God, through His supreme wisdom, grants exceptional grace and hastens the reappearance of the Awaited Savior, Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance), so that all the problems of human society may be resolved.
Let it be clear: the time of his reappearance is hidden from everyone, and we do not know when this liberating event will occur.
The Grand Marja’ further stated:
Today, hundreds of millions of Muslims rely on books whose religious rulings are based on the words of people like Khalid ibn al-Walid, Harun al-Rashid, Mutawakkil al-Abbasi, and others like them. The world must be informed that the Islam of these individuals is vastly, vastly different from—and even in opposition to—the Islam of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). In fact, their so-called “Islam” was not Islam at all. It was worse than disbelief and worse than the actions of disbelievers.
His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Shirazi (may his shade endure) then spoke on the critical responsibility of protecting Islam from being distorted by the culture of enemies and unworthy individuals. He said:
The preservation of Islam came at the cost of the shedding of the blood of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him).
As for the importance and sanctity of the blood of that noble Imam, suffice it to say that the blood of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) is more valuable and exalted than the blood of the current seven billion people of the world—and of all people from the first to the last—except for the infallible ones (peace be upon them).
That is to say: if the blood of all human beings throughout history were to be shed, it would still not equal the worth of the blood of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him).
The core message is this: according to divine wisdom, Islam had to be purified from distortions and corruptions—and this was only possible through the martyrdom and the shedding of the sacred blood of Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him), and under those particular circumstances. His blood was the most honorable and valuable blood to ever be spilled.
He added:
It is narrated that after the soul of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) ascended to the higher realm, the angels were shaken with a trembling that will continue until the Day of Judgment.(4)
We often see or hear that a tragic event can cause emotional distress in a person for several days. Now imagine: how grave and immense must have been the shedding of Imam Husayn’s blood that the angels themselves tremble continuously from the moment it happened until the end of time. What did the angels witness that caused such ongoing sorrow and shuddering?
We must be mindful: the prayers we perform, the beliefs we hold, and the moral virtues we cherish—all of these are indebted to the blood of Sayyid al-Shuhada (peace be upon him). For it was by his ultimate sacrifice that true Islam was infused with life and permanence.
Another purpose of Imam Husayn’s chosen path was to convey true and pure Islam to all humanity, to every person on earth, until the very last human being. And of course, acceptance of that truth is not compelled—just as the Holy Qur'an states:
"Whoever wills—let him believe; and whoever wills—let him disbelieve."
(Surah al-Kahf, 18:29)
His Eminence continued:
Based on the teaching of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), who said:
"All of you are shepherds, and all of you are responsible for your flock,"
—there is no doubt that conveying the teachings of true Islam, the Islam that was saved and nourished by the blood of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), is the duty of the ‘ulama’ (Islamic scholars) and the seminaries (hawzas). And since the clergy and scholars have greater capacity in this regard, their responsibility is even heavier.
Intellectuals and people of culture also carry a great responsibility: to introduce true Islam to the world, so that all come to understand that Islam means the Islam of the Messenger of God, the Islam of Amir al-Mu’minin (Imam Ali), the Islam of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him), and the Islam of the other infallible Imams (peace be upon them)—not the Islam of Yazid or Mu‘awiya.
This will make clear to the world that authentic Islam is the gift of the blood of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) to humanity.
In outlining ways to deliver Islam and its teachings to the world, the Grand Marja’ said:
Not all people in the world understand Arabic or Persian.
Therefore, we must utilize all available means, to the best of our ability, for this sacred mission which has been placed on our shoulders.
He continued:
For example, the two books “Al-Huda ila Din al-Mustafa” and “Al-Rihlah al-Madrasiyyah” (or The Mobile School) by the great scholar Shaykh Muhammad Jawad Balaghi (may Allah bless his soul) should be translated into all languages and distributed across the globe.
Without a doubt, masses of people would begin to gravitate toward the path and school of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
In his writings, Allamah Muhammad Jawad Balaghi clearly explained the battles of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), proving that not a single one of them was offensive in nature—they were all defensive.
This must be communicated to the world so that people may come to recognize the Islam of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)—and not mistake the Islam of the likes of Mu‘awiya for true Islam.
Mu‘awiya, who in a matter of days slaughtered and burned more than thirty thousand men, women, children, and elderly—all under the name of Islam. (5)
Unfortunately, today, it is the Islam of Mu‘awiya, Hajjaj, and others like them that is being portrayed and recognized, more so than the authentic Islam of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and his Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
For instance, during the era of Hajjaj’s so-called Islamic rule, ‘Atiyyah (a known supporter of Ahl al-Bayt) was pursued by Hajjaj’s forces, forced to flee across lands for many years, with his family unsure whether he was alive or dead—until finally, Hajjaj’s men found him near Shiraz, and delivered him into the hands of a prison warden and torturer.
Unfortunately, today the people of the world have little knowledge of the true, Husayni Islam, and what they do know is the Islam of tyrants and butchers—and that is why they flee from Islam.
In this part of his speech, the Grand Marja’ spoke about the behavior of the Muslims who participated in the Battle of Hunayn with the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). He said:
Those who took part in that battle, and considered themselves companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), were about eight thousand men—of whom seven thousand nine hundred and some fled from the battlefield.
The battle was ultimately won due to the courageous defense of Amir al-Mu’minin (Imam Ali, peace be upon him) and the leadership of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), resulting in victory for the Muslims.
Afterward, the spoils of war were gathered for distribution. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) stood among the people, plucked a tuft of wool from the hump of a camel that had been seized as war booty, held it up to them, and declared:
“O Muslims! I do not even have the right to take this single strand of wool from the spoils.”
As mentioned in the narration, some of the Muslims returned the extra items they had taken to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) was martyred to preserve this Islam.
If this story—and thousands of others like it—are conveyed to the people of the world, it would bring about a great transformation across the globe. Of course, it is essential that this Islam, its teachings, and the noble goals of Imam Husayn (peace be upon him)—which are in fact the very goals of true Islam—reach all of humanity.
However, we must act and speak in such a way that the people of the world become confident in our truthfulness—it must be “clear and honest delivery” (al-balag̱h al-mubīn)—because many lies have been told in the name of Islam all around the world.
At one point, a state-run newspaper published a headline that read: "Four Thousand Lies", and underneath it, it stated: "A certain official has told four thousand lies."
Therefore, in order to deliver and fulfill our mission properly, our behavior must be such that our honesty becomes evident to the people of the world.
His Eminence continued:
I must mention something again related to the Battle of Hunayn. In this battle, there are examples so unique and remarkable that they must be presented to the world—examples that have no parallel in any period of history, and followers of no other religion can point to anything like them.
All those dispatched to defend in the Battle of Hunayn fled, except Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him) and a few others. On the other side, according to the noble book Bihār al-Anwār, the idolaters who fought against the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the Muslims were 24,000 fully armed men.
As reported in Shi’a and Sunni historical sources—and even by non-Muslim accounts—the Noble Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his family) did not take even a single sheep for himself from the vast war spoils. Rather, everything that was gained by the Muslims was distributed among them.
One of the deserters, having noticed the situation had turned favorable, returned to claim a share of the booty. This individual stood before the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and rudely and insolently spoke an offensive sentence to him.
The Companions asked the Prophet for permission to punish or kill him, but he did not allow it.
From the perspective of Islam, they had the right (to punish the offender), but did not use it, even though in Islam the ruling on killing is very, very rare, and even from a military standpoint this right was preserved.
In today’s world, especially in the West, which claims freedom, there would be a strong reaction even to less serious cases than this.
The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), in dealing with the deserter who returned to claim his share, did not react harshly; rather, as he should be an example to the world, he behaved in a completely humane manner.
He responded with the statement:
"I have not taken for myself a single camel, nor a cow, nor even a sheep." (7)
It is possible that his share was given to him and he wanted more. At the very least, the Prophet could have responded in kind and retorted his insolence with a similar phrase. According to the Holy Quran, such a response is the right of every individual, where it says:
"So whoever transgresses against you, you may transgress against him in like manner." (Al-Baqarah / 194)Bottom of Form
His Eminence added: There are many such cases that must be introduced to the world, and now that this religion owes its endurance to the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), we must not allow the goal of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) to be trampled upon, and we must fulfill our duty in this regard. In this matter, possessing good character is essential, and we must emulate the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), as the Holy Qur’an has commanded. It says:
"Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow." (Surah Al-Ahzab, 33:21)
We must be careful that weak-hearted people do not become disillusioned or alienated from Islam because of us.
I do not know whether, in that battle, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) gave any portion of the spoils to Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) or not, but it is well-known that Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) sometimes mentioned the efforts and sacrifices of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) in his sermons and speeches, as recorded in works such as Khisal and others. He used to say that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) was aware of our household’s circumstances, yet he gave money and wealth to everyone else, but did not give to us.
It is quite clear that Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him) and Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) were in no need [of wealth or support], but the behavior of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) toward his close relatives is a universal lesson.
The esteemed Marja’ continued:
My address is to the intellectuals and scholars of the world, regardless of their religion or sect, as well as to Muslims residing in non-Islamic countries, Islamic delegations, mosque custodians, Hussainiyas, Islamic associations, cultural institutions, and others—that what has been recorded in history about true Islam—which owes its endurance to the sacrifice of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him)—must be conveyed to the world so that the world becomes acquainted with the method of governance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him).
Today, despite all the divine underground resources, we witness the daily deaths of many people due to hunger, while in no historical source—even those written by the enemies and opponents of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him)—is there a single recorded case of a Muslim or non-Muslim dying of hunger during the ten-year rule of the Messenger of Allah and the five-year rule of Amir al-Mu’minin. It is noteworthy that Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him) governed an area equivalent to fifty modern countries. In contrast, in the previous era, a noble companion like Abu Dharr al-Ghifari died of hunger.
What does the existence of so many hungry people in the world signify? Why is the greatest oppression carried out in Islamic countries? Every day, a war is ignited either between two Islamic countries or among the people of one Islamic country, and the lives of thousands of innocent people are taken.
Grand Ayatollah Shirazi (may his presence be honored) continued speaking about contemporary history and said:
Since the coup of Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt in 1952 AD (1372 AH), coups and bloodshed have occurred in Islamic countries up to the present day. Two neighboring Muslim countries have gone to war and continue to do so. The Westerners pit Muslims against each other, and the Muslims, being pawns, bear the consequences. After the war ends or a ceasefire is established, a multitude of widows, orphans, and ruins remain, and no one has gained anything except destruction and slaughter.
In one of the Islamic countries, 40 to 50 years ago, there were nine coups in ten years, resulting in many killed, wounded, disabled, and widespread destruction. Unfortunately, this is the Islam that is introduced to the world today—an Islam filled with bloodshed, violence, and ruin—while the war-mongering Westerners live in comfort and prosperity.
The essence of the matter is that we must introduce the true Muhammadan Islam, whose immortality and endurance were granted by Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), to the world. For thirteen and a half centuries, there were no facilities to convey the pure and unadulterated Islam to the world, but today, with all the available means and relative freedom throughout the world, we must spread the merciful Muhammadan and Hussaini Islam globally so that:
“Lēlā yakūna lil-nāsi ʿalā Allāhi ḥujjatun” — “So that for the people there remains no argument against Allah” (An-Nisā’ 4:165).
Just as the Holy Quran and subsequently the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) proclaimed in the Sermon of Ghadir with the address "O people" («يا أَيهَا النَّاسُ»), our audience should also be the people of approximately two hundred countries around the world, because Ghadir is for all humanity. Our message is not limited to Iran and Iraq; rather, it must encompass the entire world. The noble Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him and his family) wrote letters to the rulers of the great empires of his time, inviting them to accept Islam, but there was never any compulsion involved, as the Holy Quran states:
“There is no compulsion in religion” («لاَ إِکْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ») (Al-Baqarah 2:256).
The Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) also came from various regions. As mentioned, in Europe, half of Africa, and perhaps 80% of the countries of the world—that is, non-Islamic countries—there is relative freedom. Therefore, this opportunity must be utilized to spread the Islam that is Muhammadan in essence and Hussaini in endurance.
The Grand Ayatollah added: In this regard, it is necessary to utilize the new visual media technology and spread the call of Islam — which is entirely the truth — to every corner of the world.
Not long ago, statistics were presented showing that around twelve thousand satellite television networks operate worldwide for a population of seven billion people. If we consider the Shia population to be about ten percent of this, then we should have 1,200 active satellite networks.
Now, we need to see where the problem lies. It might be assumed that to achieve this, individuals with great wealth must take action and provide such facilities for the Shia community. But fundamentally, this is not the case. Instead, we ourselves must take initiative, and if we lack money, we should borrow. It should be noted that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), Imam Ali (peace be upon him), and other infallible Imams (peace be upon them) used to do the same to meet the financial needs of others. Sheikh Abdul Karim Haeri, the founder of the Qom Seminary, started the seminary institutions across the country with empty hands by borrowing money.
The late Agha Seyyed Abolhassan Esfahani (may God have mercy on him) did not have a house until the end of his life, and for some time his family lived in the Sahla Mosque. Yet, he built hundreds of schools and Hussainiyas in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, and other places.
He only in Najaf Ashraf bought hundreds of houses for the poor. One of them told me that Esfahani asked him: "Do you have a personal house?"
He replied: "No."
Esfahani gave him a sum of money and said: "Buy a house with this money."
The late Mirza Muhammad Taqi Shirazi, the leader of the revolution and the uprising of the people of Iraq against the British occupiers, also did not own a personal house until he was martyred.
One of the students of the late Sheikh Abdul Karim Haeri told me that one day he saw the Sheikh distressed, and when he asked about the reason, the Sheikh said: "Due to my inability to repay debts, no one lends me money anymore." This means that he borrowed money to solve the problems of the people and society as long as he could.
They took the behavior of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) in this regard as their model. Now that these facilities exist, we must strive diligently, even risking our reputation and borrowing if necessary, to carry this heavy trust of God to its destination. We should know that most of the institutions and mosques existing in Iraq and Iran have been built through the efforts of low-income people and the weaker classes of society, meaning that they used whatever little money they had or even risked their honor to collect funds, and ultimately the mosque or institution was built and put into operation.
The esteemed Marja’ continued: The late Grand Ayatollah Borujerdi (may God have mercy on him) alone built, repaired, or renovated four hundred mosques in Tehran. It is said that he supported his living expenses from the income of his inherited property.
The esteemed Marja’ emphasized: Young people, elders—all must utilize whatever they have at their disposal in this path and for delivering Islam, which is Muhammadan in essence and Hussaini in perpetuity, to the world and all its peoples. It is clear that this task is difficult and requires effort, but it is preserved before God. We should know that great scholars such as Allameh Bahr al-Uloom sent books to India for printing despite all the difficulties of their time, producing a few copies so that, to the best of their ability, they could introduce Islam purified from all distortion and falsehood to the people.
Therefore, endurance on this path is a worthy and necessary matter that must not be neglected, and any negligence in this regard will not be accepted from us.
At the conclusion, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, while praying for the appearance of Imam Mahdi (may his soul be sacrificed for his sake), addressed the clerics, intellectuals, scholars, and other social classes, saying: I hope you will be more successful than ever in the upcoming months of Muharram and Safar and the opportunities ahead in establishing and launching Shi‘i satellite networks and producing meaningful programs that help introduce Islam—Muhammadan in essence and Hussaini in perpetuity—to the world, and spread the true Islam that has been manifested in the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
It is worth mentioning that at the end of this gathering, Hujjat al-Islam Zahri recited the lamentation for Imam Aba Abdillah al-Hussain (peace be upon him) in the presence of the esteemed Marja’.
