A Timeless Letter of Imam Khomeini (ra), written nearly 53 years ago, he sends a message to the Muslim & Arab Leaders and calling the Muslims of the world to fight against Zionism.

The Strength of a Scholar's Slap

The Bravery of Ayatollah Mar'ashi Najafi (ra) and his Unforgettable Stand against Oppression in the Holy city of Qom

'During the time of Reza Shah Pahlavi's enforcement of unveiling, the police chief of Qom, who was a particularly vile and contemptible individual, resorted to force to remove the veil and hijab from the heads of devout women.

One day, in the holy shrine of Hazrat Fatima al-Ma'sumah (SA), he entered among the modest and pious women who had come to visit. He attempted to forcibly remove the hijab of a devout woman. When she and other women present in the shrine cried out and protested, the late Grand Ayatollah Mar'ashi Najafi intervened.

Witnessing the situation, his sense of honour and courage were stirred by the injustice, and he stepped forward to support them, delivering a strong slap to the police chief’s face.
The police chief, taken aback by the slap, threatened Ayatollah Mar'ashi with death.

However, the following day, as the same police chief entered the marketplace, part of the market roof collapsed on him, instantly killing him. The people who were aware of the incident considered this event one of the miracles (Karamaat) of Ayatollah Mar'ashi Najafi.'

[Adapted and edited from the book:
Karamaat e Marashiyya]

The story of Ayatollah Mar'ashi Najafi, is a powerful reminder that scholars are not mere gentle voices but fierce protectors of faith and dignity. His bold act against a tyrant shows that true scholars do more than preach... they stand up, confront, and even strike when justice demands it. They are not meek figures but defenders who carry courage and action, unafraid to challenge oppression directly and defend the vulnerable.

This story firmly dispels the notion that scholars are meant to be passive or soft. A scholar must always be ready to lift his hand to uphold honour and integrity when words are not enough. For believers, it is a call to recognise that real scholars are fearless champions of Islamic values, who confront injustice head-on, and deserve full respect and support.

Parachinar under Attack!

Why is the Shia Genocide in Parachinar Being Overlooked?

We gravely condemn the heinous attacks on the Shias of Parachinar, who are besieged from all sides and suffering immensely by the Takfiris. Please request all to pressure the Pakistani regime and those responsible.

What is the True Purpose of mourning for Imam Husayn (AS)?

A Reflection on Contemporary Social Responsibility - explained by Shaheed Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari

'The traditional mourning for Imam Husayn (AS) today has transformed from a movement into a ritual. This mourning, which has rightfully been described many times as:

مَنْ بَکی‏ اوْ ابْکی‏ اوْ تَباکی وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةُ

Imam Sadiq (AS) has said:
"Whoever weeps or pretends to weep, paradise is obligatory for them," and where even pretending to cry (simulating crying - tabaaki) is highly valued, originally aimed to stir emotions against the likes of Yazid and Ibn Ziyad and in favour of Husayn and his followers.

In a situation where Husayn represents a school of thought, a movement at a particular time, symbolising a specific social path and rejecting another, shedding a single tear for him is truly a form of solidarity.

Under the harsh conditions of Yazid's rule*, participating in the Husayni gathering of his followers and pretending to cry for the martyrs is a declaration of allegiance to the group of truth and a declaration of war against the group of falsehood, essentially an act of self-sacrifice. Here, the mourning for Husayn ibn Ali is a movement, a wave, a social struggle.

[This "Yazid" symbolically can be referred to any oppressive rulers or forces in the current era, drawing a parallel between the historical Yazid and modern-day oppressors].*

However, gradually the spirit and philosophy of this instruction are forgotten, and the content of this vessel is emptied, becoming merely a habit where people gather for mourning ceremonies without reflecting a specific social orientation and without the act holding any significant social meaning, only to gain rewards (which of course, will no longer have any rewards).

These ceremonies become disconnected from the duties of society and unrelated to the Husayns of the present time or the Yazids and Ubaydallahs of the current era. Here, the movement becomes a ritual, meaning it has turned into a habit, the content of the vessel has been emptied, and only the empty vessel remains.

In such ceremonies, even if Yazid ibn Muawiya himself were to rise from the grave, he would be willing to participate, perhaps even organise the grandest ceremonies. In such ceremonies, not only does "pretending to cry" (tabaaki) have no effect, even if one sheds tons of tears, it will make no difference.'

استاد مطهری، بررسی اجمالی نهضت‌های اسلامی در صدساله اخیر،
Ustaad Motahhari, A Brief Survey of Islamic Movements in the Last Century, pages 76-77

Therefore, Shaheed Ayatollah Morteza Motahhari explains that the essence and true purpose of mourning for Imam Husayn (AS) is not merely to engage in rituals or ceremonies for the sake of reward or tradition. Rather, it should serve as a reminder and a call to action against injustice and oppression, symbolising a commitment to the values and principles for which Imam Husayn (AS) stood for.

The true purpose is to inspire a movement towards truth, justice, and social responsibility, mirroring the struggle of Imam Husayn (AS) against tyranny and oppression. When these rituals become mere customs devoid of their original spirit, they lose their transformative power and become empty, much like the overturned vessel. The challenge is to ensure that these commemorations continue to reflect the social and moral struggles of the time, staying relevant and impactful.

Regulations for Legitimate Rituals

Husayni rituals are divided into two categories: those that are explicitly prescribed and those that are not. The first category includes activities like reciting poetry, inducing tears, and reading the Ziyarat Ashura, among others.

The second category involves newly introduced practices that do not have explicit textual backing. For these, scholars stipulate two conditions for their legitimacy and desirability:

1. They must be considered by common sense and rational people as expressions of grief and sorrow, such as wearing black, crying, and other practices commonly recognised as symbols of mourning and sadness in societies.

2. They must not result in any prohibited outcomes, such as disgrace, insult, injury, exploitation, or misuse against the Shia community.

If these two conditions are met in a newly introduced practice, it is considered part of the ritual. However, if a practice is questionable in terms of being an expression of grief or causes harm or disgrace to the sect, it does not qualify as a ritual due to the absence of the required conditions.

https://t.me/ibnalghobeiri/100

The Reward of Abandoning Sin
Journey of a Youth: Repentance, Learning and the Path to Karbala

The esteemed scholar, Allamah Tabataba’i (ra), related from one of his friends who said:

"I was on my way to Karbala and a young man was sitting next to me. He was very polite and engrossed in his supplications. When we reached a point about four farsakh (around 16 miles) from the holy shrine, I noticed the young man became internally disturbed and started crying. I asked him: "O young man, what happened?"

He said: "Do you know where this is? This is Karbala. Just now, I heard Imam Husayn (AS) welcoming all of us."

The person said: 'I was very surprised and thought to myself, where has this young man reached that he hears the welcoming voice of Imam Husayn (AS)? So I asked him what he had done and how he had reached this station?'

The young man said: "I was completely sinful. I had become accustomed to my sins and could not stop rebelling [the commands of Allah SWT]. One night, I stayed in a sinful gathering until midnight and after leaving, I said to God: "O God, take my hand, I am tired. I am tired of this way of life and of sinning."
I seriously and sincerely sought reform from God for my past sins.

The next morning, the scholar of the town called for me and agreed to take me as his student. First, he taught me the doctrines. Then he said: "You have learned the beliefs academically, but that alone is not sufficient. I recommend you to read the Holy Qur'an and pray [Salaah] and seek the intercession of the Ahlulbayt (AS), especially the intercession of the Imam of our Time (may our souls be sacrificed for him).

If you sin, immediately make amends. Immediately apologise to God. In this way, it can be said that your heart has accepted the principles of religion."
After a while, my teacher then told me: "Alhamdulillah, your mind and heart have believed in the doctrines and religion. But now it is necessary to adorn your beliefs with 'allegiance' to complete them.

For this reason, he sent me to holy city of Karbala. I have come here to Karbala to receive a grace and attraction from Imam Husayn (AS) and return."

Perseverance in forsaking sins that have become habitual for a person is difficult. But such is the reward.

Sayr wa Sulook, page 181

Shaykh Qasemi's series (12 episodes) on the concept of Wilayat al-Faqih - subtitled by Qom TV

Session 1: https://t.me/QomTV/563

This session:
- Introduction
- A modern approach
- The meaning of Wilayat-e-Faqih
- Success of this political system

Session 2: https://t.me/QomTV/612

This session:
- Is Wilayat-e-Faqih a new idea?
- The American brand of Islam VS Pure Islam
- The Shi'a ideology: Green wing & Red wing
- The New Islamic Civilization

Session 3: https://t.me/QomTV/631

This session:
- The crux of Wilayat-e-Faqih
- What does Wilayat-e-Faqih mean?
- Characteristics of the Wali-e-Faqih
- Authority of the Wali-e-Faqih

Session 4: https://t.me/QomTV/670

This session:
- What does "Death to anti-Wilayat-e-Faqih" mean?
- Fuqaha and the Wilayat-e-Faqih
- Difference of opinion among Fuqaha
- 4 Groups of Fuqaha
- The need of authority

Session 5: https://t.me/QomTV/686

This session:
- Distinguishing the topic
- Is Wilayat-e-Faqih a purely Fiqhi issue?
- Prophethood, Imamate, Wilayat-Faqih
- Suspension of the laws of Allah

Session 6: https://t.me/QomTV/704

This session:
- A prelude to our arguments for Wilayat-e-Faqih
- The four sources for the acceptance of this concept
- Analyzing the human existence
- The social needs of a society

Session 7: https://t.me/QomTV/740

This session:
- How important is Law for a society?
- Whose job is to enforce the Law in a society?
- Three possibilities in the Ghaibat of the Infallible Imam
- How logical is Wilayat-e-Faqih?

Session 8: https://t.me/QomTV/758

This session:
- Arguments for Wilayat-e-Faqih
- First Argument: Intellect
- Second Argument: The Quran
- Continuation of the mission of Prophets

Session 9: https://t.me/QomTV/789

This session:
- The argument of Narrations (hadith)
- Are the narrations of Infallibles a proof?
- How to resolve a dispute between believers?
- Imam Sadiq's (A) guidance

Session 10: https://t.me/QomTV/806

This session:
- Recap of first three arguments
- Seerah of the Infallibles
- The model of Representatives
- Story of the 2nd Caliph

Session 11: https://t.me/QomTV/820

This session:
- Doubts regarding Wilayat-e-Faqih
- Who becomes the Wali-e-Faqih?
- Does every Faqih have authority over Muslims?
- The process of identifying the Wali-e-Faqih
- The popular support and religious legitimacy

Session 12:
https://t.me/QomTV/840

This session:
- The legitimacy of the Wali-e-Faqih
- The acceptability of the Wali-e-Faqih
- Role of Allah, Prophet, and Imam
- Who is a Taghut?

Wilayat al-Faqih defending the oppressed:
https://t.me/QomTV/92

Last and most important segment of the series done with Agha Qasemi after the Presidential elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Must watch and share!

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