As in the past years, the grand Hussaini Gham-e-Ghariban (Hussaini mourning night) conference was held, with the presence of the lovers and mourners of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and his loyal companions, at the residence of the esteemed Shia reference, Ayatollah al-Uzma Hajj Sayyid Sadiq al-Husseini Shirazi (may his shadow last).
In this gathering, the esteemed reference began by thanking all those who contributed in any way to the organization of the Hussaini ceremonies and rituals during these ten days across the world. He prayed for them and sought high ranks for the victims of the explosions that occurred in some countries during the mourning process. He also asked God for the healing of those injured in these incidents.
Ayatollah al-Uzma Shirazi (may his shadow last) began his speech by saying:
"One of the officials of a mourning group, where an explosion had occurred during the Hussaini rituals, contacted me. I asked him to convey my condolences and sympathy to the wounded and the families of the martyrs of this incident. He told me that some of the martyrs' relatives wished they were in the place of the martyrs."
Indeed, it is a noble wish, and how fortunate are the martyrs in this path. May God accept them, and may He keep the blessing of these mourning ceremonies alive for everyone. Inshallah, in the upcoming months of Muharram and Safar, they will carry out their duties in full health.
He continued: "It is narrated that when Abu Dharr, one of the special companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), was exiled to Rabadhah, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), Imam Hassan (peace be upon him), and Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) accompanied him. Some of the people tried to comfort him, but Abu Dharr, who had been nurtured by the Prophet (peace be upon him), Imam Ali, Imam Hassan, and Imam Hussain, said: 'These are nothing, if you hear the sorrowful story of Ashura, you will be overwhelmed with grief and endanger your life.'"
The esteemed reference then mentioned a passage from the Ziyarat of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), which was taught by Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) to Abu Hamza Thumali. He said: "Over a hundred years after the Ashura incident, Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) described how to visit Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), and this message was meant for all the people of the world."
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "In your visitation to Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), say: 'If my body did not come to your aid when you called for help, and my tongue did not answer your plea for assistance, surely my heart, hearing, and sight answered your call.'"
He added: "Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) faced two heavy calamities during the final hours of his life, which were not mentioned for any of the Fourteen Infallibles (peace be upon them). Although the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Imams (peace be upon them) have said: 'None of us leaves this world except that they are poisoned or killed,' yet there is no mention for any of them, except for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), that during the final moments of their life, they called out for help or sought aid."
He continued: "It is clear that, as an infallible and master of eloquence, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) used the word 'Istighatha' (seeking help) and 'Istanser' (asking for aid) in their most intense meanings, showing the depth of his hardship. He cried out: 'Is there anyone who will help me? Is there anyone who will come to my aid?' so that everyone would hear and be fully informed."
His eminence continued: The words of istighatha (seeking help) and istinsar (seeking support) that Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) uttered were not for himself, nor did it matter whether his companions and family were present or not, because he was entirely reliant on and had complete trust in the Almighty God.
Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), who held the position of Imamate and was infallible, spoke these words at a time when the only remaining male from his family was Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him), who was severely ill. This indicates that in those moments, Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) was under immense emotional pressure. On one hand, his beloved ones—the best of people—had been slaughtered and martyred before his eyes. On the other hand, eighty-four terrified and trembling women and children remained in the tents, now devoid of men.
It was not destined for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) to perform miracles and resolve everything through divine intervention. This made the situation even more painful and unbearable. Imagine returning home one day to find your little daughter shaking with fear, telling you, "Father, while you were away, a policeman came looking for you." The sorrow and distress you would feel for your frightened child would be immense. Now, imagine eighty-four women and children, stranded in the desert, surrounded by bloodthirsty soldiers who had already killed all their men and were preparing to kill their last remaining hope—how much more unbearable would that be?
He went on to describe the scene of the women in the tents, witnessing the death of all the men, and Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) would also die. In their deep emotional turmoil, they could only see the tragic fate awaiting them. Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) called out, "Is there anyone to help me? Is there anyone to aid me?"
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), in his message to Abu Hamza Thumali, taught all the Shia of all times to respond to the call of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), even if they were not present on the day of Ashura, by offering their hearts, hearing, and sight in answering his call.
His Eminence, Ayatollah al-Uzma Shirazi (may his shadow endure) said: "Since we were not present at the tragic event of Ashura in the year 61 AH, what duty do we have today in this regard? From the bloody event of Ashura in 61 AH until now, efforts to hinder the commemoration of Ashura have been made across the world. The Umayyads, from Yazid and others, Marwan and the Marwanids, the Abbasids, the Ottomans, and after them others, have continually placed obstacles in the way of the sacred rituals of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and Ashura. This continues even today, as seen in the bombings and shootings that occur in Islamic countries against the mourners of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), claiming the lives of those who mourn him."
Of course, those who have been behind these crimes, past and present, do not have personal issues with individuals. Rather, they and their agents have targeted Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), his noble grandfather, and the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Even in our time, such obstacles and obstructions have existed, though their intensity has varied.
For example, I have been told that during the rise to power of Reza Shah Pahlavi, his repression was so severe that during the first ten days of Muharram and on the nights and days of Ashura, not a single sacred Husayni ritual was publicly performed.
During those difficult times, the great scholar Grand Ayatollah Mirza Na’ini (may Allah sanctify his soul) issued a fatwa declaring the permissibility and even the recommended status (istihbab) of publicly holding all Husayni rituals. He explicitly listed these ceremonies and stated that if someone were to die while openly participating in Husayni mourning and rituals, there would be no problem with it. He provided reasoning and evidence to support this ruling.
What is remarkable is that there is no recorded instance in any source or memory of anyone ever dying during the special Husayni ritual of the morning of Ashura. This, in itself, is an astonishing miracle, especially considering that people do pass away while performing Hajj, visiting the shrine of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), and during other religious acts.
The essence of the matter is that many renowned and prominent scholars—both contemporaries of Mirza Na’ini and those who came after him—endorsed his fatwas and testified to their correctness. Their numbers were not small, and I, too, have had the honor of endorsing them.
He also mentioned the harsh measures taken during the reign of the first Pahlavi king, who had banned public Hussaini ceremonies during Muharram. Despite this, Ayatollah al-Uzma Mirza Na'ini had issued a fatwa allowing the public display of all Hussaini rituals, even if someone died during the ceremonies. Ayatollah al-Uzma Shirazi also referred to the brave efforts made by the people of Basra in Iraq, who held over two thousand public Hussaini ceremonies due to this fatwa.
t is an undeniable truth that Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) was martyred so that Islam could endure. Therefore, no one can oppose Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and his sacred cause unless they lack either faith, reason, or both.
The Pahlavi regime in Iran, Atatürk in Turkey, Yasin al-Hashimi, and later Abdul Karim Qasim in Iraq, followed by the Baathists, all attempted to suppress the mourning ceremonies of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). In doing so, they killed, tortured, and imprisoned many people. The result was that Iraqis migrated across the world, and instead of thousands, millions of mourners of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) emerged globally.
The Holy Quran states:
"Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?" (Surah An-Nisa, 97).
Based on this noble verse, if pressure and restrictions arise in one place, one must migrate elsewhere and uphold the sacred rituals. Over the past fifty years, we have witnessed that whenever limitations and oppression have emerged in Islamic countries, people have moved to non-Islamic countries and established thousands and tens of thousands of sacred rituals in honor of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him).
The cause of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) is like the torrential waters of rain—whenever its flow is obstructed, it finds another path to continue. As the Holy Quran describes:
"He sends down water from the sky, and valleys flow according to their capacity." (Surah Ar-Ra’d, 13:17)
The Grand Ayatollah continued: Yazid ibn Muawiyah, in his arrogance and pride, mocked Lady Zainab (peace be upon her) and said, "Did you see how God kept us alive and killed you?" This ignorant logic has been echoed by all tyrants, past, present, and future.
Lady Zainab (peace be upon her), raised by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), Lady Fatima, and Imam Ali (peace be upon them), and blessed with a prayer from Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), firmly responded by reciting the verse:
"We grant them respite only so they may increase in sin." (Surah Aal-e-Imran, 178).
This same principle applied to Al-Mutawakkil, who ruled for about twenty years and brutally suppressed the rituals of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), punishing and torturing his visitors. What became of him? Is there any trace of his grave today? Those who once praised him as a "friend of God"—can they show you his tomb? No. However, the grave of Harun al-Abbasi is known, but only as a place of curse. Pilgrims of Imam Reza (peace be upon him) have cursed him for generations, which is why his grave has been preserved—to serve as a warning.
Throughout history, those who oppressed the sacred rituals of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) were either disbelievers and oppressors or brainwashed individuals who merely repeated Yazid’s words.
The Grand Ayatollah Shirazi stated: How can we fulfill the command of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) to Abu Hamza Thumali? Each person, according to their ability, must strive to commemorate Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), even if it is by holding a small gathering or attending a mourning ritual alone. No one should betray their covenant with Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), as this would lead to their own destruction in both this world and the hereafter. In the Ziyarat taught by Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) to Abu Hamza Thumali, it is said: "And you are the proof upon the people of the world."
There are various ways to convey this truth to the world, one of which is through satellite channels. Through these media platforms, the lofty goals of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), his oppression, the tragedy of his martyrdom, and the captivity of the daughters of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) can be communicated to the entire world, leaving no room for denial. If this is done correctly, people will accept it, and if someone does not, then at least the proof has been established against them.
We, as Shia Muslims, have the responsibility to create opportunities for this, regardless of age. While youth have more energy, elders provide wisdom, as Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
"I admire the enthusiasm of the youth."
Young people can be more active but must benefit from the experience of the elders. In a previous discussion, it was mentioned that out of the seven billion people in the world, there are twelve thousand satellite channels covering politics, business, culture, news, and entertainment. If Shia Muslims make up at least 10% of the world’s population—though the actual number is higher—there should be at least 1,200 Shia satellite channels. But where do we stand in this equation?
We should learn from non-Muslims and not lag behind. The Quran states:
"If you suffer pain, they too suffer pain as you do, but you have hope in Allah that they do not have." (Surah An-Nisa, 104).
Just as they use media to spread their agendas, whether good or bad, we too must utilize modern platforms to spread the message of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him). This requires two things: financial investment and strong, capable leadership.
The Grand Ayatollah added: Do not think this is difficult or impossible—it is achievable. Last year, a group of young Shia from an Islamic country told me that they established a satellite channel without vast resources, relying only on a long-term, interest-free government loan, and are now working with full dedication.
Today, loans are available worldwide, so just as you borrow for other needs, you should also borrow to promote Imam Hussain’s (peace be upon him) message. Everything done for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) is an eternal investment. If young Shia Muslims do not establish at least one new satellite channel before the next Ashura, it will be a great loss. We must work towards having at least 1,200 channels.
Regarding leadership, there are many Shia seminaries and universities worldwide filled with scholars. We must utilize these intellectual resources for the benefit of Islam. If we do not, then it is our own negligence, which can still be corrected.
To those who question the need for so many satellite channels, we ask: If a city has thousands of doctors, scientists, or scholars, does anyone complain about their increasing numbers? No. The same applies to religious and ethical satellite networks.
Thankfully, throughout history, we have had many qualified religious authorities. My late father, Grand Ayatollah Mirza Mahdi Shirazi, spoke about the great scholar Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Yazdi, who passed away nearly a century ago. When he died, there were ninety new religious treatises published in Najaf alone, excluding other cities and villages with their own scholars. This shows the abundance of high-ranking Shia scholars.
Unfortunately, today, the situation has changed, and there is a risk of a decline in qualified religious scholars unless divine intervention occurs. However, there are still esteemed religious authorities in Iraq, Iran, and elsewhere, and we must benefit from them.
The world must know that Imam Hussain’s (peace be upon him) goal was exactly as he stated:
"I wish to enjoin good, forbid evil, and follow the path of my grandfather Muhammad and my father Ali ibn Abi Talib."
The world must know what the conduct (Sīrah) of the Prophet of God (peace be upon him and his family) and the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) was—conduct for which Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) sacrificed his life to preserve. The Imam of our time (may Allah hasten his reappearance) will also follow the same path of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), which is the path of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him). This is a path of justice and wisdom, one that today’s so-called advanced world has not yet truly witnessed. Whatever economic, political, and other systems exist in the West and the so-called free world are mere reflections of the Sīrah of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), which spread across the world during their brief rule.
During the government of the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him), not a single person was executed for political crimes. In contrast, during the rule of Mu’awiya, Harun, Ma’mun, Mutawakkil, and others, people were executed for such crimes. There were no political prisoners under the leadership of these two great figures, whereas political imprisonment was common under the Umayyads, the Marwanids, the Abbasids, the Ottomans, and continues to exist today.
Shia youth must spread this message and similar truths to the world. Active Husayniyyahs around the globe should establish satellite networks for this purpose and name their channels after the Fourteen Infallibles (peace be upon them) and their closest companions, in contrast to the names chosen for other networks. Examples include Lady Zainab (peace be upon her), the ambassador and first martyr on the path of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), Muslim ibn Aqil, and others.
Satellite networks should also be established in the names of great scholars such as Sheikh Mufid, Sheikh Tusi, Allama and Muhaqqiq Hilli, and Allama Majlisi—who compiled Bihar al-Anwar, a comprehensive cultural encyclopedia of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Likewise, a network should be named after Sayyid Bahr al-Uloom, who, through reasoned argument, converted 3,000 Jewish seminary students in the city of Kifl, Iraq, to Islam and Shi'ism.
Why should there be no networks named after figures like Salman al-Farsi, Hudhayfah, and others? We must recount the lives and struggles of Shia scholars to the world. For example, over a hundred years ago, the late Grand Ayatollah Mirza Sayyid Mohammad Hasan Shirazi (may Allah bless his soul) saved Iran from the grip of British colonialism. If mourning ceremonies in the name of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and the pure members of the Prophet’s family take place in Iran today, it is due to his efforts.
A hundred years ago (1337 AH), Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Mirza Mohammad Taqi Shirazi (may Allah sanctify his soul) issued a fatwa that freed Iraq and its oppressed people from British occupation. Scholars like Mirza Qomi, Wahid Behbahani, the late Sahib al-Jawahir, Sheikh Murtadha Ansari, Kashif al-Ghita, Naraqi the elder, Naraqi the younger, and others, along with the righteous companions of the Imams (peace be upon them) such as Ali ibn Mahziar Ahwazi, were of such great stature that it is only fitting that networks be established in their names. Through such efforts, we can introduce these figures to the world so that people may recognize the great personalities of Shi'ism, such as Ali ibn Mahziar, Zurarah, Hussain ibn Ruh, and others like them.
The Grand Ayatollah concluded: You, the youth, must learn from the experience of elders and take action. If you do not step forward, other Shia youth will—and you will be left with nothing but regret.
May God accept your efforts and grant you success in perpetuating the sacred rituals of Hussain (peace be upon him), he concluded. "And may God's peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure family."
Lecture Original Language Source: https://alshirazi.org/news-item/3882?langs=FA
Machine Translation.
