With the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan, the esteemed religious authority, Ayatollah Seyyed Sadegh Husseini Shirazi, addresses the teachings and significance of this holy month during the nights of Ramadan. These lectures are broadcasted live through satellite networks and virtual platforms. The following is an excerpt from his speech on the night of the twenty-fourth of Ramadan.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds, and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his pure family.

In the first sermon that Imam Hasan Mojtaba (peace be upon him) delivered after the martyrdom of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), he said, "Indeed, the East and the West have been afflicted; with the martyrdom of Imam Ali (peace be upon him), the East and the West were struck with calamity, tragedy, and affliction."

The martyrdom of that noble Imam affected the vast regions of the Islamic world. It is worth mentioning that during Imam Ali's rule, the geographical expanse under his authority was the largest domain governed by any leader. The people living within his governance lived in peace and tranquility, and according to historical accounts, there was no instance of injustice, oppression, or mistreatment by Imam Ali (peace be upon him) or his representatives towards them.

As long as the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, was managing the Islamic government, there was no instance of crime and bloodshed. However, after his martyrdom and the fall of his caliphate and government into the hands of Muawiyah, the leader of the criminals, all kinds of crimes became common, and problems arose. Murder, burning people alive, burying people alive, beheading people, and burning fields became prevalent and commonplace throughout the Islamic world.

The Occurrence of Famine in Muslim Communities

Let us not forget that the Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, like the Messenger of God, peace be upon him and his family, never engaged in aggressive warfare and was not the initiator of any war. All his wars and battles were defensive. He advised his army not to burn or cut down a tree in the event of victory. In contrast to this noble conduct was the behavior of Muawiyah. In the very year he came to power, he sent people to some cities of Iraq, and in this dispatch, he gave instructions to the dispatched individuals, and they carried it out. He ordered that wherever they conquered, they should set fire to the people's farms, and his order was carried out, which has not been hidden from the eyes of history and is recorded in historical texts.

These actions ultimately led to famine and hunger for the people because it was not possible to provide assistance from other secure cities to famine-stricken areas. As mentioned, these problems and predicaments and famines resulting from the criminal behavior of the claimants to the caliphate have repeatedly occurred in history. Following the creation of famine, many hardships and difficulties were imposed on the people, hundreds and thousands of which have been recorded in history.

During famines, the situation became so dire that if someone was unable, they would be killed and their flesh consumed. It is written in history that a woman was killed and her body was dismembered and eaten in such circumstances. The victimized woman had a sister who was also on the brink of death due to extreme hunger. She cried out, "Give me a piece of my sister's body so that I can survive," but she did not receive anything from her sister's body.

These events and tragedies did not occur in lands of disbelief but rather in Islamic countries under the rule of Muawiyah, Yazid ibn Muawiyah, Marwan, Abdul Malik, Banu al-Abbas, and others who wrongfully claimed to be the leaders of the Islamic government.

Imam Hasan Mojtaba (peace be upon him) was not exaggerating when he said, "Indeed, the East and the West have been afflicted." The truth was exactly as he described it, and this statement can be considered (that can be turned into a book) a book that encompasses all the wrongdoings of these claimants to the caliphate.

Behaviors Dictated by Madness:

It has been recorded in history that one of these self-proclaimed caliphs, if he had a problem with someone, would kill them by striking them in the eyes with a nail. In one incident, a person told him, "Fear God," and this self-proclaimed caliph became furious. He ordered his workers to throw the person on the ground and kill him by beating him, and his workers did exactly that.

On the Other Hand:

It is not mentioned or written anywhere that Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), the Commander of the Faithful, killed or punished anyone in this way. When the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) or Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) sent their troops to defend, they would command them not to burn or cut down any trees. However, Muawiyah had ordered the burning of fields, causing devastation and destruction to lands and cities, resulting in famine, hunger, and ultimately, death for the people. These conditions began and expanded after the passing of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him and his family) and Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).

According to historical accounts, one of those who falsely claimed to be the successor and caliph of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) had a bag full of snakes and scorpions. One day, some people visited him, and in front of his guests, he emptied the bag of snakes and scorpions, scattering the deadly and dangerous creatures. The guests were terrified and frantically fled in all directions, while the caliph watched their reactions and laughed. These individuals, without any merit (in fact, they were quite unworthy), seized the caliphate by force and did as they pleased, all the while calling themselves the caliph and successor of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family).

Let us not forget that, the Prince of Believers (Imam Ali), peace be upon him, has the testimony and the confirmation of the Noble Quran, that he is the soul of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, where it states:

“…Our souls…”.

Holy Qoran, Chapter Number 3, Verse Number 61.

Therefore, Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him, followed the teachings and example of the Noble Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him and his family, and was the true and sincere continuation of his path.

Our Responsibility:

Today, it is our duty to introduce this pure Prophetic and Alawi tradition to everyone and make them familiar with it, so that they can distinguish the true caliphate from the fabricated and false one. This can be achieved entirely through mass communication tools. If we fail to act in this regard, on the Day of Judgment, people will complain and lament before the Almighty God about their ignorance, and they will consider this as the cause of deviation and error in the path, and we will be held responsible.

I hope that in the remaining days of this blessed and auspicious month, individuals who have been successful will become even more successful, and those who have not achieved success will decide to support Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), refrain from betraying him, and put it into practice. And if others have not taken steps or taken action in this path, let us not fall short.

May Allah's blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure family."