In a meeting with the Shiites of Burundi, the Secretary General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly said, “You are descendants of Bilal the Abyssinian and Jawn (servant of Imam Hussain). By the grace of God, the life of Muslims in the world is becoming more dignified day by day. With unity, Muslims can achieve valuable things.”
ABWA Official Website – Ayatollah Reza Ramazani, Secretary General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, who visited Burundi at the invitation of the Shiites and Muslims of the country, in a meeting with the Burundian Shiites, was informed about their activities.
“Believers should lay the groundwork for the Age of Advent, and by obeying the orders of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), prepare themselves to serve the Imam,” Ayatollah Ramazani said in this meeting.
“African Muslims love the AhlulBayt (a.s.). In Karbala, a slave named Jawn came to Imam Hussain (a.s.) and fervently said, “I am ready to become a martyr in your way.” Imam replied, “You are free to go and from now on you have no duty.” He spoke beautiful words that convinced Imam Hussain (a.s.) to allow him to go to the battlefield. Also, a source of pride for Africa and its people is that the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) had a slave named Bilal the Abyssinian who was the confidant of the Prophet’s secrets. Bilal had nothing of wealth and power. But he had a great wealth, which was his faith. When he converted to Islam, he was tortured a lot by Mushrekin (polytheists). But he did not give up his faith. The Mushrekin told him that if he denied the Prophet (p.b.u.h), they would release him. But Bilal never accepted such a thing,” Ayatollah Ramazani said.
Addressing the Burundian Shiites, the General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly said, “You are descendants of Bilal the Abyssinian and Jawn (servant of Imam Hussain). By the grace of God, the life of Muslims in the world is becoming more dignified day by day. With unity, Muslims can achieve valuable things.”
“AhlulBayt (a.s.) are the axis of unity. The issue that brings us closer is the love for AhlulBayt (a.s.). God says in the Quran, “قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ” (Say, ‘I do not ask you any reward for it except the love of [my] relatives.’) (Holy Quran, Surah: Ash-Shura, Verse: 23). God told the prophet, “In return for the years of hard work you have done for the people, do not ask them for anything except love for the AhlulBayt (a.s.)”. Today, many Shiites from the lineage of Bilal express their love for AhlulBayt (a.s.),” he continued.
“The love for God is one of divine great blessings. We should be grateful for this blessing. The more we thank God, the more he blesses us. A person came to Imam Sadiq (a.s.) and talked about his poverty. Imam said, “You are not poor but rich.” He said, “O the son of the Prophet (p.b.u.h), I have nothing!” Imam replied, “You have the love for AhlulBayt (a.s.). If you are given a certain amount of money to give up this love, will you do so”?” said the professor of higher levels of the seminary.
“On the Day of Resurrection, this great wealth, that is, the love for AhlulBayt (a.s.), will come to us in the form of the lights of the sun and moon,” he said at the end of his speech.
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The Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly is an international non-governmental organization (INGO) that was established by a group of Shiite elites under the supervision of the great Islamic authority of the Shiites in 1990 to identify, organize, educate and support the followers of Ahl al-Bayt.