The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly said, “The Quran, as a scientific miracle of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h), shows us the way and the destination. We need to develop our relationship with the Quran.”
In the last session of his Kharej Fiqh class, stating that the demise of three great Marja in the last year is a great loss, Ayatollah Reza Ramazani, Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, said, “Grand Ayatollah Hakim in Najaf, Grand Ayatollah Safi Golpaygani, and Grand Ayatollah Alavi Gorgani, which was a prominent figure in terms of politeness and morality, and was exemplary in humbleness, passed away last year. The demise of these great figures is a great loss for the seminaries.”
“Last year we also lost Allameh Ayatollah Hassanzadeh Amoli who was a prominent seminary figure too. May God have mercy on all these prominent personalities and reunite them with their saints,” he added.
Mahdaviat and the duties of those who await for Imam Mahdi (a.s.)
Congratulating the birth of Imam Mahdi (a.s.) and expressing hope that everyone will be able to perform his duty during the Occultation of the Imam, the representative of the Assembly of Leadership Experts said, “In the period before the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), preparations must be made, and it is accomplished through self-purification, purification of the community, and comprehensive preparation. Awaiting is a belief that is seen in practice. That is, Awaiting is not just an inner state, and must be seen in practice. The Awaiting must provide a platform for everyone who Awaits, to take positively action. The “Awaiting” period is also the best time for religious scholars to propagate and introduce Islam comprehensively, accurately, and deeply. We must seize this opportunity. We now have the best opportunity to propagate Islam. This is a golden opportunity for us to achieve success.”
An image of the age of Reappearance of the Imam Mahdi (a.s.)
“After the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), human knowledge and intellect will grow fully, and security will be provided comprehensively. Islamic equality will also be achieved,” Ayatollah Ramazani stated, “To develop communication, human emotions need to be developed in the society. Humans need to feel empathy and responsibility for each other and solve each other’s problems. We need to practice these virtues in order for them to reach their highest level in the age of Reappearance.”
Knowledge of the followers of AhlulBayt (a.s.) about the Islam must be deepened
He clarified, “Today, we have this necessity that the religious knowledge of the followers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) be deepened. The AhlulBayt (a.s.) followers’ perception of Islam and beliefs should not be superficial. All aspects of religion must be taught, including individual spirituality, educational, cultural, political, social aspects, and even governance aspect.”
The need to know the audience in propagating Islam
“During the Propagation Days (during the months of Muharram, Safar and Ramadan), not all clergies should stay in Qom. Rather, they need to carry out propagation of Islam properly in their areas, villages, cities, or in the international arena and in different countries. In this regard, it is necessary for the preacher to know his audience correctly and to propagate based on the audience. Our view of the introduction of religion should not be superficial,” added the Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, emphasizing the necessity to strength the motives for propagation.
“Today we are dealing with young people. Therefore, we need to know more about their tastes. We must address the family and women spheres. During the Propagation Days, it is necessary for us to have enough and proper reading for each session of preaching. We also need to have Q&A sessions, and specialized sessions for teens, young adults, and women,” he said.
The importance of cyberspace
“Today society is grown up. A large part of communication and receiving information of people occurs in cyberspace. Therefore, with full supervision we need to introduce religion in a precise, comprehensive, and deep sense in the context of cyberspace,” the seminary professor said.
Quran, the healing prescription
“One of the most important points to be addressed is that people should be acquainted with religious sources, the most important of which is the Quran. We are on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, which is the best opportunity to enjoy the Quran. Our duties towards the Quran are very wide and extensive. Contemplation, thought, and reasoning are more important than merely reciting Quran, and can improve and develop our souls. We must make the Quran our criterion. We must use the Quran as a criterion for measuring our actions. The Quran is the book of life that we must deal with daily, and our behavior, actions, and speech must be in accordance with the Quran,” Ayatollah Ramazani stated, noting that the religious teachings must be manifested in one’s soul practically.
“The Quran shows us not only the way, but also the destination. The most important task of the prophets was to show both the way and the destination to humanity. The Quran, the scientific miracle of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h), shows us both the way and the destination. We need to develop our connection with the Quran,” added the representative of the people of Gilan in the Assembly of Experts.
Nahj al-Balagha, the endless source of Imam Ali’s (a.s.) wisdom
In another part of his speech, emphasizing the need to get out the Nahj al- Balagha from abandonment, he added, “Nahj al- Balagha is the best book containing the experiences of Imam Ali (a.s.) in the topics of governance, ethics, beliefs, etc. This book is abandoned like the Quran, and they need to be gotten out of abandonment, and this requires specialized work. Sahifa Sajjadiyya also needs to be gotten out of abandonment, because it is somehow the encyclopedia of the Shia. Therefore, we must pay more attention to the Quran, Nahj al-Balagha, as well as the Sahifa.
Ethical society-building
Pointing out that the Islamic and human society in today’s conditions needs moral and spiritual development, Ayatollah Ramazani stated, “Society must be ethical, and missionaries must address this sphere in detail. The moral narrations and verses that have mentioned in different spheres and sections, should be re-emphasized. We must revive the forgotten virtues based on religious and Quranic values.
Criticism of Western double standards
In the end, the Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly stated, “If the Islamic countries were united, they would form a huge economic, intellectual, cultural, political and social power that no other power could bully them.”
“In a recent crime, 81 people were executed in Saudi Arabia, 41 of whom Shiite youth. Why were they killed? For what sin they were killed. Did they commit any crime? Did they commit murder? Did they create terror? In today’s world, should not people submit their demands to their government? It (Saudi Arabia) is a country that knows nothing at all about the ballot box and the elections, and it is used by the Western countries like a milking cow and is supported by the Western countries,” Ayatollah Ramazani said, referring to the unprecedented execution of 81 people in a single day in Saudi Arabia.
“The media immediately publishes several thousand news of the Ukraine war every day, but how did they react to the executions in Saudi Arabia? Unfortunately, we face news boycotts and news censorship in these areas,” he added, criticizing the double standards of arrogance and the West in the case of Ukraine and the execution of dozens of people in Saudi Arabia.
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.