On the Occasion of Muharram 1429

It has been narrated from Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (AS) that he said: “Give life to our cause. May Allah have mercy upon he who gives life to our cause.” It was then said to him, “How does one give life to your cause?” The imam said: “He learns our teachings, then he teaches them to people, for if men but knew the greatness of our words they would follow us.”

(Ma’ani al-Akhbar, Sheikh al-Sadooq, pg. 180)

The sacred month of Muharram overlooks us once gain to take us to the Ashura of Imam Hussein ibn Ali (AS) which shook the earth and opened a new page of honor in humanity’s history.

Indeed it was a tragic event that painted history with blood producing generations of sacrifice and struggle that seeks to return honor, magnificence and respect to the Ummah, drawing for it a future based upon freedom and defense of human integrity, and giving direction for the created to the Creator so that he may worship Him, One God, and not associate other entities with Him. The Imams of Ahlul Beyt (AS) preserved in reviving this event, urging, reminding, and promising other rewards, all for the sake of implanting its ideas into the minds and mentalities of all times. Our Ulema have remained steadfast tot heir path in this regard till this very day, while the believers have continued to answer their calls in every age and every place on earth. And although 72 truly free people answered the call of Hussein ibn Fatimah (AS) on the day of Karbala, today the supporters of Hussein are in the millions all shouting “Labayka Ya Hussein,” from east to west, preparing themselves for the hour of Justice, Freedom, and honor under the flag of the grandson of Prophet and Messenger, Sahib al-Zaman al-Hujjar al-Muntadhar al-Mahdi, may our souls be sacrificed at the alter of his feet.

We therefore call upon all the believers, wherever they may be, to revive this event in which the blood of the grandson of the Prophet (PBUH) was spilled on the plain of Karbala, and in which his daughters were dragged from city to city with the heads of the Martyrs erected in front of them. We call upon them to revive this event with the best means and efforts available, with the following kept in mind:

1. The rising of Hussein (AS) is a rising for all humanity and is a bestowal to the entire human race. Imam Hussein (AS) and the Ahlul-bayt (AS) are not confined to one group or school, but rather the message of Hussein is the message of his grandfather the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) whose message was for humaniry.
2. Ashura is a school of beliefs, principles, lessons and concepts. It is, therefore, a must to take from it its lessons and teachings, and stand in the face of attempts to reduce its depth by engaging in secondary issues that drift us away from the Husseini goal.
3. Based upon the statement, “Speak to men according to their level of intellect,” it is important to explain Ashura to people of other groups, schools of thoughts and religions in a way that fits their level of understanding, and not to force upon others our own traditions, even though we love them. All people have their own customs and traditions, good in their point of view, and possibly bad in other people’s point of view.
4. Allocate a special time and place for the youth to bring up different aspects of the day of Ashura that have to with the behavior and stances taken by the youth at Karbala through all available means, the most important being audio-visual, songs, and plays.
5. Uniting our position and word, and preparing for the day of Ashura in a spiritual way. Imam Hussein (AS) would not be pleased with his followers who have gathered to revive his memory and the lessons he taught them, to be divided on the day of his martyrdom, reflecting a weakness in them. Ashura is an element of unity, not disunity.

We ask Allah to grant success to everyone, and to record us all as servants to Islam and Muslims in the book of Abi Abdullah al-Hussein (AS).

IMAM