In the Name of Allah the Most Compassionate the Most Merciful.
Subject: The Significance of Imamat and Guardianship from the view point of Quran and Traditions and 23 years of Prophet`s efforts about Imamat and Guardianship—Questions and Answers
Question:
My question is about the supplication of Ashura, whether we can curse or not? Imam Khomeini quotes from Ayatollah Shah Abadi, his professor:
“You should not curse people, may they repent before they die”
Answer:
This is nothing but a lie. Imam Khomeini quotes from his professor:
“Don’t curse those about whom infallibles have not ordered to curse”
It is stated in the last page of the book called Mesbah al-Hoda Al-Imamat.
Question:
Is cursing something right in the supplication of Ashura? It is said that it was stated from the time Safavies
Answer:
It is nothing but a lie and accusations made by Safavies. The supplication of Ashura is originated from the time of infallible Imams (AS) . Of course, we have seen the hand-written version, but we couldn’t understand anything. What is really significant for us is that there is an article in Imam Khomeini`s website under the name of Imam Khomeini and the Supplication of Ashura; it says how much Imam Khomeini cared about reading the supplication of Ashura with cursing. If we consider us as the followers of Imam Khomeini, it is not appropriate to simply ignore this issue. The story is the same for the great jurists who read the supplication of Ashura. The founder of the Qom seminary school used to read the supplication of Ahsura on the roof in the time of dawn with cursing and saluting. Remember the story when Imam Mahdi told someone “Why don’t you read Nafele? Why don’t you read Ahsura?” Imam Mahdi was referring to the same Ashura we have now. If you surf Imam Khomeini`s website, you`ll see that how much he liked to read the supplication of Ashura.
The best answer about the supplication of Ashura is the one that I have already told you, to surf Imam Khomeini`s website to see how practically followed the supplication of Ashura in his lifestyle. This is not my personal idea. Today, what Imam Khomeini said is considered as an authentic document. If any of our jurist says that cursing was later on added to the supplication of Ashura, we will accept what he says with open arm. But if someone says anything contrary to what our jurists or Imam Khomeini have said, with all due respect to him, we consider no value to what he says.
Question:
Is there any cursing for individuals and isn’t there any cursing for people as groups?
Answer:
It is as if he is either an unwise man or he is confessing to be. We have plenty of traditions which state that Prophet cursed Moavie, Abusofyan, Marvan and Hakam. Amir-al-Momeneen, in his Ghonut, cursed Moavie and Amro bin-As. I`d like to let you know about some sources to make you sure that this is not my personal sayings:
Imam Ghortibi, in his interpretation v 10 p 286, says:
The tradition is from Aisha. She told Marvan:
و قد قالت عائشة لمروان: لعن الله أباك و أنت في صلبه، فأنت بعض من لعنة الله.
و قالت عائشة لمروان: سمعت رسول الله يقول لأبيك و جدك أبي العاص بن أمية: إنكم الشجرة الملعونة في القرآن.
You can refer to the phrase الشجرة الملعونة (the cursed family) in the verse of Quran; all the interpreters believe that this phrase refers to Bani Ommiad and particularly Abusofyan and Moavie.
Hakim Neishaburi, and others quote:
“Prophet Muhammad saw Moavie and Abusofian, while he was going somewhere, he said:
اللهم العن التابع و المتبوع.
“Prophet cursed the one who was on the camel, the one who was holding the halter, and the one who was behind him, his brother”
Vaghat Safeyn p 217 / Maani Akhbar Sheikh Sadugh, p 345
Mr. Vaez Zade Khorasani, in a magazine called “Seminary School”, said Islam has been expanded by the conquests made by Bani Ommiad. If these are not the Islamic conquests so what is Islam? It is not proper to merely say Quran and Ahl-al-Beit. There are the Sunni traditions alongside Quran and Ahl-al-Beit. He says it is nothing but dogmatism if someone only says Quran and Ahl-al-Beit; and the intellectuality is to say: Quran, Ahl-al-Beit and Practice.
Question:
We all are students of the great scholars and professors. Generally, what shall we do, if two scholars say something quite contradictory?
Answer:
This could be considered as the interesting part of these discussions:
فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ
And those who put away false gods lest they should worship them and turn to Allah in repentance, for them there are glad tidings. Therefor give good tidings (O Muhammad) to My bondmen ( 17 ) Who hear advice and follow the best thereof. Such are those whom Allah guideth, and such are men of understanding.
Surah Zomar, verse 17-18
We should select those statements which are in accordance with Quran,Ahl-al-Beit, practice and what our jurists say. If someone comes up with a tradition alongside with its authentic tradition, you have no option but accepting the authentic statements. It is not appropriate to merely say something without any proofs and spread some slogans. We disagree with holding the cursing ceremonies in the birthday of Fatima Zahra. I have repeatedly said that I have been teaching in the seminary school in Qom, I am the faculty member of international university of Al-al-Beit in which students study from 40 different countries; and I have frequently said insulting Sunnis is an unforgiveable sin, though we have to be careful about preserving our sacred things` dignity. I am used to narrate what late martyr Motahari said in the book Imamat and Leadership, page 17-18:
“We are Shias, we are honored to be the followers of Ahl-al-Beit, and we don’t treat our recommendatory rituals or disapproved things with unity”
I simply assume that`s quite enough.
Question:
Please, explain about the Hadith Kasa.
Answer:
This hadith has been stated in the Mafatih al-Jenah, it does have authentic document and there is no doubt about it; and also something like this has been stated in Sunni sources. I mean it is not as if we can simply omit the supplication of Ashura, Jamat al-Kabire or hadith Kasa, these are our beliefs. Late Ayatollah Khomeini recommended all us to read the books written by late Ayatollah Motahari. What late Ayatollah Khomeini, our supreme leader, and late Ayatollah Motahari said is considered as our criterion. They are our models and the symbols of Ahl-al-Beit`s culture. We really care about what they say; and we accept those statements which are in accordance with what they say; and if they are not, with all due respect, we consider no value for them.
Question:
Please let us know that how shall we inform people about Wahhabis.
Answer:
We have already explained this issue in our websites. We have to active websites about this issue: Valiasr and Wahhabi. We have a department about criticizing Wahhabis; we even broadcast the Wahhabi`s murders that how they murdered young Shias with gunshots and how the beheaded them like animals under the name of Islam. We have the video clips. You can call our institute and we send you the CDs. Getting familiar with the Wahhabi founders, the Wahhabi school of thought, Wahhabis from the view point of Quran and the practice, our strategies against Wahhabi`s invasion and responding to the Wahhabi doubts are among our website parts.
There is also a part under the name of “Calling us” in which you can pose you question or your doubts. We, monthly, have more than 170 thousand viewers. We try to respond to questions related to Shias and Ahl-al-Beits. We refer the Islamic ruling questions to the other departments.
Question:
What shall we do with those who ask questions in the schools?
Answer:
We are living in a world where, as late martyr Motahari said, we are confronting with many doubts. May god rest his soul in peace; even if he lived shortly after the revolution, he, in the book called Islamic Revolution, says:
“Since the government of Islamic Republic of Iran is based on Shias` culture, it will soon cross the boundaries and get to the all parts of the world and it will instead confront with flood of doubts. I recommend all the seminary schools and seminary students and professors to work ten times harder than before and prepare them to respond to the doubts.”
I have been received the statistics about the anti-Shias books by the Al-Abhas Al-Aghaedia. 75 percent of them have written after the Islamic Revolution`s victory. It means that during the 28 years, three times more than 14 centuries, they have written books against Shias. There are now 40 thousand Wahhabi websites which are posing doubts against Shias.
Today, Saudi Arabia supports Wahhabis, because they were their founders. Last year, they allotted 34 percent of their budget for advertising the Wahhabis; they have plenty of branches all over the world.
In a discussion we had with Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani, we told him that some of the jurists wanted to issue a verdict that if they continue advertising against Shias, we stop sending people for Haj. He said they have lot of money that they don’t need ours. They are truly wealthy that nothing would happen for them if pilgrims don’t purchase anything from them.
Question:
Please let us know about relationship among Wahhabis, Zionism and global arrogance.
Answer:
They, the English counselors, in 1157 Hejira, established the first Wahhabi governments in Saudi Arabia. As the matter of fact, Wahhabi is the English colonial phenomenon. But America deceived England and now Wahhabi is truly for America. Israel is one the American state and it is not separate from them.
Today, Wahhabis implement the devilish plans of America and Zionist Regime. Dr. Huntington, the great white house theorist and author of the book “Clash of Civilizations”, in his speech, said:
“The most hazardous danger for America is the Iran-led Shias` culture. We have to destroy the Iran-led Shias` culture in Middle East, if we are going to spread American liberalist culture.”
Dr. Michel, the former deputy in CIA, in his interview which we uploaded in our website, said:
“Today, the danger which threatens America and Zionist Regime is Shias. The best strategy to destroy or weaken the Shias` culture is to provoke the anti-Shias groups to accuse Shias of being as apostates and polytheists”
The most tangible example could be the 33-day war between Israel and Hezbollah.
In the battle of Israel against Syria, Jordan and Egypt in 1974, they couldn’t stand against Israel and Israel overpowered them; and now the mountains of Jolan and Sina desert is under their territory for more than 40 years. But when they fought with Hezbollah for 33 days, they couldn’t occupy even a small piece of land in Lebanon. Today, Sayyed Hassan Nasrollah is considered as the national hero. The Saudi Muftis, Sheikh Abdullah Bin-Jibrin, the second Saudi top figure, Sheikh Abdul Al-Rahman Al-Beraj said that any type of supports for Hezbollah is Haram. Two weeks ago, the Saudi foreign minister had a meeting with Israeli prime minister and demanded Israel to attack to Lebanon and try to annihilate Hezbollah; and told them that Saudi Arabia would pay the cost of war. This issue is stated in the news wbesites.
Peace and the blessings of God be upon you!
Dr. Sayyed Muhammad Hussain Ghazvini
