[03 Nov 2013] Leader: Nuclear program just an excuse for US enmity...
The Leader of Iran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Islamic Revolution says the country\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s nuclear program is just an excuse for the United States to...
The Leader of Iran\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s Islamic Revolution says the country\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s nuclear program is just an excuse for the United States to continue its enmity toward the Iranian nation.
Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei referred to the history of US hostility toward the Iranian nation. He said that the US officials had targeted Iran with various forms of plots, campaigns and schemes, before the nuclear issue even existed. The Leader rejected as simplistic or ill-intended those statements made by some elements who claim that if Iran gives up its nuclear rights, all economic and other problems facing the country will be resolved overnight. Ayatollah Khamenei defended the Iranian negotiating team against internal criticism. He said the Iranian negotiators-- who have held talks with the UN Security Council\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s permanent members plus Germany, are shouldering a tough responsibility. The Leader however reiterated his skepticism of US intentions, saying a smiling enemy cannot be trusted.
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What is the first step toward God? | Agha Ali Reza Panhiyan | Farsi Sub...
Even if you move slowly toward God, Heâll run toward you.
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Even if you move slowly toward God, Heâll run toward you.
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The truth is that God hasnât asked that much from us. Have you heard, âTake a step and God will send His blessingsâ? Have you heard the tradition, âTake one step toward God, and God will take ten steps toward youâ? Have you heard this tradition that when you move slowly toward God, Heâll run toward you? What is the first step we should take?
God embraces a person who is aware of his or her own faults. He caresses them very much! He is incredibly kind to them! This is to such an extent that even if you feel you donât have any faults, just tell God that you do. Then see how God will embrace you. Nonetheless, it is impossible that a person has no flaws. But even if one is not aware of his faults, he should tell God, âGod, in general I have flaws. But Iâm not aware of my flaws.â
One should say, âAl-Afw (forgive me)â 300 times in his midnight prayer. The Holy Prophet (s) advised us to ask for Godâs forgiveness at least 70 times a day. God hasnât asked that much from us. Have you heard, âTake a step and God will send His blessingsâ? Have you heard the tradition, âTake one step toward God, and God will take ten steps toward youâ? Have you heard this tradition that when you move slowly toward God, Heâll run toward you?
What is the first step we should take? We should know our own fault. This is half a step or sometimes one complete step. Then God will help you eliminate this defect. Heâll design the rest of your life in such a way that you are corrected. After that, you shouldnât think you did something special in confronting your will and purifying yourself. When you look, youâll see that God has made the rest possible.
This is how it truly is. God arranges the rest so that you can eliminate that flaw. In some cases, He corrects you right away. He doesnât bother you and allow it to take much time. God becomes very happy! [According to the traditions,] God says, âWhen a sinner turns back to Me, itâs as if Iâve found something Iâd lost. When a sinner turns back to Me, like a person who has lost his food and water in a desert and is perishing, then he suddenly finds them, I become happy in this way.â
We are that sinner! When we recognize we have a sin, God becomes happy as if He has found something Heâd lost. Itâs as if God was perishing due to His thirst, then He found water. Itâs as if God becomes excited! Of course, these are our inaccurate interpretations. But this analogy has been mentioned in the traditions. We should become excited if we find a defect in ourselves. So letâs search within ourselves to find our defects.
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No change in Cairos policies toward Palestine - 02Apr2011 - English
Egyptian authorities are preventing a big supply of cement from entering the Gaza strip. The coalition for the Lifting of Gaza Siege says the move...
Egyptian authorities are preventing a big supply of cement from entering the Gaza strip. The coalition for the Lifting of Gaza Siege says the move indicates that the Egyptian Revolution has done nothing to change Cairo's policies toward Palestine.
Press TV's Hassan Alkatib reports from Cairo.
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[24 June 2012] Morsi Wins Presidency - News Analysis - English
[24 June 2012] Morsi Wins Presidency - News Analysis - English
Egypt sees its first civilian president elected through a freely-contested poll....
[24 June 2012] Morsi Wins Presidency - News Analysis - English
Egypt sees its first civilian president elected through a freely-contested poll. More than a year since they staged the revolution that sparked a chain reaction across the Arab world, Egyptians are taking their first step toward change.
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[20 July 2012] Myanmar rights tragedy like Palestine Allen Roland - English
[20 July 2012] Myanmar rights tragedy like Palestine Allen Roland - English
An analyst says the sanctioned ethnic cleansing of the Muslim minority...
[20 July 2012] Myanmar rights tragedy like Palestine Allen Roland - English
An analyst says the sanctioned ethnic cleansing of the Muslim minority in Myanmar by the country's government is akin to the human rights abuses carried out by Israel toward the Palestinians.
Interview with Allen Roland, online columnist, California. â
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[06 Dec 2013] P5 1 talks with Iran cause of policy shift toward Syria:...
The Syrian army has been recently re-taking parts of Damascus from the hands of foreign-backed militants. We discussed that with retired army...
The Syrian army has been recently re-taking parts of Damascus from the hands of foreign-backed militants. We discussed that with retired army general Elias Hanna.
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[10 Dec 2013] Syria army advances toward the town of Yabrud - English
Syrian forces are pushing ahead with military operations to clear insurgents from Damascus suburbs.
Fighting is now underway near the town of...
Syrian forces are pushing ahead with military operations to clear insurgents from Damascus suburbs.
Fighting is now underway near the town of Yabroud north of Damascus. The town in the Qalamoun region is located near Nabek which was recaptured by government troops yesterday. They took over Nabek after seizing a key nearby highway.
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See Godâs kindness toward His servants | Agha Ali Reza Panahiyan |...
âCan anything else be a response to a favor but a favor?â [Qurâan 55:60]
See Godâs kindness toward His servants | Agha AliReza Panahiyan...
âCan anything else be a response to a favor but a favor?â [Qurâan 55:60]
See Godâs kindness toward His servants | Agha AliReza Panahiyan
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We are not supposed to abandon any of our needs, and besides our needs, any of our interests. We are supposed to increase ourselves each moment. We are not supposed to forget ourselves. Forgetting oneself is in fact a divine punishment. âThose who forget about God, He will make them forget themselves.â [Qurâan 59:19] Since they forgot God, God does something that they forget themselves too. When you look at a sinner, you see that he has forgotten himself, what benefits him and his enjoyments.
Each sin means you have forgotten and abandoned your own interests, enjoyments, likings and entertainments. Seeking benefits is not bad, but which kinds of benefits? Your small benefits or the great, lasting benefits? In fact, doing any good action is a kind of being self-seeking! But itâs a good way of being self-seeking and not bad. When is self-seeking bad? If you want your own benefits and others to sacrifice for you, this is wrong.
When is self-seeking good? Itâs when you seek your own benefits by sacrificing for others. In the end, youâre seeking good for yourself! By sacrificing for others, youâre seeking good for yourself. This is a correct way of being self-seeking. [You may ask,] âI thought if I forget myself and my benefits, God will reward me. Now youâre telling me to be self-seeking?! Why should God love me if I am self-seeking?â If I want to give you a nice answer, Iâll tell you, âYou donât understand. You donât understand that God loves us more than our mothers do.â
When we are self-seeking and are successful, the first one who rewards us is God Himself. When a child gets accepted for entering the university, his mother sheds tears of joy. âMother, you havenât been accepted. Heâs been accepted.â She says, âYes, heâs my child. Heâs dear to me. His success is my success.â âMother, you wonât be given anything. Heâll leave. She/he will get married and leave.â She answers, âThatâs my child! I love to see his/her success.â
How does one get close to God? When you seek benefits for yourself, since God loves you very much, He gets happy and rewards you with Heaven. âGood job!â âWhy do You reward me with Heaven? This was to my own benefit!â Shall I tell you the answer for you to be greatly affected by Godâs intense magnanimity and affection?
God says, âI have created a creature by the name of âhuman being,â and you have respected him. So I thank you. You have done Me a favor.â Where in the Qurâan does it say, âYou have done Me a favor and I want to thank youâ? Tell me the verse in the Qurâan.
Itâs truly effective. âIâve done You a favor?!â âYes.â âCan anything else be a response to a favor but a favor?â [Qurâan 55:60] âYouâve done Me a favor, and I want to do you a favor.â âGod, Iâve done You a favor?!â âYes, you didnât waste what I created. You did Me a favor as much as you could, and I will do you a favor as much as I can. You were able to do Me a favor this much. How much am I able to do you a favor? Iâll give you Heaven for an eternity.â
Each sin means you have forgotten and abandoned your own interests, enjoyments, likings and entertainments. When you seek benefits for yourself, since God loves you very much, He gets happy and rewards you with Heaven. âGood job!â
4m:22s
474
From where should we start to reach our goal | Agha Alireza Panahiyan |...
Religiosity starts from this point.
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Religiosity starts from this point.
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We want to reach the goal that God has created us for. What should we do? From where should we start?
One starting point is choosing your goal well. Moving forward, having the insight to have a program to move forward and having enthusiasm to reach the destination, are very dependent on our seeing the goal. Whenever you see your heart feels cold, whenever you see you donât have that needed speed and eagerness, whenever you see you canât find the way and donât know what you should do, know that your connection with your goal has become weak.
For each deed you should have the intention of getting close to God. When you say, âTo get close to God,â youâre saying your goal. Mention your goal, then take action. Mention your goal, then take action. Doing good deeds and worshiping without mentioning the goal is useless. Interestingly you must keep repeating this. If you prayed but didnât have the intention of getting close to God, you have to pray again. It was useless.
Having a goal is this important! This doesnât mean just saying you believe and then thinking that now youâre a believer. You should keep remembering this goal and being concerned with it for each act. You should take action because of it. You want to chat with your friend or you want to rest. You want to get up at dawn. You want to go to work tomorrow. You should say it. You should repeat it in your heart. âIâm doing these for that goal.â You should repeat this.
How many actions do you do every day? Can you count the actions you do in your day? âI go to work.â Before going to work, you do one hundred other things too. One is that you get dressed. Letâs talk about getting dressed. We donât count it as an activity. What is your intention for wearing these clothes? âIâm just wearing clothes. I canât go without clothes! I have to wear clothes.â âWhy are you wearing these clothes?â âIâve bought them to wear them!â A tradition says that if you wear clothes to attract peopleâs attention, God wonât look at you as long as youâre wearing those clothes. âBut this was the most normal act. This was my everyday coat!â What was your intention today for wearing this normal, everyday coat?â
This is how religion trains us. Religiosity starts from this point. âA person wears clothes to attract peopleâs attention. Do I have to look ugly? Should I wear a sack?!â No, but why do you want to attract peopleâs attention? Because of God or because of yourself? âJust forget it! You look at my intentions in too much detail!â Itâs fine if you look proper to others. Itâs good that you bought good clothes. Whether your clothes are normal, average or good, say, âGod, I want to look good because of You.â
[One says,] âBut I donât remember to do this!â If you donât pay attention to this, you wonât move toward your goal! Youâll also lose the opportunities you have. Then you will wonder why you donât move forward. Itâs because youâre not in a hurry and donât feel a pressing need. Because of God! After putting on your clothes, wonât you say goodbye before you go out? Why do you want to say goodbye? âBut we always say goodbye! Can I just make the intention that from now on whenever I say goodbye itâs for the sake of God?â
Why do you want to take a step toward your goal just once? You donât want to put effort to move toward your goal again? Youâve become tired of your goal!? Is this repetition bothering you? One time forever? Maybe you want a computer to do it for you?! So you donât want to become close to God at all. Go live your life.
A person who has a strong connection with his goal will remember it each time. Now that God has made it so simple and you can move toward God with your simple deeds, why donât you do it? Youâre announcing to others, âPeople, I know God. This God is boring for you to want to remember Him all the time. So donât come toward Him. My life is boring too. Donât make your life boring.â Is this what you want to announce? You havenât gone toward God yourself and now you want to prevent others as well?
One should pay attention to his goal very much. And one should have a constant connection with his goal. Whenever you see your heart feels cold, whenever you see you donât have that needed speed and eagerness, whenever you see you canât find the way and donât know what you should do, know that your connection with your goal has weakened. A person who has a strong connection with his goal will remember it each time.
For all your deeds, you should have the intention of getting close to God. âGetting close to Godâ means saying our goal. Doing good deeds and worshiping without mentioning the goal is useless. Religiosity starts from this point.
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1428
Miniature Earth - English
Friends, let this not come as a surprise to you. This is the reality we are living in where it is âestimated that one billion people in the world...
Friends, let this not come as a surprise to you. This is the reality we are living in where it is âestimated that one billion people in the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition. Thatâs roughly 100 times as many as those who actually die from these causes each year. About 24,000 people die every day from hunger or hunger related causes⊠Three-fourths of the deaths are children under the age of five.â
--HOW YOU CAN HELP --
Donât waste natural resources. Be thankful to God for His gifts and blessings. Be mindful of your responsibility toward other human beings. Think about what the Prophet (saws) would do. Have mercy and compassion toward all humankind. Next time you spend money on those unnecessary luxuries of your life, think for a moment about the plight of the poor and oppressed around the world. Be aware of the materialistic forces and the contradictions of the dominant economic systems that are at the roots of global inequality. Donât become a part of this system. Donât become a slave of consumerism and endless materialistic competition.
Understand that it is not enough to just keep yourself from engaging in consumerism. It's not always easy to protect yourself and your family against the multi-billion dollar industry of marketing. Join forces with other like-minded people. Strengthen your communities that can serve as a buffer against corporations. Engage in collective action. Transform people's consciousness and hyper-consumeristic lifestyles. Among other things, join a local organization that is working against subtle forms of oppression, like hunger, poverty, illiteracy, domestic violence, anorexia and bulimia, perfect body images, and endless materialistic competition. If there isnât any, start one today!
For ideas, you can look into doing online activism. Check out moveon.orgâs work. Some online organizations also invite web surfers to click on their sites regularly. They say every click earns them revenue to support their causes. The Hunger Site is an example. Some may also invite you to buy their T-shirts and other souvenirs. I guess, you can buy these items if you think they can help spread the word and encourage people to join a good cause. But, in general, more shopping and more consumption cannot be a solution to human suffering. Selling consumers to products through clicks or ads is exactly what we need to shun. Because that feeds into the same loop of consumerism. My suggestion: Donate directly! And, encourage others to do the same!
Lastly, remember the advice Imam Ali gave in his Last Will:
âMy advice to you is to be conscious of Allah and steadfast in your religion. Do not yearn for the world, and do not be seduced by it. Do not resent anything you have missed in it. Proclaim the truth; work for the next world. Oppose the oppressor and support the oppressed.â
Become a friend and supporter of oppressed people and an enemy of oppressors and all forms of oppression."
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** Iran Today ** Summary of News for Events in Iran - English
After his reelection as Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad extends an invitation to his American counterpart Barack Obama for a debate before the...
After his reelection as Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad extends an invitation to his American counterpart Barack Obama for a debate before the eyes of the world.
Addressing Iranian heads of medical universities on Saturday, President Ahmadinejad offered to debate President Obama at the United Nations headquarters in New York before the eyes of all nations of the world.
President Ahmadinejad had previously urged a debate with former US president George W. Bush.
The Iranian president wrote an 18-page letter to President Bush in 2006 that touched on religious values, history and international relations. The letter was viewed as an offer extended to the United States for dialogue.
However, the Iranian official's letter never received an answer from the former US president.
Under the former US president, Washington pursued a carrot-and-stick policy toward Tehran over its nuclear program and by setting preconditions, snubbed calls by President Ahmadinejad for talks on the long-standing dispute.
Meanwhile President Obama has adopted a new tone for engaging Tehran, drawing a sharp line between his foreign policies regarding Iran and that of his predecessor.
The call for talks come as earlier in February, Ahmadinejad expressed willingness for dialogue but stressed that negotiations should be held "in a climate of fairness with mutual respect."
Earlier in May a report by the Israeli daily Haaretz said the United States had set October as its deadline for engaging Iran in the first round of talks over the country's nuclear activities.
The report quoted the special US envoy on Iran, Dennis Ross, as saying that "unless the US sees a change in Iran's position on its nuclear program, Washington's stance toward Tehran will stiffen at that time."
An Iranian lawyer has said that his client Hossein Rassam, a British Embassy staffer who remains detained over recent unrest, has been accused of "acting against national security."
Lawyer Abdol-Samad Khorramshahi told AFP on Saturday that he was seeking permission to see his client, saying, "I have not met with him yet, but I will ask the judiciary for an appointment."
"I was told by a close relative that he is accused of acting against national security,â he added.
Iran became the scene of violence in recent weeks amidst rallies staged in protest at the outcome of the June 12 presidential election -- which saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad elected for a second term in office.
After warning other countries against interfering in its internal affairs, the Tehran government arrested nine Iranian nationals working at the British Embassy and said that these people had played a role in encouraging the post-election violence.
The British government said that seven of those arrested in Tehran have been released. However, Iranian state television has said that just one of them remains in detention.
In a statement on Friday, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he was "urgently seeking clarification" from Iranian officials, dismissing allegations that the staffers were involved in any illegal act.
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[ENGLISH e-Book] Al-Ghadir and its Relevance to ISLAMIC UNITY by Shaheed...
Message of Thaqalayn
\"Al-Ghadir\" and its Relevance to Islamic Unity
________________________________________
Ayatullah Murtaza...
Message of Thaqalayn
\"Al-Ghadir\" and its Relevance to Islamic Unity
________________________________________
Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari
Translated by Mojgan Jalali
Vol. 3, No. 1 and 2 (1417 AH/1996 CE)
The distinguished book entitled \"al-Ghadir\" has raised a huge wave in the world of Islam. Islamic thinkers shed light on the book in different perspectives; in literature, history, theology, tradition, tafsir, and sociology. From the social perspective we can deal with the Islamic unity. In this review the Islamic unity has been dealt with from a social point of view.
Contemporary Muslim thinkers and reformists are of the view that unity and solidarity of Muslims are the most imperative Islamic exigencies at the present juncture when the enemies have made extensive inroads upon the Islamic community and have tried to resort to different ways and means to spread the old differences and create new ones. We are aware that Islamic unity and fraternity is the focus of attention of the Holy Legislator of Islam and is actually the major objective pursued by this Divine religion as firmed by the Qur\'an, the \"Sunnah\", and the history of Islam.
For this reason, some people have been faced with this question: Wouldn\'t the compilation and publication of a book such as \"al-Ghadir\" which deals with the oldest issue of differences among the Muslims- create a barrier in the way of the sublime and lofty objective of the Islamic unity?
To answer this question, it is necessary first to elucidate the essence of this issue, that is, the Islamic unity, and then proceed to examine the role of the magnum opus entitled \"al-Ghadir\"and its eminent compiler \'Allamah Amini in bringing about Islamic unity.
Islamic Unity
What is meant by the Islamic unity? Does it mean that one Islamic school of thought should be unanimously followed and others be set aside? Or does it mean that the commonalties of all Islamic schools of thought should be taken up and their differences be put away to make up a new denomination which is not completely the same as the previous ones? Or does it mean that Islamic unity is in no way related to the unity of the different schools of Fiqh (jurisprudence) but signifies the unity of the Muslims and the unity of the followers of different schools of Fiqh, with their different religious ideas and views, vis-a-vis the aliens?
To give an illogical and impractical meaning to the issue of the Islamic unity, the opponents of the issue have called it to be the formation of a single Madhhab, so as to defeat it in the very first step. Without doubt, by the term Islamic unity, the intellectual Islamic \'Ulama\' (scholars) do not mean that all denominations should give in to one denomination or that the commonalties should be taken up and the different views and ideas be set aside, as these are neither rational and logical nor favorable and practical. By the Islamic unity these scholars mean that all Muslims should unite in one line against their common enemies.
These scholars slate that Muslims have many things in common, which can serve as the foundations of a firm unity. All Muslims worship the One Almighty and believe in the Prophethood of the Holy Prophet (s). The Qur\'an is the Book of all Muslims and Ka\'abah is their \"qiblah\" (direction of prayer). They go to\"hajj\" pilgrimage with each other and perform the \"hajj\" rites and rituals like one another. They say the daily prayers and fast like each other. They establish families and engage in transactions like one another. They have similar ways of bringing up their children and burying their dead. Apart from minor affairs, they share similarities in all the aforementioned cases. Muslims also share one kind of world view, one common culture, and one grand, glorious, and long-standing civilization.
Unity in the world view, in culture, in the civilization, in insight and disposition, in religious beliefs, in acts of worship and prayers, in social rites and customs can well turn the Muslim into a unified nation to serve as a massive and dominant power before which the big global powers would have to bow down. This is especially true in view of the stress laid by Islam on this principle. According to the explicit wording of the Qur\'an, the Muslims are brothers, and special rights and duties link them together. So, why shouldn\'t the Muslims use all these extensive facilities accorded to them as the blessing of Islam?
This group of \'Ulama\' are of the view that there is no need for the Muslims to make any compromise on the primary or secondary principles of their religion for the sake of Islamic unity. Also it is not necessary for the Muslims to avoid engaging in discussions and reasons and writing books on primary and secondary principles about which they have differences. The only consideration for Islamic unity in this case is that the Muslims- in order to avoid the emergence or accentuation of vengeance - preserve their possession, avoid insulting and accusing each other and uttering fabrications, abandon ridiculing the logic of one another, and finally abstain from hurting one another and going beyond the borders of logic and reasoning. In fact, they should, at least, observe the limits which Islam has set forth for inviting non-Muslims to embrace it:
\"Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation, and have disputations with them in the best manner... \"(16: 125)
Some people are of the view that those schools of fiqh, such as, Shafi\'i and Hanafi which have no differences in principle should establish brotherhood and stand in one line. They believe that denominations which have differences in the principles can in no way be brothers. This group view the religious principles as an interconnected set as termed by scholars of Usul, as an interrelated and interdependent set; any damage to one principle harms all principles.
As a result, those who believe in this principle are of the view that when, for instance, the principle of \"imamah\" is damaged and victimized, unity and fraternity will bear no meaning and for this reason the Shi\'ah and the Sunnis cannot shake hands as two Muslim brothers and be in the same rank, no matter who their enemy is.
The first group answers this group by saying: \"There is no reason for us to consider the principles as an interrelated set and follow the principle of \"all or none\". Imam \'Ali (\'a) chose a very logical and reasonable approach. He left no stone unturned to retrieve his right. He used everything within his power to restore the principle of \"imamah\", but he never adhered to the motto of \"all or none\". \'Ali (\'a) did not rise up for his right, and that was not compulsory. On the contrary, it was a calculated and chosen approach. He did not fear death. Why didn\'t he rise up? There could have been nothing above martyrdom. Being killed for the cause of the Almighty was his ultimate desire. He was more intimate with martyrdom than a child is with his mother\'s breast. But in his sound calculations, Imam \'All (\'a) had reached the conclusion that under the existing conditions it was to the interest of Islam to foster collaboration and cooperation among the Muslims and give up revolt. He repeatedly stressed this point.
In one of his letters (No.62 \"Nahj al Balaghah\") to Malik al-Ashtar, he wrote the following:
\"First I pulled back my hand until I realized that a group of people converted from Islam and invited the people toward annihilating the religion of Muhammad(s). So I feared that if I did not rush to help Islam and the Muslims, I would see gaps or destruction which calamity would be far worse than the several-day-long demise of caliphate.\"
In the six-man council, after appointment of \'Uthman by \'Abdul-Rahman ibn \'Awf, \'Ali (\'a) set forth his objection as well as his readiness for collaboration as follows:\"
You well know that I am more deserving than others for caliphate. But now by Allah, so long as the affairs of the Muslims are in order and my rivals suffice with setting me aside and only I am alone subjected to oppression, I will not oppose (the move) and will give in (to it).\" (From Sermon 72, \"Nahj al- Balaghah\").
These indicate that in this issue \'Ali (\'a) condemned the principle of \"all or none\". There is no need to further elaborate the approach taken by \'Ali (\'a) toward this issue. There are ample historical proofs and reasons in this regard.
\'Allamah Amini
Now it is time to see to which group the eminent \'Allamah, Ayatullah Amini - the distinguished compiler of the \"al-Ghadir\" - belonged and how he thought. Did he approve of the unity of the Muslims only within the light of Shi\'ism? Or did he consider Islamic fraternity to be broader? Did he believe that Islam which is embraced by uttering the \"shahadatayn\" (the Muslim creed) would willy-nilly create some rights for the Muslims and that the brotherhood and fraternity set forth in the Qur\'an exists among all Muslims?
\'Allamah Amini personally considered this point - i.e. the need to elucidate his viewpoint on this subject and elaborate whether\"al-Ghadir\" has a positive or a negative role in (the establishment of) Islamic unity. In order not to be subject to abuse by his opponent - be they among the pros and cons - he has repeatedly explained and elucidated his views.
\'Allamah Amini supported Islamic unity and viewed an open mind and clear insight. On different occasions, he set forth this matter in various volumes of the \"al-Ghadir\'. Reference will be made to some of them below:
In the preface to volume I, he briefly mentions the role of \"al-Ghadir\" in the world of Islam. He states: \"And we consider all this as service to religion, sublimation of the word of the truth, and restoration of the Islamic \'ummah\' (community).\"
In volume 3 (page 77), after quoting the fabrications of Ibn Taymiyah, Alusi, and Qasimi to the effect that Shi \'ism is hostile to some of the Ahl al-Bayt (the Household of the Prophet) such as Zayd bin \'Ali bin al-Huseyn, he notes the following under the title of \"Criticism and Correction\":
\"These fabrications and accusations sow the seeds of corruption, stir hostilities among the \'ummah\',create discord among the Islamic community, divide the \'ummah\', and clash with the public interests of the Muslims.
Again in volume 3 (page 268), he quotes the accusation leveled on the Shi\'ahs by Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Rida to the effect that \"Shi\'ahs are pleased with any defeat incurred by Muslims, so much as they celebrated the victory of the Russians over the Muslims.\" Then he says:
\"These falsehoods are fabricated by persons like Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Rida. The Shi\'ahs of Iran and Iraq against whom this accusation is leveled, as well as the orientalists, tourists, envoys of Islamic countries, and those who traveled and still travel to Iran and Iraq, have no information about this trend. Shi\'ahs, without exception, respect the lives, blood, reputation, and property of the Muslims be they Shi\'ahs or Sunnis. Whenever a calamity has befallen the Islamic community anywhere, in any region, and for any sects, the Shi\'ahs have shared their sorrow. The Shi\'ahs have never been confined to the Shi\'ah world, the (concept of) Islamic brotherhood which has been set forth in the Qur\'an and the \'sunnah\'(the Prophet\'s sayings and actions), and in this respect, no discrimination has been made between the Shi\'ahs and the Sunnis.\"
Also at the close of volume 3, he criticizes several books penned by the ancients such as \"Iqd al-Farid\" by Ibn Abd al-Rabbih, \"al-Intisar\" by Abu al-Husayn Khayyat al-Mu\'tazili,\"al Farq bayn al-Firaq\" by Abu Mansur al-Baghdadi, \"al-Fasl\" by Ibn Hazm al-Andulusi, \"al-Milal wa al-Nihal\" by Muhammad ibn Abdul-Karim al-Shahristani \"Minhaj al-Sunnah\" by Ibn Taymiah and \"al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah\"by Ibn Kathir and several by the later writers such as \"Tarikh al-Umam al-Islamiyyah\" by Shaykh Muhammad Khizri, \"Fajr al Islam\" by Ahmad Amin, \"al-Jawlat fi Rubu al-Sharq al-Adna\" by Muhammad Thabit al-Mesri, \"al-Sira Bayn al-Islam wa al-Wathaniyah\" by Qasimi, and \"al- Washi\'ah\" by Musa Jarallah. Then he states the following:
\"By quoting and criticizing these books, we aim at warning and awakening the Islamic \'ummah\' (to the fact) that these books create the greatest danger for the Islamic community, they destabilize the Islamic unity and scatter the Muslim lines. In fact nothing can disrupt the ranks of the Muslims, destroy their unity, and tear their Islamic fraternity more severely than these books.\"
\'Allamah Amini, in the preface to volume 5, under title of\"Nazariyah Karimah\" on the occasion of a plaque of honor forwarded from Egypt for \"al-Ghadir\", clearly sets forth his view on this issue and leaves no room for any doubt. He remarks:
\"People are free to express views and ideas on religion. These (views and ideas) will never tear apart the bond of Islamic brotherhood to which the holy Qur\'an has referred by stating that \'surely the believers are brethren\'; even though academic discussion and theological and religious debates reach a peak. This has been the style of the predecessors, and of the \'sahaba\' and the\'tabi\'un\', at the head of them.
\"Notwithstanding all the differences that we have in the primary and secondary principles, we, the compilers and writers in nooks and corners of the world of Islam, share a common point and that is belief in the Almighty and His Prophet. A single spirit and one (form of) sentiment exists in all our bodies, and that is the spirit of Islam and the term\'ikhlas,\"
\"We, the Muslim compilers, all live under the banner of truth and carry out our duties under the guidance of the Qur\'an and the Prophetic Mission of the Holy Prophet (s). The message of all of us is \'Surely the (true) religion with Allah is Islam ... (3:18)\' and the slogan of all of us is \'There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.\' Indeed, we are (the members of) the party of Allah and the supporters of his religion.
In the preface to volume 8, under the title of \"al-Ghadir Yowahhad al-Sufuf fil-Mila al-Islami\", \'Allamah Amini directly makes researches into the role of \"Al- Ghadir\" in (the establishment of) Islamic unity. In this discussion, this great scholar categorically rejects the accusations leveled by those who said: \'Al-Ghadir\' causes greater discord among the Muslims. He proves that, on the contrary, \"Al-Ghadir\"removes many misunderstandings and brings the Muslims closer to one another. Then he brings evidence by mentioning the confessions of the non-Shi\'i Islamic scholars. At the close, he quotes the letter of Shaykh Muhammad Saeed Dahduh written in this connection.
To avoid prolongation of this article, we will not quote and translate the entire statements of \'Allamah Amini in explaining the positive role of \"al-Ghadir\" in (establishing) Islamic unity, since what has already been mentioned sufficiently proves this fact.
The positive role of \"al-Ghadir\" is established by the facts that it firstly clarifies the proven logic of the Shi\'ahs and proves that the inclination of Muslims to Shi\'ism - notwithstanding the poisonous publicity of some people - is not due to political, ethnic, or other trends and considerations. It also verifies that a powerful logic based on the Qur\'an and the \"sunnah\" has given rise to this tendency.
Secondly, it reflects that some accusations leveled on Shi\'ism - which have made other Muslims distanced from the Shi\'ah- are totally baseless and false. Examples of these accusations are the notion that the Shi\'ites prefer the non-Muslims to the non- Shi\'i Muslims, rejoice at the defeat of non-Shi\'ite Muslims at the hands of non-Muslims, and other accusations such as the idea that instead of going to hajj pilgrimage, the Shi\'ahs go on pilgrimage to shrines of the Imams, or have particular rites in prayers and in temporary marriage.
Thirdly, it introduces to the world of Islam the eminent Commander of the faithful \'Ali (\'a) who is the most oppressed and the least praised grand Islamic personality and who could be the leader of all Muslims, as well as his pure offspring.
Other Comments on \"al-Ghadir\"
Many unbiased non-Shia Muslims interpret the \"al-Ghadir\" in the same way that has already been mentioned.
Muhammad Abdul-Ghani Hasan al-Mesri, in his foreword on\"al-Ghadir\", which has been published in the preface to volume I, second edition, states:
\"I call on the Almighty to make your limpid brook (in Arabic, \'Ghadir\' means brook) the cause of peace and cordiality between the Shia and Sunni brothers to cooperate with one another in building the Islamic \"ummah.\"
\'Adil Ghadban, the managing editor of the Egyptian magazine entitled \"al-Kitab\", said the following in the preface to volume 3:
\"This book clarifies the Shi\'ite logic. The Sunnis can correctly learn about the Shi\'i through this book. Correct recognition of the Shi\'ahs brings the views of the Shi\'ahs and the Sunnis closer, and they can make a unified rank\".
In his foreword to the \"al-Ghadir\" which was published in thepreface to volume 4, Dr. Muhammad Ghallab, professor of philosophy at the Faculty of Religious Studies al-Azhar University said:
\"I got hold of your book at a very opportune time, because right now I am busy collecting and compiling a book on the lives of the Muslims from various perspectives. Therefore, I am highly avidfor obtaining sound information about \'Imamiyah\' Shi\'ism. Your book will help me. And I will not make mistakes about the Shi\'ahs as others have\".
In this foreword published in the preface to volume 4 of the\"al-Ghadir\", Dr. \'Abdul-Rahman Kiali Halabi says the following after referring to the decline of the Muslims in the present age and the factors which can lead to the Muslims\' salvation, one of which is the sound recognition of the successor of the Holy Prophet (s):
\"The book entitled \"al-Ghadir\" and its rich content deserves to be known by every Muslim to learn how historians have been negligent and see where the truth lies. Through this means, we should compensate for the past, and by striving to foster the unity of the Muslims, we should try to gain the due rewards\".
These were the views of \'Allamah Amini about the important social issues of our age and such were his sound reflections in the world of Islam.
Peace be upon him.
Text Source: http://www.al-islam.org/mot/default.asp?url=ghadir-relevance.htm
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[Clip] See your good points | Agha Ali Reza Panahian | Farsi Sub English
I donât want to be far from Imam Ali (as) in Heaven.
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I donât want to be far from Imam Ali (as) in Heaven.
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We should tell everyone, âSee your good points, so that you may gain energy to move forward.â When they say not to see your good points since you will become arrogant, this means if you see some goodness in yourself and stop. This is bad. But if you see your good points and gain energy to move forward, this is a beneficial self-awareness. Actually the peak of self-awareness is not seeing our bad points; itâs seeing our good points. Be so drowned in seeing your good points that you feel you canât live without reaching the peak. You should honor yourself very much.
Imam Ali (as) said, «Ù
ÙÙ Ú©Ù۱ÙÙ
ÙŰȘ ÙÙŰłÙÙÙ ÙۧÙÙŰȘ ŰčÙÛÙÙ Ű§ÙŰŽÙÙÙÙÙۧŰȘ» âIf someone honors himself, carnal desires will become contemptible to him.â [Heâll say,] âWhatâs this?! This isnât right for my status.â The peak of self-awareness is for a person to understand his value. What is one of the good points we have right now? We should truly honor ourselves for this. One truly becomes excited when he sees this goodness. It is that we are not jealous of the Friends of God. We feel an affection for them. We are not arrogant toward them; we are humble and sympathetic toward them. This is very important!
My friends, if we look carefully at ourselves to see what it is we want, weâll weep day and night because we are far from the Imam of the Time (aj). Weâll weep day and night begging God, âDonât let my house be far from the house of the Commander of the Faithful (as) in Heaven.â This is what we want. This is a part of us. We donât say, âUnfortunately, this tendency is not very strong in me.â This exists within you! How can I tell you this? You already have this!
The Arafah Supplication talks more about thanking God for His blessings than asking for forgiveness for our bad points. This is surprising! Imam Husayn (as) is drowned in this. If one gets close to Imam Husayn (as), the Imam will start showing that person his goodness. You participate in Imam Husaynâs (as) mourning ceremony wearing a black shirt. Then he starts. Heâll say, âSee how good you are. You love me. You cry for me. See how good you are!â He increases your energy and uplifts your spirits. We should tell everyone, âSee your good points, so that you may gain energy to move forward.â
Actually the peak of self-awareness is not seeing our bad points; itâs seeing our good points.
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[Clip] Tell me about the future of the world | Agha Ali Reza Panahian...
What will the future be like? The future is Islam.
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What will the future be like? The future is Islam.
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We are at the end of one century and the start of a new century based on the Hijri solar calendar. Even if it wasnât the beginning of a new century the changes in the world show that a long period of history has finished and the state of the world is changing.
Maybe we couldnât have said this eight months ago. We couldnât have said it last year. But now, with the events that we are witnessing in the world in recent months and in the period that we are in, everyone agrees that we are at a turn in history, an expression used by the dear Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
The last century can be called the century of the rise and fall of Western civilization. When I was a teenager, about fifty years ago, people used to say that we are at the end of the world. But this statement was retracted by the world\'s most prominent thinkers some time ago. Fukuyama said, âI was wrong when I said the end of history is liberal democracy. We donât know where the end of history is because liberal democracy hasnât been successful.â
What do you predict for this coming century? What do you suggest for its name? I have a suggestion for the name of this century. The coming century is bringing a civilization that will replace Western civilization. It will be an alternative civilization to Western civilization, according to many thinkers. Of course, they say this quietly and donât announce it frequently on TV.
The alternative civilization will be the \"new Islamic civilization.\" The future civilization will be a \"Mahdavi [Imam Mahdi] civilization.\" Why am I saying this? Because no one in the world has any plans for the future! There is no thinker in the world to say that the future will be determined by socialism, or by liberal democracy, or to say the future will be determined by a certain lifestyle.
Yes, in terms of technology, they say technology will advance a lot! Yes, it is said that the worldâs governments will be saved from dictatorial rulers. Yes, everyone is saying that a new chaos is being created in the world. Everyone says these things. But can the United Nations ensure order in the world? No. The previous century was the century of the rise and fall of Western civilization. The next century is the century of the new Islamic civilization.
It has been narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (as), âOur government will be the last government. Because after our government has been established, has succeeded and that great civilization âhas been raised by God above all religionsâ [Qurâan 61:9], no one will say, âIf I had been in charge, I would have done that too.ââ According to Imam Baqir (as), when that government is established no one will have anything else to say. A theoretical vacuum will have existed.
There is no voice in the universe talking about the future of the world for us to evaluate it to see if it is right or wrong! No one in the world says that in the future everyone will go toward Marxism, or that everyone will go toward a certain religion. Except for us. We are the only ones talking about the future! For forty years, we have been answering in religious forums. We have answered doubts. We have answered false claims. There is no longer a false claim in the world for us to answer! No one even has a claim for the future.
Only these minarets and mosques of yours talk about the future. Only you have hope for the future! This is a big celebration itself. And our community must be the one to explain the Mahdavi civilization. Every mosque, gathering, class or book that does not talk about the Mahdavi future of the world, has reduced its own value to nearly zero. Tell me about the future! What will the future be like?
#AliRezaPanahian #EndOfTheWorld
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