Statement of Ahlul Bayt World Assembly on the eve of Muharram
IN THE NAME OF ALLAH
Statement of the Ahlulbayt World Assembly on the Threshold of Muharram 1437 A.H.
“The Holy Prophet of Islam – peace be upon him and his Infallible Household – said: Verily, there is a flame within the hearts of believers in the wake of Hussein’s martyrdom, which will never be extinguished.” (Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, vol 10, p 318)
Salam to the month of Muharram; the month of roaring by the oppressed upon the tyrants; the month of zeal and loneliness; the month of heroism; the month of courage and martyrdom; and the month of the victory of blood over the sword … a month on whose pages has been carved the slogan of ‘Humiliation is too far from us!’ ….. and Salam to Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Seal of Prophets (s.a.) who gave his heart’s blood to save God’s people from ignorance and error …
Muharram comes so that the followers of the path of Imam Hussein (a.s.) will hoist the flag of pure Mohammedan Islam once again to spread the culture of Ashura across the Muslim World through their public meetings and mourning ceremonies as emphasized by the late leader of Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (r.a.): “The Lord of Martyrs (i.e. Imam Hussein) has kept Islam alive throughout the history … He was the one who saved Islam. Mourning for Imam Hussein (a.s.) is to safeguard his school of thought. For over 1400 years, such mourning ceremonies, speeches, weeping for his sake, and beating chests in his remembrance have protected our religion.”
Words of the leader of Muslim world, Ayatollah Khamenei, too, highlight the issue as being fundamentally significant: “If the people of Islam keep the name and remembrance of Hussein (a.s.) alive and choose it as a role model, they will pass all obstacles and difficulties.”
Now that the Muslim World is still grieving for the unjustly spilled bloods of innocent pilgrims in Mena by Al Saud regime, the followers and lovers of Ahlulbayt worldwide are preparing themselves for the advent of Muharram’s mourning ceremonies at this particular time when similar tragedies are being repeated in Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Pakistan and Iraq by terrorists who are hired by the evil states of Britain and the United States.
On the other hand, the attacks of the Zionist regime in Jerusalem has also started and is being continued while a number of countries including the U.S. and Britain who are sided with the aggressor and usurper regime have condemned the defensive responses by Palestinian groups. Also many other states who take the gesture of democracy and freedom have adopted weak stances and issued passive statements on this matter.
Unfortunately, the extraordinary meeting of U.N. Security Council to investigate these attacks ended without any result (as expected!) as if the fate of the oppressed people in today world is somehow linked to the event of Karbala and Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) .
As usual, Arab reactionary regimes, who have mainly taken refuge in the arms of the Western powers out of fear of popular revolutions, marked another shameful page in their records with their deadly silence and useless actions against the crimes of Al Saud and Zionism.
In response to these events, the Ahlulbayt World Assembly as an international popular organization, which has intellectual and cultural authority among millions of Muslims in the world, calls the attention of its members, representatives, missionaries (Muballeghin) and agencies to the following points:
1) You are kindly requested to condemn the crimes of the Zionist regime in attacking defenseless civilians and protectors of Al-Aqsa mosque and urge all Muslims and free-thinking people worldwide to ask for stopping such crimes and respond to these human disasters through all possible ways including the following:
A) Organizing protests against the U.S. embassies, condemning their support for the Zionist regime and the rulers of Saudi Arabia, and urging the U.S. and the West to control these regimes.
B) Issuing statements and organizing protest rallies, sit-ins and demonstrations against the traitors and Saudi rulers who strengthen the Zionist usurper and weaken the resistance axis in the region by suppressing the oppressed people of Bahrain, Yemen and Syria.
C) Holding seminars and meetings attended by Muslim and non-Muslim intellectuals as well as exhibitions of photos to reveal the crimes of Israel and Saudi Arabia and depict the viewpoints of the Resistance Front against the Accordance Front. In this way, and by enlightening the public with true information, the monopoly of International Zionist and Wahabism media will be broken.
2) All elites and scholars of the Islamic world are hereby requested to make efforts to strengthen the unity among the Islamic nations in these critical conditions and take advantage of the days of the month of Muharram to inform people of the movement of Imam Hussein (a.s.) and encourage them to follow the teachings of Karbala uprising against oppression and injustice and fighting against the Yazids of the time and the modern age of ignorance.
3) We urge the international community and human rights organizations to fulfill their legal duty to condemn the brutal and inhuman crimes by terrorist and Takfirist groups and to take practical measures to prevent the continuation of their crimes. Human Rights organizations are seriously expected to support the oppressed people of Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, Syria and Palestine.
4) We expect the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to hold emergency meeting for immediate practical actions to defend the oppressed people of Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, Syria and Palestine with all its might. OIC is also expected to activate the diplomacy of the member states to push international organizations such as the UN, the Arab League, the Association of Muslim Scholars and the Non-aligned Movement to take positive measures in this regard.
At the end, we call the oppressed people of Yemen, Bahrain, Iraq, Syria and Palestine to resist the invaders and oppressors and pin their hope in the divine promise: “Verily, Allah defends those who believe” as we have experienced it during the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the 22-Day 33-Day Wars in Lebanon.
The Ahlulbayt World Assembly extends its the condolences over the current sad days, and appeals to all believers and lovers of the Ahlulbayt to take Imam Hussein’s teachings about the culture of martyrdom as their role model at the present time and in future until the return of Imam Mahdi (a.s.) and the golden age after his reappearance.
Last but not least, the Ahlulbayt World Assembly urges all preachers, poets, eulogists, and scholars to observe the high dignity of mourning ceremonies and Majalis of Imam Hussein (a.s.) by elaborating the merits and virtues of Imam Hussein (a.s.) and the philosophy of his revolution by adhering to authentic sources; and avoid putting forward any superstitious and inauthentic matters. Muharram and Ashura is actually a very good opportunity to upgrade the insight, knowledge and spirituality among the society.
Salam upon Hussein, and upon his son Ali ibn Hussein, and upon the offspring of Hussein, and upon the companions of Hussein; and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon them.
The Ahlulbayt World Assembly 12 October 2015
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Over 70 percent of Russians support anti-ISIS airstrikes in Syria
More than 70 percent of Russian citizens have expressed their support for the country’s airstrikes in crisis-hit Syria, a new poll finds.
The poll was conducted on 1,600 people by independent Russian pollster Levada Center in early October.
According to the survey, 72 percent of the respondents backed their country’s airstrikes on the positions of terrorist groups, 14 percent said they opposed the raids, and the same share of people said they had no opinion about the issue.
Moreover, 47 percent of the participants said Russia should support Syria’s legitimate President Bashar al-Assad in the fight against Takfiri terrorist groups, while 28 percent believed that Moscow should stay out of the conflict.
Also, only eight percent of those surveyed said Russia should join the US-led coalition purportedly fighting Daesh, while 17 percent did not have a clear opinion in this regard.
Russia launched its airstrikes against Takfiri terrorists in Syria upon a request by Damascus on September 30, hours after the upper house of the Russian parliament gave President Vladimir Putin the mandate to use the air force in the Arab country.
Since September 2014, the US along with some of its allies has allegedly been conducting airstrikes against Daesh extremists inside Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate. The airstrikes in Syria are an extension of the US-led aerial campaign against alleged Daesh positions in Iraq, which started in August 2014. Many have criticized the ineffectiveness of the coalition raids.
The Daesh terror group, with members from several Western countries, has been committing heinous acts of terror and atrocities against people of different religious and ethnic communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians, in Syria, Iraq, and other countries.
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US defense chief: we will deter Russia’s ‘malign and destabilizing influence’
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter has threatened Russia, saying the US will take all necessary steps to counter Moscow’s “malign influence” in Syria.
“We will take all necessary steps to deter Russia’s malign and destabilizing influence, coercion and aggression,” carter said on Wednesday.
He further said as long as Russia pursued a “misguided strategy” in Syria, “we have not, and will not, agree to cooperate with Russia.”
The US continues to accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of focusing on the opposition groups that are fighting the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Moscow, however, has repeatedly assured that Russian jet fighters were targeting Daesh (ISIL) terrorists.
Carter’s harsh remarks came amid efforts by Washington and Moscow to reach an agreement over their military flights in Syria to avoid any clash over the country’s airspace.
While reports said the two sides are getting close to finalize a memorandum of understanding on the issue, Russia said that the United States rebuffs its overtures for high-level consultations.
Putin said on Tuesday that he wanted to send a delegation led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to the US. Washington, however, rebuffed the overtures for high-level consultations.
“Literally today, we got an official reply,” Lavrov said Wednesday. “We have been told that they can’t send a delegation to Moscow and they can’t host a delegation in Washington either.”
Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, also said, “Given the current situation in Syria, refusing dialogue does not help to save the country and region from [ISIL].”
Russia launched its air campaign against terrorists in Syria on September 30. The US has also been carrying out its own airstrikes in Syria, allegedly pounding Daesh positions inside the country.
Military experts warned over the last few weeks that a major conflict could be triggered between the US and Russia as the Syrian airspace has become increasingly crowded.
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ISIL behind attempted attack on Siberia mosque
A Russian investigative body says the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group was involved in an attempted attack against a mosque in the country’s Siberia Province last year.
The militants had tried to attack a mosque in an unnamed Siberian town, said the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation on Thursday.
The committee said it had completed the probe and submitted the case to a court.
There were no further details on how the attempted attack had been prevented.
The finding comes about two weeks after Russia launched its aerial campaign against Daesh militants.
Moscow aims to stop the advance of an alliance of militants, including al-Nusra terrorists, which controls Idlib and has tried to push into Hama and Latakia.
According to a report released last month by The New York Times, some 30,000 militants from more than 100 countries – including over 250 Americans – have traveled to Syria and neighboring Iraq since the start of the foreign-backed militancy in Syria in 2011.
More than 250,000 people have lost their lives in the violence in Syria so far.
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Iran Urges Cultural Move by Muslims against Terrorism
Iran and Indonesia can cooperate to resolve the problems of the region and the Muslim world, President Rouhani said in a meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Rento Marsudi.
Meeting on Wednesday, Rouhani said that Indonesia is a significant country in the world of Islam and a very old friend of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Iranian president added that in the post-sanctions era, Iran-Indonesia can enhance economic ties and hoped that the joint economic cooperation council would be an effective step towards the goal.
Rouhani also noted that it is necessary to pave the way for investors of both countries to join economic projects.
He added that Iran and Indonesia share common views regarding the issues in the world of Islam while nowadays, unfortunately, some Islamic countries are not in good terms with one another.
Talking about the growth of terrorism, Rouhani noted that the expansion of terrorist groups requires the Muslim states to closely cooperate since the continuation of such a situation will jeopardize the condition of the Islamic world.
“A great cultural move is required in all Islamic countries to uproot terrorism”, the president underlined.
He also called for developing ties in academic and scientific eras.
Indonesian foreign minister, for her part, said that her country urges expansion of ties with Iran in all fields particularly trade, economy and investment.
Rento Marsudi noted that, today, all Muslim states should preserve Islam as a religion of mercy for the world and promote moderation and tolerance and added “Indonesia has always called to resolve problems through political and diplomatic solutions and has supported the innovation of Iran in presenting the World Against Extremism and Violence (WAVE) resolution to the UN.”
Indonesian FM arrived in Tehran Wednesday morning, accompanied by a delegation comprising of Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said and Indonesian President’s representative in Middle East and Chairman of Indonesia’s National Oil Co. Dwi Soetjipto.
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Ali al-Nimr’s campaign – What’s a life really worth?
Since his arrest in 2012, Ali Mohammad al-Nimr the nephew of prominent Shia cleric and rights activist Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr has languished in a Saudi Arabian prison, the pawn in a cruel game of political manipulations and sectarian hatred.
As world leaders continue to argue national security, rationalizing their silence under broad, and let’s face it empty statement, one young man is facing death … and not just that! His jailors, his tormentors have called; no, they have demanded for his death to be absolutely cruel. Saudi Arabia’s monarchy, the most violent, repressive, reactionary and anti-democratic regime in the world has ruled that one of his nationals be beheaded and then crucified.
Under strict order of the Saudi Royal court, a judge saw fit to condemn a young, an innocent man to death by beheading, to later parade his mutilated body so that the people will cower before the might of their king.
A 16-years old boy was taken away from the safety of his home for he dared exercise those rights which are not only inalienable but inherent to human nature. Ali was born on December, 25th, 1995 – a date which should resonate and hope as it coincides with Christmas in the Christian community.
While Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was born a Muslim, his beliefs are not foreign to that of Judaism and Christianity – in his prayers he honors and remembers those name the Church and Judaism hold most dear: Abraham, Jesus, Moses … those prophets who relentlessly stood and fought against tyranny.
Following his unlawful arrest by Saudi Arabia’s infamous Security Forces he was transferred to a juvenile detention center – a tacit admission of his age on the part of the authorities – There he was tortured and held incommunicado for six months.
His fingerprint was then forcibly imprinted on a confession he neither ever agreed, nor made.
Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was denied proper legal representation. Ali Mohammed al-Nimr was set up and left to rot alone in a cell for Riyadh Royals thought to use him as a pawn against his uncle: Sheikh al-Nimr.
His rights, dignity and future were robbed, trampled over and violated in the most vicious, relentless and cowardly manner there is, for those in powers felt they could laugh in the face of international law and get away with it.
In truth so far they have … They have because world leaders have proven too cowardly; because world leaders have forgotten in their quest for influence and control to remember that Ali al-Nimr is not just another collateral damage to be brushed under the rug. Ali al-Nimr is a person, he is a life and he is a voice.
The day we stopped caring whether a man lives or dies is truly the day darkness will have swallowed us whole.
Martin Luther King Jr said: “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.”
Justice is not a word or a notion we should take for granted. Justice requires courage indeed and it requires for leaders to act bravely – not for political gain, but because it is the right thing to do.
Can we tolerate living in a world where our leaders can stare barbarism in the face and still get to hold on to those moral values they clamor to represent?
Can we tolerate calling Saudi Arabia an ally when over the course of a year the kingdom has saw fit to launch an illegal military campaign against Yemen with one hand while it used the other to prop Wahhabi-inspired radicals across the Middle East?
Can we remain silent when women, men and children are slaughtered by Saudi Arabia on account their faith – Shia Islam, has been labelled an apostasy by Al Saud’s Wahhabi clergy?
Will we sit and turn away while our youth, our children, our sons are being castigated by a murderous and rapacious regime on account their pockets line more zeros than America’s deficit?
Silence is contagious!
Ali Mohammad al-Nimr cannot be another silence on our collective wall of shame! Ali is his mother’s child, he belongs with his family. He DOES not belong in jail! He should never have landed in jail.
His arrest was motivated by a desire to repress and oppress the people of Qatif (eastern province of Saudi Arabia), and beyond all religious minorities. And not just that, his arrest was motivated by a desire to further inflict harm on a family which purpose and mission has always been to stand tall before tyranny.
Al Nimr have become the hope of an entire nation, for their voices have always carried above the regime threats – forever calling for justice and freedom. Will we not raise our voices now that their own have been silenced?
Will we not stand with them when their legs have been stolen from under them?
Will we dare walk away when everything they always stood for was for their people, for the people of Hijaz to reclaim their place under the Sun – proudly, unafraid and free?
Ali Mohammad al-Nimr is not just another youth accused of a crime he did not commit. He is the nation a king wants to keeps in shackles.
Silence is not an option anymore, not when silence echoes of the cries of our children.
#FreeAliAlNimr #AliAlNimr
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17 missing Iranian Mina incident victims identified
Seventeen Iranian pilgrims listed as “missing” in a deadly crush during Hajj rituals in Mina, near the holy Saudi city of Mecca, have been identified, says the head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization.
Saeed Ohadi said on Tuesday that the victims are “among the 1,450 bodies buried in Mecca.”
Ohadi said that the victims, who were among 65 Iranian pilgrims unaccounted for following the Mina tragedy, were identified through their fingerprints and nails.
He said that the identities of 12 victims have been determined while the other five bodies have been proved to be Iranian nationals.
The crush occurred on September 24 after two large masses of pilgrims converged at a crossroads in Mina during the symbolic ceremony of the stoning of Satan in Jamarat.
Saudi Arabia claims nearly 770 people were killed in the incident, but officials at Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization say about 4,700 people, including 464 Iranian pilgrims, lost their lives in the tragedy. However, foreign officials put the death toll at 1,674.
The bodies of 399 Iranian victims have been repatriated so far.
Saudi Arabia has come under harsh criticism over its role and handling of the incident.
Earlier on October 11, the head of Iran’s Hajj mission censured the Saudi mismanagement of the pilgrimage, which resulted in the massive loss of pilgrims’ lives.
“The Saudi government cannot handle the Hajj with this imprudence, negligence, and traditional methods; therefore, it should reconsider the management of the Hajj by drawing on Islamic countries’ potential,” said Hojjatoleslam Seyyed Ali Qazi-Askar, the representative of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei for Hajj and pilgrimage affairs.
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Six people killed in terrorist attack in Mali
At least six people have lost their lives in a “terrorist attack” carried out by unknown militants in the Timbuktu region of northern Mali, the government says.
The militants raided a convoy of civilian vehicles guarded by police forces in an area some 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Gao, the biggest city in northern Mali, at around 7:30 a.m. local time (0730 GMT) on Tuesday, the government said in a statement.
The Malian government did not specify who was traveling in the civilian vehicles and why they were being escorted by security forces.
The terrorist attack with rocket-launchers caused the death of six civilians and wounded two others including a soldier,” according to the statement.
A security source told AFP that the raid began when one of the vehicles hit a landmine planted by the militants.
Two other vehicles arrived at the scene and were damaged before the militants “came out from their hiding place to fire on the civilians,” the source added.
Three trucks hired by the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) later arrived and were set alight by the militants, according to the source.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack; however, such raids are often carried out or attributed to Tuareg-led rebels, who are operating mostly in Mali’s restive north.
The Tuareg rebels took control of northern Mali, which they call Azawad, in January 2012. The country has witnessed months of turmoil ever since.
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