AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Sharia maturity celebration for a group of girls was held in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, organized by the Fatima Zahra (a.s.) Women’s Association, affiliated with the AhlulBayt (a.s.) Scholars Council of Senegal.
Ayatollah Reza Ramazani, the Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, who is currently visiting Senegal at the invitation of the country’s religious figures, was the special guest of this ceremony.
“Taklif”: A Beginning of Religious and Social Responsibility
At the beginning of the event, Sheikh Mohammad Niang, Secretary of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) Scholars Council of Senegal emphasized the importance of fulfilling religious obligations and stated, “Man, having been appointed by God as His caliph (vicegerent) on earth, has been entrusted with certain divine duties. Fulfilling these divine obligations is more than just a religious command; it is a rational act of gratitude for God’s blessings. Contrary to the ignorant claims, these obligations are not a restriction on freedom.”
He added, “Reaching the age of religious responsibility marks the beginning of a new stage in life. Our dear daughters who have now reached the age of taklif (Sharia maturity) are entering a new phase filled with particular challenges. At this point, more than ever, mothers must stand beside their daughters and make them aware of the dangers posed by bad companions and social media platforms, which have now become the fifth column of the enemy, infiltrating every home, with or without permission.”
Hijab: A Philosophy for Preserving Women’s Dignity
The next speaker, Sheikh Abdul Moneim Al-Zein, President of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) Scholars Council of Senegal addressed the girls participating in the Sharia maturity celebration and emphasized the importance of the Islamic hijab. “I am speaking directly to our dear daughters. Today is a blessed day, but I want to raise a sensitive issue in our religion: the hijab of women. The West claims that by requiring hijab from Muslim women, we are oppressing them. This is a great lie. The philosophy behind hijab is not enmity toward women or a denial of their dignity and perfection. Rather, it is an Islamic policy to prevent the spread of corruption in the Muslim society,” he said.
Regarding the benefits of hijab, he explained, “Hijab has many fruits, and we cannot address them all in this short time. I will speak only of modesty as one of the fruits of hijab. The Messenger of God (p.b.u.h) said in a narration that modesty is part of faith. Throughout history, we have had women who were perfect models of modesty, among them Lady Asiyah, Lady Maryam, Lady Khadijah (a.s.), and Lady Fatima (a.s.). Lady Fatima Zahra (a.s.) possessed countless virtues and perfections, and she is the supreme model of modesty.”
The President of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) Scholars Council of Senegal, in his advice to the newly Sharia-matured girls of Senegal, invited them to take inspiration from Lady Fatima (a.s.), saying, “Instead of following the path of corruption prevalent in the lands of the enemy, make Lady Fatima (a.s.) your role model so that you may live with freedom and dignity. This honor and nobility, embodied in the concept of hijab, has been bestowed upon you by Islam so that you may feel a sense of pride and esteem.”
He continued, “A Western journalist once asked a French woman who had embraced Islam why she had imprisoned herself in this veil. She replied, ‘I found my freedom the day I wore the hijab’.”
Gratitude for Divine Blessings with Tongue, Heart, and Action
Ayatollah Ramazani, Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly also addressed the ceremony and congratulated the group of Senegalese girls on reaching the age of taklif. He said, “If you wish to grow, both personally and as a nation, you must do two things: first, strengthen your faith, and second, elevate your knowledge and education. To strengthen our faith, we must be grateful. When someone gives you a flower, you thank them. So, should we not express gratitude to the One who created us? And yet, no matter how much we thank God, we can never fully express gratitude for His blessings.”
Emphasizing the importance of recognizing divine favors, he added, “Imam Hussain (a.s.) once counted the blessings of God and said, ‘O Lord, You have given me everything. My father and mother love me, and this love has been placed in their hearts by You. Therefore, even if I were to spend my entire life in gratitude for just one of Your blessings, I could not do it justice’.”
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly continued, “When we say we must be grateful for God’s blessings, it means we must use every blessing, such as our tongue, eyes, or hands, appropriately. If our eyes commit sin or our ears listen to what is forbidden, we are being ungrateful to God. But if each blessing is used in its rightful place, then it is said that the person is truly grateful for God’s favors.”
Speaking about the types of gratitude, Ayatollah Ramazani stated, “There are three forms of gratitude. The first is heartfelt gratitude, where our hearts are conscious of God. The second is verbal gratitude, in which we thank God with our words. When we worship or when others benefit from our help, we express our thanks to God. The third form is practical gratitude, which means using every blessing in its proper place. When we thank God for granting us countless blessings, such as life, the ability to breathe, and the creation of all things, this is an act of gratitude. Worship, helping others, and respecting our parents are all forms of gratitude as well.”
Pursuing Knowledge: The Second Step Toward National Independence
He emphasized the necessity of education and continued, “The second task you girls must undertake is the pursuit of knowledge and studying. You should study diligently, go to university, and become professors and scholars. For your country to progress, it needs experts in various fields. For example, there is a shortage of female gynecologists in Senegal, and you must study well so that the women of your country can be treated by female doctors. The more you study, and the more scholars your country has, the more independent Senegal will become and the less it will rely on others.”
He added, “Thank your parents and teachers who helped preserve your faith and contributed to your academic growth. This gratitude will lead to greater divine grace from God upon you.”
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