AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Ayatollah Reza Ramazani, the Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt World Assembly, speaking at the mourning ceremony on the fifth night of Muharram, described the issue of lifestyle as one of the important topics of the day and stated, "Today in the West, the discussion of lifestyle is among the primary and fundamental topics, and some believe that Westerners have established this discussion scientifically. However, the truth is that every religion and creed has its own lifestyle."
Ramazani added, "The West defines lifestyle based on the foundations of liberalism; liberal morality and ideology mean that a person does not consider themselves bound by rules and regulations whose source is divine revelation, but rather follows what they find more convenient in life. But in the Islamic view, lifestyle must be based on religion, revelation, and divine commands."
The Recommendations of the Second Step Statement Are for the Islamic World
Referring to the Second Phase of the Revolution statement, he said, "Our martyred Imam, in the Second Step statement, has seven important recommendations. These recommendations are not only for the Islamic Republic; rather, if the Islamic world wants to free itself from the yoke of colonialism and exploitation, it must pay attention to these recommendations."
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt World Assembly continued, "The first recommendation is scientific progress, because if science does not advance in a country, that country will not move forward. The second recommendation is ethics and spirituality; a society that does not adhere to ethics and spirituality will not grow. The third is justice; that is, wealth must be properly distributed among the people and citizens. The fourth is the fight against corruption; the corruption that arises in offices and various sectors must be confronted. Finally, one of the important recommendations is the Islamic lifestyle."
Ayatollah Ramazani stated, "The Islamic lifestyle means that the basis of human life is religion, revelation, and divine commands, and that a person attains a divine perspective in all dimensions of life. If this perspective is implemented in society, it will be a developed, enlightened society enjoying true life."
Human Life Is Not Merely Material Well-being
Stating that the discussion of the Islamic lifestyle is very extensive, he said, "If we want to address the details of food, clothing, lifestyle, apartment living, respecting the rights of others, and using public facilities, perhaps more than a hundred sessions would be needed. These topics are important, but here our main discussion is how a person's view of life should be."
Ayatollah Ramazani added, "Usually, when we say someone has a good life, we mean it in terms of outward possessions: having a house, a villa, facilities, a lavish table, or material well-being. But the Quran, narrations, and the school of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) do not define life in this way."
The representative of the people of Gilan in the Assembly of Experts noted, "Having facilities, technological progress, airplanes, trains, cars, and outward comfort are not rejected, but the main issue is that human life is not limited to these things. These are the outward dimensions of life. What separates humans from animals is human life: reason, understanding, perception, faith, and knowledge."
Human Felicity Lies in Understanding, Perception, and Reasonable Life
Referring to the view of Martyr Motahhari regarding the phrase "Indeed, life is faith and jihad," he said, "Some have defined life as understanding, perception, and grasping the truth. The late Mulla Mahdi Naraqi, in Jami' al,Sa'adat, defines felicity as perception and understanding; that is, whoever has more understanding is more fortunate, and whoever lacks understanding is afflicted with misfortune."
Ayatollah Ramazani, also, referring to Avicenna and his book Al-Isharat wa al-Tanbihat, said, "Avicenna, in the seventh chapter, discusses happiness and felicity, defining felicity as perception and understanding. Therefore, when we speak of the human being, we should not only consider the tangible aspects shared between humans and animals; rather, we must speak of human life."
The Prophets and the AhlulBayt (a.s.) Are Teachers of Enlightened Life
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt World Assembly, raising the question of who are the models of human life, stated, "God has placed the innate nature (fitrah) and the intellect at the disposal of human beings so that they may attain true life. The intellect is the divine proof and plays a role both in individual growth and in social growth."
He added, "When Imam Mahdi (a.s.) reappears, the conditions of society will be such that the intellect of society grows. A developed society is one in which the level of reasoning, thought, and understanding has risen."
Ayatollah Ramazani said, "The role of the prophets, sages, and the Infallible Imams (a.s.) is to be teachers of life: reasonable life, intuitive life, and human life. Human beings are divided into two categories in this regard: the enlightened and the dark. The enlightened are those whose path and destination are clear, and the dark are those whose path and destination are dark, having no destination and being afflicted with bewilderment and confusion."
A member of the Assembly of Experts emphasized, "The Infallible Imams (a.s.) are teachers of the life of the enlightened, because they themselves are light, and wherever they are, they illuminate that place. In contrast, the teachers of darkness are themselves dark and also darken society."
The Dark Ones of History and the Lineage of the Umayyads
Referring to Ziyarat Ashura, Ayatollah Ramazani said, "In contrast to the teachers of light, there is a group that promotes darkness and has no qualms about destroying human beings. In Ziyarat Ashura, we see that there are those who consider the day of the martyrdom of the teacher of the enlightened as a blessed day and rejoice in their crime, because they have not been nurtured and their work is the work of the dark ones."
He added, "Darkness has degrees of intensity and weakness. Sometimes someone invites two people to evil, sometimes ten, and sometimes all of humanity, like Satan. Sometimes they become even worse than Satan. Imam Musa Sadr used the term 'absolute evil' for Israel and said that if he were given the choice between Satan and Israel, he would choose Satan, because this current is so savage and wild."
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt World Assembly continued, "When these currents reach such a stage, their cruelty reaches the point where they have no qualms about killing children, youth, women, taking prisoners, enslaving, oppressing, and tyrannizing. Their lineage is the lineage of darkness, like the Umayyads, who darkened society and wanted everyone to be at their service."
Satan, Arrogance, and the End of the Hegemonic Current
Referring to the verses of the Quran about Iblis, Ayatollah Ramazani said, "When God created the human being and commanded the prostration, all the angels prostrated except Iblis, who showed arrogance. Iblis said, 'My kind is made of fire, and I am superior to Adam.' He asked God for respite, and God said, 'You are granted respite until the known time.'"
The representative of the people of Gilan in the Assembly of Experts added, "Some have interpreted this 'known time' as the Day of Judgment or the second blowing of the trumpet, but some commentators believe that society will reach a stage where the current of arrogance is eliminated. This is a very important discussion that must be pursued in its proper place."
He stated, "With the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), humans may still sin, because they have the powers of lust and rage, but the hegemonic system will no longer prevail, and governance will be based on justice."
The Ignorance of the End Times Is More Severe Than the Ignorance of the Early Period
Referring to a narration about the end times, Ayatollah Ramazani said, "The ignorance of the time of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) was severe and dangerous, because people worshiped stones, wood, and idols, and abandoning them was difficult for them. But the ignorance of the end times is more severe, because this time they deviate society by inverting understanding."
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt World Assembly added, "Today, they commit crimes in the name of human rights, ethics, spirituality, and peace. Westerners have written numerous books on animal rights, ethics, and education, and introduced hundreds of spiritual leaders in cyberspace, like Osho, Carlos Castaneda, and others, but there is no mention of Ayatollah Behjat, Ayatollah Bahauddini, Imam Khomeini (r.a.), and other spiritual religious figures, because their spirituality differs from divine spirituality."
He continued, "They say, 'We fight for peace.' They shed blood and call it peace. Their goal is for everyone to be at their service. Today, one of America's demands is the normalization of relations between Iran and the Zionist regime, while peace is not possible between the path of darkness and light."
Imam Hussain (a.s.), the Teacher of Wisdom and Human Life
Emphasizing that the Imams (a.s.) are teachers of the best kind of life, Ayatollah Ramazani said, "True life is human and divine life. In Karbala, we see how Qasim (a.s.) defines death, and Imam Hussain (a.s.) says, 'I do not see death except as felicity and life with the oppressors as anything but disgrace and reproach', meaning that death on the path of truth is felicity, and life with the oppressors is disgrace and blame."
The representative of the people of Gilan in the Assembly of Experts added, "Abdullah ibn al Hasan (a.s.), a youth who had not yet reached puberty, stood alongside his Imam. This shows that the salvation of the human being lies in placing themselves under the teacher of wisdom. Imam Hussain (a.s.) is the teacher of wisdom."
The Two Imams of the Revolution Are Students of the School of Ashura and Ghadir
He said, "Today, the two Imams of the Revolution, Imam Khomeini (r.a.) and the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, have introduced this path to us. They are students of the school of Imam Hussain (a.s.), Ashura, and Ghadir, and they have transformed our lifestyle."
The Secretary General of the AhlulBayt World Assembly added, "If we place ourselves under this Imamate, we will be fortunate, and our lives will be enlightened. We must look at the language of the Imams and see how they moved on the path of divine life."
Ayatollah Ramazani added, "The Islamic uprising (Be'that) was a miracle of history and must develop further. The people, as always, will complete the task and will stand against excessive demands."
The Meanest Rulers in History Have Become Claimants of Human Rights
Referring to the crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza, he said, "The Zionist regime's Minister of War, regarding sending food to the people of Gaza, said, 'What is food? Send them bombs so that what remains of them is also destroyed.' When children are killed, they express joy. These are the most wretched, filthy, cruel, and vile people in history, who today claim to rule the world."
Ayatollah Ramazani continued, "They are not bound by any human principle and brazenly declare that they are not committed to such values. But our fighters, our people, and our officials know what to do against such an enemy."
Economic Problems Must Be Addressed, but the People Stand on the Battlefield
Referring to the country's economic conditions, the representative of the people of Gilan in the Assembly of Experts said, "Today, we are in various wars, and economic problems, livelihood issues, and price hikes must be resolved. The people endure the pressures nobly, because they know that the arena is a battlefield and the country is in a war posture."
He added, "We should take pride in serving these people. A mother who holds her child in her arms, comes to the field, and says, 'I have come to give my blood, but not my land,' shows the greatness of this nation."
The Definite Victory of the Iranian Nation and the Necessity of Correct Narrative
Emphasizing the necessity of a correct narrative from the field, Ayatollah Ramazani said, "The definite victories we have achieved should not be narrated as defeat. We have been the definite victors on the field until today, and the loser of this war has been America. Others are not even worth mentioning."
A member of the Assembly of Experts added, "They construct a narrative of victory from their defeat, but we must not offer another narrative from our victory. Of course, we are still on the path and must continue this path. Perhaps part of the road has been traversed, but we must still follow the path with wisdom and insight."
Enemy Recognition Must Be Strengthened
In conclusion, emphasizing the necessity of strengthening enemy recognition, he said, "Our recognition of America and Israel must become stronger. We must know what vile figures they are in history and what great crimes they are pursuing. They want to make everyone their slaves and have no qualms about crime."
Ayatollah Ramazani noted, "We have entrusted ourselves to Wilayah from the first day, and if this entrustment continues, the country's future will certainly be blessed. The Iranian nation, through obedience to Wilayah, resistance, insight, and steadfastness against the hegemonic system, will continue the path of dignity, honor, and justice."
Stating that the meaning of death and life differs from the perspective of a physician, a sage, and an Imam, he said, "When a physician says someone is dead, he is referring to their vegetative or physical life; but when an Imam says a society is dead, it means that society lacks human understanding, human perception, and a divine perspective."
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt World Assembly, referring to Nahj al-Balaghah, said, "The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) says of some that they breathe, but they are dead. Therefore, Ashura gatherings should be lessons for understanding life in its true meaning."
Today's Confrontation Is a Civilizational Confrontation
Referring to today's world conditions, Ayatollah Ramazani said, "Today we are facing a kind of civilizational life. The hegemonic system, based on power, colonialism, and exploitation, wants to enslave humanity and defines every concept under this view."
He added, "But the two Imams of the Revolution, based on the school of Hussain (a.s.) and Ghadiri Islam, defined life on the basis of dignity and justice. A society attains true life when dignity and justice are given attention."
A member of the Assembly of Experts continued, "Achieving dignity and justice comes at a cost. Throughout the Revolution, both in its inception and in its continuation, we have paid heavy costs. During the eight years of the Sacred Defense, we paid costs, but we did not give up even a single inch of our land, because our discourse differs from the discourse of domination."
Referring to the teachings of Imam Khomeini (r.a.), he said, "The two Imams of the Revolution taught us to be neither domineering nor submissive. We must stand against the enemies, the system of disbelief, colonialism, and those who want to enslave us."
Ayatollah Ramazani added, "If a person entrusts themselves to Wilayah, God will also help them. Imam Khomeini (r.a.) said, 'If you support the Guardian Jurist, no harm will come to your country.' Today, a great blessing named Ayatollah Khamenei has been given to us, the same fatherly style, the same Imamic style, and the same view of power as a trust for serving the people."
He said, "The Supreme Leader of the Revolution, in his last statement, also introduced himself as a servant. This discourse is the discourse of meaning, liberation, justice, dignity, freedom, and service to humanity and revelation."
Great Costs for the Permanence of Islam and the Revolution
Referring to the martyrdom of leaders and great figures of the Revolution, Ayatollah Ramazani said, "This path comes at a cost; we must even endure the martyrdom of the Sayyed of the Martyrs of the Revolution, the one with whose leadership and guidance we lived for years, and whose words were our daily sustenance."
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt World Assembly added, "Just as Imam Hussain (a.s.), the beloved of the Messenger of God (p.b.u.h), was martyred for the permanence of Islam, today the purest blood is being shed so that the global uprising (Be'that) may remain and develop."
Referring to the recent martyrs, children, commanders, and scientists, he said, "Newborn children, one-year-old children, commanders like General Bagheri, Salami, Rashid, Pakpour, Hajizadeh, and other figures and scientists of ours are all evidence of the oppression and greatness of this nation."
The Discursive Conflict with the United States and the Zionist Regime Continues
Ayatollah Ramazani said, "Today, Islam is dearer, and the Islamic Republic system is consolidated. This discursive conflict and war of discourses will always exist. To think that America will reach a peace with us where we can live alongside each other is naive, because they have a discourse and foundation, and we have a different discourse and foundation."
The representative of the people of Gilan in the Assembly of Experts stated, "In the political literature of the hegemonic system, negotiation means that we accept what they dictate and just say 'yes.' But the Islamic Revolution changed this discourse."
The Command Must Be in the Hands of Wilayah
Referring to the method of management in wartime conditions, he said, "Even at the time of the Prophet (p.b.u.h), different opinions were raised about how to confront the enemy. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) accepted the majority view and put on combat attire. Today, the Supreme National Security Council and the pillars of the system make decisions about how to confront excessive demands, but the final command must be in the hands of Wilayah."
Ayatollah Ramazani added, "In the constitution, the issue of war and peace is vested in Wilayah. Therefore, if a decision is made, individuals should not be insulted. Insult is not compatible with the literature of the school of the AhlulBayt (a.s.). We have defined ourselves under Wilayah; we must be obedient and faithful and remain steadfast in our covenant."
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt World Assembly, stating that the Zionist regime and the hegemonic system do not understand any language other than the language of resistance, said, "They are excessive in their demands and are not bound by any covenant. Only resistance is effective against them. We, too, will be step by step and moment by moment with the leadership, and whatever they deem expedient, we will follow that path."
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