AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Hojat al-Islam Sayed Sadr al-Din al-Qabanji, the Friday prayer leader of Najaf, said in his Friday sermon delivered at the Grand Fatimiyya Hussainiya in Najaf, regarding the recent memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, "There is a global consensus that this memorandum proved that Iran has emerged victorious and is powerful, and that all efforts to overthrow Iran have failed."
He added, "The US president admitted that they failed in overthrowing Iran's system. The reality is that dozens of attempts were made to overthrow this system, and all of them failed, and this is due to the awareness of the people, the leadership, and the Hussaini concepts that have filled their hearts and minds."
The Friday prayer leader of Najaf said, "The wound continues to bleed, and nothing will heal our wounds except the demise of the usurping regimes, and we will remain until the appearance of our Imam Mahdi (a.s.): 'Where is the one who seeks revenge for the prophets and the sons of the prophets? Where is the one who seeks revenge for the one slain in Karbala?'"
Regarding domestic affairs, the Friday prayer leader of Najaf said, "The reception by the administration of the shrine of Imam Ali (a.s.) for the families of the martyred students from the Minab school in Iran demonstrates the interaction between the Iraqi and Iranian nations. The holy shrines in Iraq are at the forefront of declaring this bond, because the issue is one of religion, faith, and humanity, not geography, ethnicity, or economic interests. Gratitude is due to the Holy Alawi Shrine and the other holy shrines in Iraq."
Regarding international affairs, Hojat al-Islam Sayed Sadr al-Din al-Qabanji noted, "The repeated aggressions against our people in Lebanon, which continue to this hour, constitute a violation of all agreements and all human rights. We unite our voice with the Shiites of Lebanon, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the entire Lebanese nation, and we call on the world to stand against these massacres."
In his religious sermon, after advising piety, the Friday prayer leader of Najaf said, "On the second day of the holy month of Muharram, Imam Hussein (a.s.) entered the land of Karbala and said: 'Here is the resting place of our mounts, here is the stop of our caravan, here our blood will be shed, and here our sanctity will be violated' – this is what my grandfather, the Messenger of God (p.b.u.h), told me. This means that the uprising of Imam Hussein (a.s.) was a divine plan."
He added, "Therefore, in the Hussaini uprising, we are faced with a divine will and divine planning, just as it is written on the side of the Throne: 'Hussein is the lantern of guidance and the ark of salvation.' And whatever they intend to extinguish this light, it only increases its brightness and elevation."
The Friday prayer leader of Najaf continued, "Here we address the question: Why do they fight Imam Hussein (a.s.)? And why are they afraid of Hussaini rituals? Today, some Gulf countries prohibit Hussaini rituals and are using the same policy as the former Ba'athist regime."
A portion of Saddam's regime directive against Muharram mourning
He continued, "Now I will read for you parts of the former Iraqi regime's decisions against Hussaini rituals. This letter, dated March 25, 2001, addressed to unit commanders under the title 'Instructions for the Month of Muharram,' states:
1. Processions (Mashaya) are absolutely prohibited, and this matter shall be dealt with firmly and severely.
2. Chest-beating (sineh-zani) in streets or homes is absolutely prohibited.
3. Licensed eulogists are not permitted to perform eulogies in streets or through loudspeakers, and they must remain only inside mosques.
4. Inspection of cassette tapes and prohibition of their playback in shops.
5. Cooking must be done in homes, not in streets, and whoever violates this shall be prosecuted."
Hojat al-Islam Sayed Sadr al-Din al-Qabanji stated, "But Imam Hussein (a.s.) remained, and the enemies of Imam Hussein (a.s.) perished. Today, the enemies of Imam Hussein (a.s.) must fear that their fate will be like that of the former Saddam regime."
He said, "We must thank the Iraqi nation and all the Shiites of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) for reviving this painful tragedy. Gratitude is due to the Hussaini processions, poets, eulogists, orators, and all those who contribute to these rituals, at the forefront of whom are the religious scholars and the supreme marja'iyyah, who guide the revival of this occasion with their counsel."
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