AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The followers and lovers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) and the direct students of the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim Ya'qub Zakzaky, in the early days of the holy month of Muharram 1448, held mourning processions and established gatherings of lamentation to keep alive the sacrifice of Karbala on the African continent.
According to reports from Nigeria and the city of Kano, a grand mourning ceremony for "the Day of Hazrat Ali Asghar (a.s.)" was held with the extensive presence of mourners. The ceremony began with a prayer by Malamm Sambo Sokoto, followed by a recitation of the Quran by Malamm Aminu Dawanau. Subsequently, members of the "Unity" group, led by Malamm Abdulrahman Kazawre, performed chest-beating.
The performance of passion plays and ritual dramas by the youth filled the gathering with the sorrow of Karbala and brought tears to the eyes of those present. On the sidelines of this ceremony, a photo exhibition of the student martyrs of the "Minab" school in Iran, who were martyred in the attacks of the United States and Israel, was set up to further reveal the true face of the Yazids of the present age to the mourners of Hussein.
Mr. Mustafa Gadon Kaya (Mustafa Umar Baba), in his main speech, stated that even during the age of ignorance, the Arabs would not cut off the head of an infant in war, but in Karbala, the oppressors of the Umayyad dynasty, with the poisoned arrow of Harmala striking the throat of the thirsty infant, trampled upon every human right.
Following that, Sheikh Dr. Sanusi Abdulqadir Qawqi, the representative of the Shiites in the Kano region, emphasized that we are ready to sacrifice all of our children on the path of Abdullah al-Radhi' (a.s.) (Hazrat Ali Asghar (a.s.)).
Reports received from the city of Zaria (the scientific and religious center of the followers of the AhlulBayt in Nigeria) also indicate that a large gathering of Ashura mothers was held at the "Fodiyya" seminary in the "Baban Dodo" area.
At this ceremony, which was met with remarkable reception from families, Sheikh Abdulhamid Bello, the representative of the students of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky in the Zaria region, delivered a speech. The beautiful aspect of this gathering was the presence of mothers who had brought their infants dressed in green garments inscribed with the phrases "Ya Hussein" and wept and wailed in unison with the tragedies of Lady Rubab (a.s.). Nigerian mothers, by raising their infants aloft, declared that they are ready to sacrifice their most precious possessions for the defense of true Islam.
In Gombe city as well, a mourning ceremony for the third day was held with the enthusiastic presence of the people. In this ceremony, Sheikh Muhammad Abareh, one of Nigeria's prominent scholars, while elaborating on the crime committed against Abdullah al-Radhi' (a.s.), explained the military laws and principles of war in Islam.
Sheikh Abareh, emphasizing that the oppressors of the Umayyad dynasty, by shooting the thirsty and defenseless infant, wrote the darkest page of inhumanity, addressed the mothers, saying that if you see your children standing against the oppressors and arrogant powers of the age, make the great sacrifice of Sayyid al-Shuhada (a.s.) in offering his infant on the field of Karbala your model.
Simultaneously, the faithful and followers in the city of "Sara" in Jigawa State gathered on the fourth day of mourning for Imam Hussein (a.s.) to listen to the recounting of the tragedies of the pure AhlulBayt. Malamm Imam Zakariya, the speaker of this ceremony, by recounting the story of Harmala's crime in targeting the throat of Abdullah al-Radhi' (a.s.) with a three-pronged arrow, exposed the height of cruelty of the enemies of the AhlulBayt (a.s.).
The participants in this religious gathering, after mourning and chest-beating, emphasized their loyalty to the principles of justice-seeking, patience, steadfastness, and struggle against any oppressor in the world under the leadership of Sayyid Zakzaky.
According to reports, these blessed ceremonies, which were held with particular order and spirituality in various regions of Nigeria, concluded with congregational prayers and the recitation of supplications. Those present raised their hands in prayer for the hastening of the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), the victory and honor of Islam and Muslims throughout the world, as well as the health and blessed long life of the great reformer of Africa, Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky, and the leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei, and wished success for the resistance groups.
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