AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Ayatollah Reza Ramezani, Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly and representative of Gilan province in the Assembly of Experts, at the morning ceremony of Tasu'a of Hussaini in Rasht, while explaining the concept of "life" and "death" in Islamic teachings, emphasized that the meaning of life in the teachings of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) is not merely being alive and possessing vegetative and animal life, but rather true human life depends on knowledge, faith, morality, cultivation of intellect and soul, and conscious movement in the divine path.
Referring to passages from pilgrimages and supplications in which God is asked to make human life and death like the life and death of the family of God, he stated, "This life and death are not involuntary and natural life and death, because man's coming and going from this world is not within his control. What has been placed within man's control is the will that God has granted him to employ in the path of eternal life and true perfection."
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, stating that correct understanding of life will lead to correct understanding of death, added, "Much of what is discussed in the realm of welfare, material facilities, and outward appearances of life does not constitute the truth of human life. Man's true asset is that which remains with him after death and does not separate from him."
Referring to the view of Islamic philosophers on human happiness and life, he stated, "The Holy Quran and the AhlulBayt (a.s.) invite those who possess outward life to a superior life, just as the verse, 'Respond to God and the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life,' indicates that man must achieve a life beyond material existence."
Ayatollah Ramezani noted, "Wealth, facilities, and worldly attachments separate from man at death, but true beliefs, divine attributes, moral virtues, and that which is connected to man's soul are his true assets and will accompany him in all realms."
Man's True Asset is Faith and Divine Attributes
Ramezani, emphasizing that true peace for man is achieved through these spiritual assets, said, "Man's life depends on the extent of his understanding, perception, and connection with God Almighty. The deeper this connection, the more complete a life man will possess.
Referring to Avicenna's perspective on death and his treatise "Daf' al-Gham 'an al-Mawt" (Removing Grief from Death), he stated, "One of the most important factors in man's fear of death is not knowing its reality. Man experiences life and death only once, and for this reason, he faces ambiguity and anxiety regarding it."
Citing a narration from Imam Hadi (a.s.), he added, "When asked why people fear death, the Imam replied, 'Because they do not know it.' If man understands the reality of death as a transition to a higher stage of life, many of his anxieties will be resolved."
Ayatollah Ramezani identified attachment to material matters, ignorance of the world after death, fear of divine punishment, and attachment to fleeting worldly pleasures as other factors of man's fear of death, and said, "Those who have built their lives on faith, righteous deeds, and piety do not consider death an end, but rather a bridge to eternal life."
In another part of his speech, while explaining the concept of patience, he divided it into two types: "involuntary patience" and "voluntary patience," and said, "Patience in the face of calamities, illnesses, loss of loved ones, and natural disasters is a type of involuntary patience for which divine reward has been promised."
Knowing Death Frees Man from Fear and Attachment
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly added, "But voluntary patience has a higher status, meaning that man, through his own will and choice, refrains from certain pleasures and carnal desires and chooses sacrifice and selflessness to achieve higher values."
He continued, "Man's pleasures are not limited to material pleasures; rather, intellectual, spiritual, and devotional pleasures have much higher levels. The pleasure of worship, serving others, sacrifice, discovering truth, and understanding divine teachings are among the pleasures that bring man closer to true life."
Ayatollah Ramezani, referring to the words of the Master of the Martyrs (a.s.) about death and life, stated, "Imam Hussain (a.s.) considered death with honor as happiness and life alongside oppressors as disgrace. This view frees man from attachment to the world and fear of death, and gives him the strength to stand against oppression."
The representative of Gilan province in the Assembly of Experts emphasized, "The message of Ashura is man's liberation from all servitude to other than God, and it is this very message that has made the Hussaini movement an inspiration for nations and freedom-seekers throughout history."
In the concluding part of his speech, the Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly addressed the character and conduct of the Martyr Leader and said, "The Martyr Leader stood against the greatest criminals of his time and did not allow threats to intimidate him. With a dignified, powerful discourse based on divine values, he became a model for free nations."
The Culture of Ashura is a Culture of Freedom and Standing Against Oppression
He added, "The Martyr Leader sacrificed himself for the great human and Islamic ideals and strove for the dignity of the Iranian nation and the freedom of the world's nations. It is this very spirit that made his name and path an inspiration for successive generations after his martyrdom."
Ayatollah Ramezani, referring to the country's scientific progress after the Islamic Revolution, stated, "One of the most important ways to achieve national authority is scientific growth, and for this reason, in the statement of the Second Step of the Revolution, scientific progress has been placed at the forefront of recommendations."
He noted, "The Islamic Revolution and the blood of the martyrs are two great miracles of the contemporary era. The blood of the martyrs transcended geographical borders, awakened nations, and created a new literature of resistance, self-belief, and standing against domination in the world."
In conclusion, he emphasized, "Today, more than ever, we need to re-read the culture of Ashura, strengthen spiritual life, expand science, morality, and spirituality, and move in the path of dignity and independence; a path that the martyrs charted for the nations with their blood."
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