AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Addressing an audience at Jamia Masjid Ali at Hawza Ilmiya Jamia Al-Muntazar in Lahore, Najafi said the Islamic Revolution in Iran had convinced opponents that the institution of religious authority, or marja'iyya, remained one of the most significant sources of strength within the Shia community.
He said religious authority had played a central role in preserving Shia Islam, while azadari, or mourning rituals commemorating the tragedy of Karbala, and devotion to Imam Ali represented two other major pillars of Shia identity.
“Because of these three forces, Shias today are able to stand firmly in the face of colonialism,” he said, according to the account of his speech. He added that these forces had also faced attempts to weaken them.
Najafi also said the 21st century would belong to Muslims and described Islam as a rapidly growing religion. He said Muslims were making progress and expressed the view that Muslim political influence would continue to expand in Britain and Europe in the future.
Speaking about Karbala, Najafi described its remembrance as essential to the preservation of religion. He said the commemoration of Karbala gained particular prominence during the eras of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir and Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, who, according to him, encouraged poets to recite poetry at mourning gatherings and helped preserve the memory of Karbala.
Najafi also highlighted the intellectual and educational legacy of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, saying that the foundations of ijtihad, or independent legal reasoning, developed during his era. He said Imam al-Sadiq taught his students how to derive religious rulings from the Quran and Hadith and expanded the tradition of Islamic learning.
According to Najafi, thousands of students attended Imam al-Sadiq's lessons, including students from regions corresponding to present-day India and Sindh. He said the Imam developed the educational tradition established by the Prophet Muhammad into a more advanced system of learning.
He also referred to Jabir ibn Hayyan, often associated with the development of early chemistry, describing him as a student of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq and highlighting his contribution to the history of science.
Najafi further noted that the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal marks the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad and Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq. He described Rabi al-Awwal as a month of celebration and referred to major events in early Islamic history associated with the month, including the migration from Mecca to Medina and the establishment of brotherhood among Muslims in Medina.
Your Comment