Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Nouri-Hamadani has been delivering a series of Ramadhan lectures on IRIB’s Channel One program “Fountain of Knowledge.” On the fourteenth night, His Eminence congratulated viewers on the joyous birth anniversary of the second Imam, Hasan ibn Ali al-Mujtaba, and said: “When the people did not support the divinely-appointed guardianship and leadership of Imam al-Mujtaba, the Imam was forced to make peace with Mu’awiyah.”
Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani described the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran as a religious democracy and explained that the Iranian people are the masters of the Islamic Revolution and that as long as they support the system and the leadership, Iran does not need nuclear weapons.
His Eminence pointed the critical role that the Iranian people had in the success of the Islamic Revolution. “The people became aware of Imam Khomeini through his pamphlets and speeches. With his support they went out the squares and overthrew the arrogant regime [of the Shah].”
Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani explained that we must learn from the history of the infallible family of the Prophet Muhammad, the Ahlul-Bayt: “When Sahl ibn al-Hasan al-Khorasani approached Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq and asked him: ‘Why is it that in spite of the truth being on your side, you do not stage an uprising against the Abbasids?’ The Imam then briefed his beloved companion on the circumstances prevailing in the region and that he cannot stage an uprising when he does not even have five sincere companions.”
He explained that the Infallible Imams are completely one in their virtues and attributes: “Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba fought beside his father, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali. He had a courageous presence but because of the absence of public support he was forced to make peace with Mu’awiyah.”
He pointed to a narration from the Prophet Muhammad where he describes Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn the “leaders of the youths of paradise.” He said the Prophet Muhammad loved his grandsons and they loved to ride on his blessed shoulders. The Prophet said: “He who loves me must love these two.”
At the end of his sermon, Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani explained how the name of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba was chosen: “God ordered the angel Gabriel to descend to the Earth and congratulate the Prophet on the birth of his grandson and told him to name his grandson Hasan after Prophet Aaron’s son, Shabbar. The Arabic equivalent to this name is Hasan.”
Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani has been delivering a series of Ramadhan lectures on IRIB’s Channel One program “Fountain of Knowledge.” On the fifteenth night, he continued to discuss the lessons we can learn from the life of Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba.
His Eminence referred to the deceit and plots of the enemies against the Islamic Republic of Iran by saying: “the enemies seek to distort the world’s view of Iran with insults and abuse, such as accusing Iran of human rights abuses.”
Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani explained that the enemies are unable to confront the system of wilayah (guardianship) in Iran. “The enemies have realized that they hopeless in an armed conflict and thus have used ‘soft war’ tactics. With the vigilance of the people, we can protect the Islamic system of governance.”
Yesterday was the joyous birth anniversary of the second infallible Imam, Hasan ibn Ali al-Mujtaba. Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani mentioned the misgivings brought forward against the peace treaty between Imam Hasan and Mu’awiyah: “At the beginning of the its rule, the Abbasid Caliphate was faced with the uprisings of the family of Imam Ali, especially the children of Imam Hasan. In order to repress these uprisings, they resorted to extensive propaganda against the Imam, which included slandering and libelling the pure Imam.”
His Eminence further emphasized that the conditions facing Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn were different and as a result the outcomes were also different. Yazid wanted Imam Husayn to pledge allegiance to him at all cost. The accursed Yazid resorted to oppression and corruption in order to force allegiance from Imam Husayn. Mu’awiyah did not seek to force allegiance from Imam Hasan but sought to rule by enflaming the emotions, passions, and prejudices of the people.
Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani explained that the lack of public support was the reason Imam Hasan was forced to sign the peace treaty with Mu’awiyah. “Imam Hasan rose up to fight a jihad against Mu’awiyah but the people did not support him and with the treachery of his commanders, the Imam was forced to make peace,” His Eminence said.
Even the Prophet Muhammad had different methods of ruling in Makkah and Madinah, Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani explained. “The Prophet spent 13 years in Makkah where he invited the people to Islam without war. After the formation of an Islamic government in Madinah and gaining the support of the people there, they were involved in 64 defensive jihads in 10 years.”
His Eminence considered the goal of the pure Imams to be for the protection of the interests of Islam. “In the terms of the peace treaty, Imam Hasan made Mu’awiyah pledge to abide by Islamic law. If Mu’awiyah did not abide by this stipulation, than war would be called against his government.”
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