AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): On Monday, August 2, 2021, a meeting of cultural centers affiliated to the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, entitled “Hosseini mourning, manifestation of divine rites”, was held in the meeting hall of the Assembly in Qom.
launching digital library in the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly
At the beginning of the meeting, referring to the situation of Shiites in the world, Hojat al-Islam Sayed Mohammad Reza Ale Ayyub, Director General of Cultural Services and Publications of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, said, “The situation in the Shiite and the Islamic world requires us to follow the issues of different countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Tunisia and Algeria, because the developments in these countries are our current issues. We have good news that the release of Sheikh Zakzaky is one of them.”
“Recently, in the General Directorate of Cultural Services and Publications of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, we have taken steps to establish cultural centers in countries such as Iraq, the Netherlands, Tunisia and Algeria. Also, steps have been taken to establish women’s centers in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon,” he continued.
“In this general office, we are looking to launch a digital library, to be a reference for the followers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) school. Also, we are looking to use the capacity of cultural centers in the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly,” added the Director General of Cultural Services and Publications of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly.
Research on how to present lifestyle of AhlulBayt (a.s.) to world
Following the meeting, referring to the approach of the Research Office of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, Hojat al-Islam Mahdi Farmanian, Director General of Studies and Research of the Assembly, stated, “This office is looking for some grand strategies in order to offer the teachings of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) to the world. The question that arises is how to present the lifestyle of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) to the world, and in this regard, we welcome the proposed ideas. People seek to preserve their material life in the manner of the AhlulBayt (a.s.).”
“We seek to present five slogans as the slogans of the Research Office of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly. To promote the school of AhlulBayt (a.s.), the Shiites must go from denial to proof, from negative to affirmative method, from extremism to balance, from lack of connection to interaction, and from feeling to reason,” he continued.
“In the research office of the World Assembly of Ahl al-Bayt (AS), we support the submitted projects as much as possible,” noted the Director General of Studies and Research of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly.
Cyberspace has the most audience to convey a message
Also, Hassan Sadrai Aref, the head of the General Department of Cyberspace of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly said in the meeting of cultural centers affiliated to the assembly, “A few days have passed since Eid al-Ghadir. It is our mission to preserve and promote what has become a Shiite slogan.”
“Today, cyberspace has the most popular audience to convey a message. This environment has affected our spiritual and material life. So that we are connected to cyberspace from morning to night,” he continued.
“The General Department of Cyberspace of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly seeks to create a database of international actors in cyberspace in order to better reflect the message of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) in today's world,” Sadrai Aref pointed out.
The importance of the manpower training for the success of missionaries
In another part of the meeting, referring to the need to train missionaries, Hojat al-Islam Valiullah Madanipour, head of the General Department of Education of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, said, “Preachers must learn cultural management in order to work coherently in their countries, and the General Department of Education of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly can serve foreign missionaries in this regard.”
“In order to be effective in their own countries, missionaries must set up training offices. Because manpower training is also one of the tasks of the General Department of Education of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly,” he continued.
“The General Directorate is ready to train and provide training to people from different countries, and has a plan for synergy in this area,” added the head of the General Department of Education of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly.
The need for a network of Shiite jurists to defend Shiites rights in the world
In the final part of the meeting of cultural centers affiliated to the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, referring to the month of Muharram, Hojat al-Islam Ahmad Ahmadi Tabar, the deputy for scientific and cultural affairs of the Assembly stated, “The month of Muharram is coming, a month which has special features. The revival of the religion of the Prophet (p.b.u.h) is through Ashura and Karbala. Apparently, the incident of Ashura is an incident that happened in a day and a half, in which the two groups faced each other, and that, one group lost everything. On the surface, such an incident should be forgotten. But as time goes on, the Ashura incident becomes more vivid and effective than before. The secret of this issue is the four elements that have made Ashura last and effective.”
“The first element for the effectiveness of Ashura incident, is the Martyrdom. When man sacrifices his everything in the way of God, the reward of martyrdom will be with Him Almighty. Throughout history, the martyrs have been influenced by their sincerity. The element for the survival of Ashura throughout the history, is the element of Captivity, which destroyed the evil propaganda and clarified the truth. The third element for effectiveness of Ashura, which was emphasized by the infallible Imams (a.s.), is the element of Pilgrimage. The AhlulBayt (a.s.) emphasized that we should pilgrimage Karbala. In the hadiths, the pilgrimage of Imam Hussein (a.s.) is mentioned as the best deeds, and for it, many worldly and otherworldly rewards are stated. The fourth element for the survival of Ashura throughout the history, is Mourning and mentioning the event. Ashura is not just a day and a place, but is a struggle between right and wrong, and an eternal struggle in history,” he continued.
“Today we have spaces and situations, and we must use them to make the most effort and hold the best ceremonies. In this regard, we can use cyberspace. During the holy month of Ramadan, we had 3,000 virtual Minbar (pulpits) for various human societies by non-Iranian scholars,” added the deputy for scientific and cultural affairs of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly.
“A network of Shiite jurists is needed to defend the rights of Shiites around the world, and creating such a network should be on the agenda. The policy of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly is to protect the Shiites,” said Ahmadi Tabar, referring to the need to defend the rights of Shiites in the world.
“We built houses for different nationalities. In this regard, the “House of Africa” has been launched, and we are setting up the “House of Afghanistan”. Regarding the identification of the Shiites, no serious work has been done in the past in the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly. Since last year, we have taken steps in this regard to accurately identify the situation of the world’s Shiites. In this regard, some work has been done, but it is not complete. Shiites live in 148 countries, and the status of each community must be determined,” he continued.
“We no longer have a plan to publish books widely in Iran. We are looking to publish the books of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly in other countries. All proper contents available in cyberspace has been collected in a portal called “Rahnama” in 47 languages and all followers of AhlulBayt (a.s.) can use it,” added the deputy for scientific and cultural of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly.
“For the AhlulBayt (a.s.) school, a human network of followers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) and a media network must be created. Art tools should also be used to promote the teachings of the AhlulBayt (a.s.),” said Ahmadi Tabar, referring to the need for creating a network of Shiites.
“The digital library of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly has not been launched yet. But we anticipate that this library will be available to people around the world in 2021. In this library, all the works that have been written about Shiites throughout history in different languages will be available to the public,” he mentioned.
Suggestions of the heads of the Cultural Centers affiliated to the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly
In a meeting with the directors of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, the heads of the Cultural Centers affiliated to the Assembly presented suggestions including: Establishment of an international law institute to defend the followers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) school entitled “Defense of Human Rights”, prevent divisive actions in order not to give excuses to the enemies to attack the Shiites, strengthening the relationship between the cultural centers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, inviting Sunni scholars on religious occasions such as Muharram and the birth of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h), increasing the support of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly of for cultural centers, holding specialized virtual courses for missionaries, holding quarterly meetings between the officials of cultural centers and the directors of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, the need to follow the proposals presented by the heads of cultural centers to the World Assembly of AhlulBayt (a.s.).
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