AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Islamic Center of Brazil, with its headquarters in São Paulo, is considered one of the most active Shiite centers in Latin America. This Islamic center is active in spreading Islamic teachings and the AhlulBayt (a.s.) teachings, focusing on providing cultural, research and media services in Brazil.
Naser al-Din Khazraji, the director of this Islamic center, who traveled to Iran to participate in the 7th General Assembly of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, gave the following explanations about the center and its activities.
Stating that the Great Islamic Center of Brazil started its work in São Paulo in 1999 by his father, Sheikh Talib Hossein Khazraji, he said, “About 33 years ago, Sheikh Khazraji was sent to Brazil by the religious centers of Iran for the Imamate of the Mosque of Muhammad Rasoolullah (p.b.u.h) in Brazil.”
“At his arrival, Sheikh Khazraji learned that the lack of Islamic content in the Portuguese language had caused many problems, and also led to the lack of proper knowledge of Islam among the people of Brazil. Therefore, at the very beginning, he started his cultural and religious activities,” Khazraji continued.
To preserve Islam producing content is essential
“At that time, my father felt the lack of content very much. Because he believed that merely participating in religious ceremonies is not enough to know Islam. This lack of content made him to write down some of the principles, opinions and rulings in a simple and fluent language in leaflets and distribute them among the people,” Khazraji expressed.
“The decision and will that the Islamic Center of Brazil took in producing content during these years led to the formation of the largest data center of AhlulBayt (a.s.) Islamic teachings in the world in this center,” he emphasized.
“In the past years, Sheikh Khazraji wrote a book in Portuguese about the life of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and AhlulBayt (a.s.). The book introduced the life of AhlulBayt (a.s.) and Islam to many people in Brazil,” continued the director of the Islamic Center of Brazil.
“The work started when Sheikh Khazraji decided to produce content and translate it for the Brazilian audience,” he mentioned, “The center has written many books based on the culture and in a way that is understandable for the people of the region.”
Translation of Islamic books in Portuguese, language of Brazil
Emphasizing that in the Islamic Center of Brazil, articles and books related to the intellectual and theological foundations of Islam have been translated, this Islamic scholar continued, “These books are distributed in Brazil and in other Portuguese-speaking countries.”
According to Naser al-Din Khazraji, some of the works published by the Islamic Center of Brazil are translation of “Shiite in Islam” books by Allameh Tabatabai, Nahj al-Balagha, Risalat al-Huquq of Imam Sajjad (a.s.), “Lessons from Nahj al-Balagha” and “Lessons from the Quran” by Ayatollah Khamenei, “The system of women’s rights in Islam” by Shahid Motahari, the books of Ayatollah Sayed Mohammad Baqer Sadr, the stories of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and the Infallible Imams (a.s.), and the story of the prophets in Portuguese, which has just been published.
“Based on the Supreme Leader’s order to “be active and up to date in the cyberspace”, the Islamic Center of Brazil, in addition to translating and publishing religious books, is also very active in the cyberspace. The page of this center in social networks is one of the most viewed and active pages of Shiite Islamic centers in the world,” Naser al-Din Khazraji stated.
“We are in direct contact with other centers that produce content related to Islamic issues according to the AhlulBayt (a.s.) teachings, and exchange information and news,” he continued.
Promoting AhlulBayt (a.s.) teachings, aim of Islamic Center of Brazil
“Our goal is to create friendship and bring the centers closer to promote the AhlulBayt (a.s.) teachings,” he said, “Regarding Islamic occasions and ceremonies, we have always coordinated with other centers and mosques to prevent any interference in the ceremonies. We also believe that if a ceremony is held in the center, there is no need to hold similar ceremonies in other centers.”
“For instance, when I go to the Muhammad Rasoolullah (p.b.u.h) Mosque in São Paulo, it is not just to attend the ceremony. Rather, I translate the ceremony into Portuguese for other participants,” continued the director of the Islamic Center of Brazil.
Freedom of religion and expression in Brazil
“There are about 50 cultural-Islamic centers in Brazil, of which 15 centers are Shiites. The priority of all these centers is mutual communication and friendship. Also, the basis of our work is communication and exchange of information with other centers. However, in the last few years, due to the events and political tensions between the Muslim countries, our communication with other centers has been limited,” he added.
“According to the Brazilian constitution, all religious minorities are protected. Our center uses this law for its own benefit and to promote the ceremonies and propagation of Islam. The existing centers in Brazil interact with each other. Our center has tried its best to have the minimum tension with others,” Khazraji continued.
“The interaction of Brazilian non-Muslim citizens with the Islamic Center is very good. Brazilian citizens have a religious spirit and welcome Islamic exhibitions and other activities of the center,” said the director of the Great Islamic Center of Brazil in the end.
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