In his meeting with a number of recently converts, who had embraced Shiism willingly and without being under any compulsion, grand ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said: “Allah has blessed you by guiding you to this path. You have also made a lot of sacrifice in order to be able to embrace the school of the Ahl al-Beit (a.s) and you must know that all of your efforts will be recorded in your book of deeds and you will be granted a two-fold reward in the hereafter for your efforts”.
Referring to a tradition by the Prophet (a.s), which indicates that the deed, which is recorded in the righteous people’s book of deeds as a headpiece is their affection for Imam Ali (a.s), he stated: “you have done something that would record the affection for Imam Ali (a.s) as the headpiece of your book of deeds”.
Addressing the recent converts, his eminence said: “now, your words and deeds must be different from the past so that when other people see you, they realize the change in your behavior compared to the past”. Grand ayatollah Makarem Shirazi, then, continued: “your proper behavior and good deeds are the best way to promote the school of the Ahl al-Beit (a.s.) and it is the best means with which to call others to the religion of the Ahl al-Beit (a.s)”.
Emphasizing the importance of gaining knowledge of the school of the Ahl al-Beit (a.s), he added: “you ought to study Imam Ali’s life and behavioral characteristics more than before and then start promoting them”. Stating that today the enemies are trying to deny and conceal Imam Ali’s virtues and merits, his eminence said: “the enemies are preventing the people from learning about the Imam’s virtues, thus, we must do our best to spread and promote the Imam’s way of life and conduct”.
Stressing the necessity of studying Nahj al-Balaghah more and becoming more familiar with it, he stated: “we have to try to promote Imam Ali’s words in Nahj al-Balaghah and, even if we had no access to any other traditions by Imam Ali, Nahj al-Balaghah would still suffice. Moreover, no other companion of the Prophet has given any sermons like the ones by Imam Ali that are recorded in Nahj al-Balaghah”.
Stating that our confrontations with the other religions must be done without insulting their religious sanctities, grand ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said: “in the congress that was held here on Takfirism, eighty Sunnite Muftis from various countries had taken part; they came here very enthusiastically, and left happily. We also said our opinions without insulting anyone and in a completely friendly atmosphere”.
He continued: “we must not insult the sanctities of the other religions, and such insults are definitely not approved by Allah and Imam Mahdi (a.s)”.
Emphasizing the fact that the anti-Shiite movements have become abundant nowadays, his eminence said: “an American official has recently said that let the ISIL kill the Shiites and the Muslims and that the best choice is to allow the ISIL invade Iraq and massacre the Shiites there”.
Stating that, today, the school of the Ahl al-Beit (a.s) is progressing, in a natural way, in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and the other Muslim counties, grand ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said: “Despite the abundance of the anti-Shiite propaganda, the Ahl-al-Beit (a.s) school of thought is progressing and this indicates that it is a progressive school”.
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