RNA – During his Friday prayer sermon to a large and fervent crowd of believers and mourners in Qom’s Holy Shrine of Lady Fatimah al-Ma’sumah, Ayatollah Ali-Reza Arafi stated that the message of Ashura is to have piety in one’s personal and social life and added that the Ashura of today is to confront and resist “American Islam, Saudi Islam, ISIL and aristocratic Islam.”
The head of al-Mustafa International University appreciated the passion that the Iranian people have for the tradition of mourning for Imam Husayn during the solemn month of Muharram and added that in some countries, such as Malaysia, Shi’ite mourning ceremonies are not permitted, which is unfortunate.
Referring to the ISIL Takfiri terrorist group, His Eminence added that the hatred of these modern-day successors of Umayyad Dynasty seek to stand against the roaring waves of those mourning for Imam Husayn, but they know that the flag of Imam Husayn will remain flying high and that they and the arrogant powers cannot stand against the message of Imam Husayn which has “pushed all their waves aside.”
Ayatollah Arafi stressed the need to avoid superstitions and distortions during the mourning ceremonies and said that mourning for Imam Husayn must be passionate and avoid superstitions and practices such as tatbir (self-flagellation) which is the cause of insult to Shi’a Islam. “Our Shi’ism is revolutionary and our revolution is based on Ashura and it must be protected,” he stressed.
In another part of his speech, Qom’s Friday prayers’ leader referred to the letter from the Supreme Leader of Iran’s Islamic Revolution (Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei) to President Hassan Rouhani in regard to the implementation and important points of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and stressed that Ayatollah Khamenei has the “final word” over this agreement which was reached after twenty months of tough negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in July.
“All parties must consider the statements of the Supreme Leader as the final word as such, they are paramount over their own positions and his commands and advice are more important than partisan issues and disagreements because he is the monitor and guardian of the Islamic Revolution,” he said.
Ayatollah Arafi said the legislation and implementation of the JCPOA should be carefully considered by the country’s authorities as the text of this agreement has weaknesses which Iran’s enemies can take advantage of after it is implemented.
He emphasized that Iran must to strengthen its research and development capabilities and prepare to defend itself against the arrogant powers and must also continue its support of the Islamic Resistance and establish a culture of resistance and a resistance economy after the implementation of the JCPOA. He added that Iran must not show any tolerance or weakness in this regard.
The renowned Iranian scholar said that the enemies must know that Iranians have been reasonable and have had patience over the JCPOA but we are children of Ashura and will not make any concessions to the enemies or surrender to their excesses.
Ayatollah Arafi stressed that the United States and the Zionists are not safe from collapse. Takfiri terrorist groups must not feel safe as the waves of the Islamic Resistance are increasing throughout the world.
“Our message, which has been inspired by Ashura, to the Americans and other enemies of Islam is that they must realize that they cannot influence Iran so they should stop trying to interfere in Iran by creating dissension among our people,” he said.
He explained that Ashura is a sign of the greatness of the Iranian nation, adding that the Zionist regime is in the grip of the Islamic Resistance and by God’s grace, this cancerous tumour will collapse soon.
His Eminence added that ISIL, Takfiris and the House of Saud know that until Iran sits back and surrenders to the oppressors, they cannot continue their support of conflict among Sunnis and Shi’ites in Iran. “They must stop their support of evil policies or they will be defeated,” he said.
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