RNA – Speaking at the az-Zahraa Islamic Centre in Vancouver, Canada, Hujjat al-Islam Sayyid Murtadha al-Ridhawi al-Kashmiri, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani’s representative in Europe, said: “If people were only familiar with the meaning and slogan of ‘Allahu Akbar’ [‘God is the greatest’], it would be enough to educate them.”
He added that if the terrorists and Takfiris were well-versed with the concept of ‘Allahu Akbar’ they would have never engaged in murder and assaults.
This phrase, known as takbir, is well-known in the West for its common use as a battle cry in Takfiri protests, extremism and terrorism but this is in contrast to its actual meaning.
Hujjat al-Islam al-Kashmiri referred to the Quranic chapter “al-Tawbah” [“The Repentance”] and lofty position of the blessed Islamic lunar month of Rajab, saying: “God placed twelve months in a year in which human beings can perform their religious practices and obey their Creator in the best manner.”
His Eminence referred to the narration that the month of Rajab is the month of Imam Ali, the month of Sha’ban is the month of the Prophet Muhammad and Ramadhan is the month of God and said: “If a person wishes to gain closeness the Prophet Muhammad, there is no other way but to pass through the ‘gate of knowledge of the Noble Prophet,’ meaning Imam Ali, just as gaining closeness to God is possible through the Holy Prophet.”
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