RNA – Speaking at a ceremony marking the second ten days of the solemn month of Muharram, Hujjat al-Islam Alireza Panahian, the head of Tehran’s Dar al-Hikmah Seminary and said, “The effort to achieve legitimate sustenance is jihad on the path of God and is the source of the strength of society.”
The renowned scholar said, “By strengthening and developing the culture of resistance, we can witness the implementation of a Resistance Economy, scientific growth and development of the country. We must put the culture of resistance in our ethics and behaviour and avoid ethics arising from weakness. The culture of resistance prevents humanity from becoming irreligious.”
Emphasizing that the culture of resistance must be present in all aspects of human life, Hujjat al-Islam Panahian said, “If this culture were institutionalized in families, today we wouldn’t see an increase in the divorce rate in society.”
His Eminence stated that Muslims must seek to strengthen the economy in order to become powerful and said, “Those who are Westernized seek to become rich so they can become powerful. Religious people must also seek to obtain wealth.”
He said that religion came for the happiness and salvation of mankind and added, “When a believer becomes wealthy, it doesn’t mean that he become irreligious and neglectful. In the Holy Quran, God invites human beings to engage in worship and to fight against tyranny. Thus, in order to fight tyranny, one must be powerful and one of the tools of power is economic power.”
Hujjat al-Islam Panahian pointed to the words of the late Imam Khomeyni, who said, “The groups of society must not be confronted in regard to divine ordinances” and said, “The Imam condemned those who stratify society in regard to divine ordinances. Therefore, the economic behaviour of individuals for the acquisition of greater and halal (permissible) isn’t related to their lack of religion and God doesn’t agree with indolence and laziness among human beings and for this reason, being wealthy doesn’t conflict with religiosity.”
Expressing that unemployment is not just a matter of economic affliction, but also endangers people’s spirituality, he stated, “Collective life must be based on sacrifice. Our Prophet’s ummah is known in the heavens for its sacrifices. Consequently, sacrifice is the highest attribute of the believer.”
In conclusion, he said that Arba’in al-Husayn is the manifestation of self-sacrifice in relation to each other and added, “The difference between the bourgeoisie and the Shi’ah community is in this sacrifice, so economic problems can be resolved by forming popular and jihadi groups.”
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