Rasa News Agency reports - Ayatollah Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi spoke to a group of students from the Organization for the Mobilization of the Oppressed (Basij) who were attending a conference on Islamic thought at Ferdosi University in the holy city of Mashhad. His Eminence spoke about the various threats by the enemies against Muslims in the modern era.
He warned them that since the time of Prophet Adam (A), mankind has had many enemies who have sought to lead them astray. His Eminence pointed to the situation in the Gaza Strip, where the atrocities committed against mankind have continued today: “Everywhere that there is talk of Islam, rights, justice and liberty, we encounter the enemy. We see an example of this [hypocrisy] in Gaza. It is natural that we must prepare ourselves to fight against these enemies so that we can protect our rights. The greatest attacks are those against the people of the Gaza Strip, who are being attacked without mercy. Innocent children, women and civilians are being killed. This is the greatest evil.”
His Eminence explained that the enemies are attempting to destroy Muslim societies by various means. Some of the means the enemies attempt to destroy Muslim societies is by colonialism, weakening their economic systems and weakening their power. Their economic blows cause inflation and increase hardships among Muslims. However, these problems can be overcome but their attempts to damage the relationship between Muslims and their religious faith is a greater danger. They areactively fighting our religious beliefs and our cultural by various means in order to marginalize society from its religious identity.
Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi recalled that the Holy Quran says: “…and they will not cease fighting with you until they turn you back from your religion, if they can…” [2:217] and explained that contrary to what materialists believe, the greatest loss for mankind is to lose his faith. The devil and his companions seek to fight against mankind until they lose their faith. This is very evident today.
“In the current era, mankind is facing its greatest dangers since the time of Prophet Adam (A). Previously, when people wanted to lead someone astray, they would talk to them face to face, but now mankind faces the threats of deviant forms of film, art and books [that did not exist before]. These affect millions of people,” His Eminence explained.
Ayatollah Mesbah-Yazdi told the students that in addition to their non-religious studies, they can take a few seminary courses so that they do not forget their religious values, waste their precious time, do not become prisoners of Satan, and make an effort to accomplish their religious duties so they do not go astray. He also encouraged the students to engage in activities which have a positive effect on their faith. An educated population has an effect of rescuing people from the abyss of ignorance and an education can help people resolve their religious doubts.
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