The government’s duty does not remove society’s duty

You read in the supplication, ‘Oh God! Make me live the life of Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, and permit me to die the death of Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad.’ When we talk of ‘live the life of’ here, we mean lifestyle and we are asking God to make our lifestyle like theirs.”

News ID: 450324

Date: 14 July 2020 - 18:04

RNA - On the auspicious occasion of the anniversary of the birth of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (s), the ‎daughter of the Prophet of Islam, in the meet with religious eulogists the Supreme Leader of ‎the Islamic Revolution – Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei – on Saturday, February 15, 2020.‎

Imam Khamenei pointed eulogists had to address the issue of lifestyle in their eulogies and ‎ceremonies in order to promote a culture endorsed by the teachings of Islam stating that, ‎‎“One thing that should be pursued in these assemblies, with God’s grace, is the matter of ‎Islamic lifestyle. This should be decorated with the art of poetry, and these poems should ‎be recited in gatherings to promote this culture. If we want to change the lifestyle into the ‎Islamic lifestyle in the correct manner and in opposition to the (cultural) invasion of the ‎enemy front, this is the solution. You read in the supplication, ‘Oh God! Make me live the life ‎of Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, and permit me to die the death of ‎Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad.’ When we talk of ‘live the life of’ here, we ‎mean lifestyle and we are asking God to make our lifestyle like theirs.”‎

Imam Khamenei emphasized Lady Fatimah al-Zahra’s (s) spirit of altruism as an excellent ‎example to follow and maintained, “part of the teachings of Fatimah (s) is the issue of ‎helping others. When her son asked, ‘Mother, why did you only pray for others?’ Her answer ‎was, ‘First the neighbor, then ourselves.’ This is a lesson to remind us of social ‎responsibility. Another example is that of (helping) the poor, orphaned and the captive as ‎referred to in the chapter ‘The Man.’ The Almighty God mentions this incident with ‎magnificence, and seventeen or eighteen verses of Quran are dedicated to it. ‎

This shows the significance of this incident. It is a symbolic event. Yes, these honorable ‎individuals and all the members of their family endured hunger. They helped the orphan, the ‎poor, and the captive. This actually happened, but it is also symbolic. Lady Fatimah (s) ‎could have asked them to go to the Mosque instead. It was in an Islamic government after ‎all. However, the government’s duty does not remove society’s duty. People in a society are ‎required to truly help one another. Various types of assistance should be offered in society: ‎financial assistance, help in thinking, protecting the honor of others, etc. This is a lesson ‎from Lady Fatimah’s teachings.”‎