To the Kind attention of Hazrat Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi
With greeting,
Undoubtedly, mourning for Hazrat Sayedoshohad (a.s.) is honorable for all Shiite. However, some questions are raised about the method of mourning and a group of adversaries are trying to cause discord among the mourners through spreading gossips. You are kindly requested to clarify for us the proper method of mourning for the Master of Freemen.
Regards,
A number of your Moghalleds
Answer
Surely the magnificent rites for commemoration of Imam Hossein (a.s.) is among the most important Islamic rites transmitted to us f r o m the Prophet’s Household (a.s.), and it may be still soon for us to understand the magnificence of Hossein Ashura.
The ceremonies have protected our religion throughout the history, and victory of Islamic Revolution, imposed war, victory of Hezbollah in the south of Lebanon, and great success of Iraqi Shiite were achieved thanks to it. In absence of Ahsura and the mourning ceremonies, Iran, Iraq and Lebanon were different.
The ceremonies are so attractive that this year, the number of Hossein’s pilgrims was the biggest one during the history of Karbala which was registered about ten million people.
I wished I were among the pilgrims, when I saw the exciting scene of walking of the bare-footed pilgrims together with their young children and infants moving towards the destiny of the lovers.
This is the reason why the enemy is trying to weaken or taint it with superstitions. Here, I deem it necessary to call the attention of all dear readers to following items:
1- At the age we are living, we need unity and peace more than any other time. The European companies have united and are supporting each other for insulting the Holy Prophet (s.a.). Israel is continuously shedding Palestinian Moslems’ blood, and plot for destruction of Hezbollah in Lebanon with support of U.S. Our brothers and sisters are being killed everyday by the bigot Wahhabite, and the superpowers are plotting for our country as the only one Islamic Shiite government in the world.
Which intellect let us to spread rumors in such conditions and cause a new discord, and expect to the immune f r o m facing with its great dangers?!
2- Of course, the mourning ceremonies shall be hold as magnificent as possible every year better than the last year, and any action hurting the magnificence of these ceremonies is condemned. It is impossible to think that a Shiite does not wish magnificence in these ceremonies.
However, the method of mourning ceremonies shall be in the same traditional form and according to the instructions issued by the infallible Imams (a.s.) and with guidance of the esteemed Ulama. The Hossein flags shall wave everywhere, and the mourning groups shall walk everywhere, but be vigilant and not let the uninformed individuals to utter blasphemous and exaggerative phrases, and the mourners shall not hurt their body, and do not do any action weakening religion in people’s view to avoid giving any pretext to the enemy.
3- It is better for the esteemed orators to care their orations and the dear eulogists to care their eulogies for unity and solidarity, and clarify the objectives of master of the oppressed and martyrs that is informing people and publication of Quranic rulings, achieving honor, prestige, freedom and bid to good and encounter with injustice and corruption. It is good if these objectives are registered in the books of
4- I thank all of those who contributed and endeavored in booming the gatherings for Hossein during these two months in different ways, and pray God for honor for our dear nation thanks to God’s mercy and under the honorable flag of master of martyrs, and special attention of Hazrat Vali-e-Asr, and ask all to avoid actions bittering the magnificence of mourning ceremonies hold this year due to provoking dissidences which will result in happiness of our adversaries.
Wishing your ever success
