Statements on the Birth Anniversary of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her)

On the occasion of the anniversary of the birth of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her)

In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful And thanks be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad and his pure family, and may God's curse be upon all their enemies.

Welcome, dear brothers and sisters; after two years, we once again gather with some of you in this Hussainiyah. One of our best sessions and sweetest social memories is the session on the birth anniversary of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her), which we have held with you dear ones every year; I believe this session has been held for 35 years now. I congratulate you on the birth of the Lady of Women (peace be upon her), the pure and chaste Siddiqa, Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her), as well as the birth of our great Imam.

I would like to say a few words about Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) as a token of our devotion, and then a few words about the important issue of eulogizing and the Hussainiyah. Of course, the day of her birth is also Women’s Day and Mother’s Day; the respected women complain that we should dedicate this day to women; they are right, but this session has a deep-rooted and longstanding history, and we cannot underestimate it; we should, God willing, designate a day for meeting with the ladies as well.

Regarding the greatness of the status of Zahra al-Kubra, the pure Siddiqa (peace be upon her), our words are very limited and inadequate; the Quran and authentic hadith speak of this great lady, and the eulogies about her require contemplation and precision to understand. The narration that our great Imam once mentioned, that Gabriel would come down to Lady Fatimah after the passing of the Prophet, is an authentic narration; we have examined the chain of this narration; it is valid and beyond doubt that Gabriel would come. The text states: وَ کانَ یَأتیها جَبرَئیلُ علیه السّلام فَیُحسِنُ عَزاءَها عَلَی اَبیها; in our contemporary language, he would regularly come to Lady Fatimah to offer condolences for the passing of the Prophet; وَ یُطَیِّبُ نَفسَها; he would bring her comfort; وَ یُخبِرُها عَن اَبیها وَ مَکانِه; he would inform her of the condition of the Prophet, what state he was in; in the world of Barzakh, in the presence of the Ever-Living and the Most Merciful, he would show her the high ranks of the Prophet and depict them for Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her); وَ یُخبِرُهَا بِما یَکونُ بَعدَها فِی ذُرِّیَّتِها; he would narrate to her the events concerning her children that would occur in the future - the events of Imam Hasan, the events of Karbala, the events of the Imams (peace be upon them), and the events of the Awaited Savior (may our souls be sacrificed for him); وَ کَانَ عَلیٌّ علیه ‌السّلام یَکتُبُ ذَلِک; Amir al-Mu'minin would sit and write these down; this is a very important matter.

According to the Quran, Gabriel has descended only once in history upon someone who was not a Prophet: اَرسَلنا اِلَیها روحَنا ‌فَتَمَثَّلَ‌ لَها بَشَراً سَوِیّا; if the spirit referred to - which is also a matter of dispute - in the story of Lady Maryam is indeed Gabriel (peace be upon him), the Almighty God has sent Gabriel only once to someone who was not a Prophet; the other angels have descended and it has repeatedly happened that angels have come; however, Gabriel has come only once; but for Lady Fatimah: وَ کانَ یَأتیها جَبرَئیل; this is not a matter of once or twice, but rather Gabriel would regularly come and be honored in the presence of Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her).

[The praise of Lady Fatimah] is found in the Quran, in Surah “Hal Ata” (Has there come upon man), in the verse of purification, in the verse of Mubahala. These verses that are almost explicit regarding Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her) are these verses, and there are other verses that refer to this great lady. The fact that in Surah “Hal Ata” the Almighty God speaks of the actions of Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her) and her family is very significant; this is a banner that the Quran raises, it raises it above the door of Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her): اِنَّما نُطعِمُکُم لِوَجهِ اللَّهِ لا نُرِیدُ مِنکُم جَزاءً وَ لا شُکورا; the work is for God, sincerity, selfless service; to whom? To the orphan, the poor, and the captive; this captive, was he a Muslim captive? It is unlikely that at that time there was a Muslim captive. Selfless service; this is a lesson, this is the banner of Fatimah Zahra; that is, the Quran elevates this. Or in the verse of Mubahala: وَ نِساءَنا وَ نِساءَکُم; while there were many women around the Prophet - the wives of the Prophet, other close relatives of the Prophet, perhaps some of the Prophet's other daughters were there - but “نِساءنا” refers only to Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her); for what? To confront the camp of truth with the camp of falsehood; this is how it is. Fatimah Zahra is the embodiment of these lofty and extraordinary truths. These are the virtues of Lady Fatimah.

The Noble Prophet refers to Lady Fatimah as “سَیِّدَةُ نِسَاءِ العالَمین” (the Lady of the Women of the Worlds), and “سَیِّدَةُ نِساءِ اَهلِ الجَنَّة” (the Lady of the Women of the People of Paradise); which is more significant: سَیِّدَةُ نِساءِ اَهلِ الجَنَّة. All the women of Paradise: Lady Sarah, Lady Asia, Lady Hawwa, Lady Maryam, all these great women of history are “نِساءِ اَهلِ الجَنَّة”; they are the women of Paradise; this great lady is “سَیِّدَةُ نِساءِ اَهلِ الجَنَّة”. This is how it is. How can a person’s tongue articulate these truths and do justice to them! Our minds also require much contemplation and precision to understand these realities.

Well, here the most prominent characteristics have been highlighted; in that noble verse, the discussion of purity and the verse of purification is a matter that transcends these words; in the verse of “Hal Ata” the issue of selfless service is discussed; in the verse of Mubahala, the issue of confronting the camp of truth and the camp of disbelief and falsehood is addressed; these are the important signs of Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her).

And I want to say that by divine grace, after the revolution, the blessed name of Fatimah Zahra has been repeated many times more than before the revolution - which we remember - it cannot be said ten times, perhaps tens of times, a hundred times; that is, the society is a Fatimah society; we also observe its effects in society; this same selfless service, this same Basij movement, this same work without reward and gratitude can be seen in the period of sacred defense, in the period of scientific movement: no one had heard the name of martyrs like Fakhrizadeh, (the nuclear martyrs), the great scientist late Kazemi-Ashtiani; many still do not know who Kazemi is; these great individuals who entered the realm of science are those who, without reward and gratitude, opened great scientific fields in this country for these people and for Islam and the Islamic Republic.

Then you observe how in natural disasters like floods, like earthquakes, people rush eagerly; where do such things exist? This is the same Fatimah method; this is the same movement in the direction of the pointing finger of the Lady of the Women of the Worlds. لا نُریدُ مِنکُم جَزآءً وَ لا شُکورا; this is the reference of Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her). And in these last two years, regarding the issue of Corona, what works were done, what services were rendered, and without anyone's name being mentioned, great works were accomplished. These jihad movements, these jihad camps that are ongoing throughout the year, and the youth go without leaving their names, work without reward and gratitude, this method must continue; Fatimah Zahra (peace be upon her) must be a role model, an example in all aspects, including in our great social, revolutionary, and combat movement.

Well, regarding the Hussainiyah and the issue of eulogizing; there is much to discuss in this regard, and I have spoken a lot over the years to our dear eulogists. Now, fortunately, as I was coming, I saw among the books you have published, several pamphlets about the Hussainiyah; this is very good, I had not seen this before, that there would be discussions about the Hussainiyah; there is much to say about Hussainiyah gatherings. Now I will say a brief sentence today in this regard.

The Hussainiyah is a social unit, a social assembly that is formed around the affection for the Ahl al-Bayt; the axis of this small or large community is the affection for the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and guidance towards the goals of the Ahl al-Bayt; this is the essence of the Hussainiyah, the nature of the Hussainiyah is this. The roots of this phenomenon go back to the time of the Imams; this is not a discussion of today or yesterday; the Hussainiyah was formed by the companions of the Imams, and they began gathering; after the event of Karbala, they would gather together. Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) asks a narrator: تَجلِسونَ وَ تُحَدِّثون؟; do you sit together and talk? Do you discuss our issues? He answers that yes, we do this; that is, this is the Hussainiyah assembly. Then the Imam says: اِنَّ تِلکَ المَجالِسَ‌ اُحِبُّها; I love these gatherings. May I be sacrificed for that heart! [He says] I love your gatherings. اِنَّ تِلکَ المَجالِسَ‌ اُحِبُّها و اَحیوا اَمرَنا; keep our matter alive. “اَمرَنا” is frequently repeated in the words of the Imams; that is, the matter - the fundamental and central issue upon which we move, is called the matter - now if we want to express it in contemporary terms, although a little of its true meaning may be diminished, we might say our path, our school; “اَحیوا اَمرَنا” means keep our path alive, keep our school alive. In another narration, which is also in Al-Kafi, it is stated: «تَزَاوَروا وَ تَلَاقَوا وَ تَذاکَروا اَمرَنا وَ اَحیُوه‌»; this is the same; it is the revival of the matter.

Therefore, the history and roots of this Hussainiyah go back to that time and have continued throughout the history of Shi'ism, and it must have taken various forms - which if those who are interested in research investigate, they can find more details - until it has reached our time and has shown great effectiveness in certain periods; like during the revolution. You young people may not remember; the Hussainiyahs had a significant impact during the revolution; [like] these extraordinary eulogies that were broadcast on tapes throughout the country; imagine in Jahrom or Yazd, a eulogist would recite a eulogy, and this eulogy would create a stir. It was a eulogy of Imam Hussein, but all about the revolution, about the Imam; these gatherings moved the people, gave life to the revolution; it was these Hussainiyahs that did this work. This was during the revolution. Later, during the war, many of you remember; the Hussainiyahs did what they did during the sacred defense! When the bodies of martyrs would come or when young people wanted to head to the front, the main and real leaders were the Hussainiyah gatherings; today, thanks be to God, Hussainiyahs exist in a multiplied form in our country. This is the essence of the Hussainiyah.

One important point regarding the Hussainiyah is that the Imam - as I mentioned - in these two narrations states: اَحیوا اَمرَنا; keep our matter, our school alive. Well, today for you who are in a Shiite environment, in the Islamic Republic, in a Muslim and Shiite country, it may not be very meaningful when Imam Sadiq says “اَحیوا اَمرَنا”, what it means. In the era when Imam Sadiq said: اَحیوا اَمرَنا, reviving the matter of the Ahl al-Bayt was one of the most difficult and dangerous tasks; it was a great jihad. Now, in those times when we discussed this a lot - that those words from forty or fifty years ago have apparently been printed and are available to people - we have explained. The combat life of the Imams and the struggle of the companions of the Imams were among the most dangerous; how is it that all the Imams are martyred? Why do Imam Jawad at 25 years old, Imam Askari at 28 years old get martyred? Why are they killed? Why is Musa ibn Ja'far (peace be upon him) imprisoned for several years and martyred in prison? Their lives were lives of struggle. In such conditions, the Imam says: اَحیوا اَمرَنا; you who sit in those Hussainiyah gatherings, revive our matter; that is, the Imam demands the greatest and most dangerous struggles from them. So what place does the Hussainiyah have, dear friends? It is the place of jihad. The Hussainiyah is the center of jihad; the Hussainiyah is the center of jihad; jihad in the way of God, jihad in the path of reviving the school of the Ahl al-Bayt, the school of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), the school of martyrdom. Well, how did the Imams (peace be upon them) engage in jihad? The Imams did not engage in military jihad; except for a few - only Amir al-Mu'minin, Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba, and Imam Hussein fought with the sword - the rest of the Imams did not fight with the sword; what was their jihad? “Jihad of clarification”. This is what I repeatedly emphasize (clarify, enlighten). The Hussainiyah is the place of jihad of clarification. In my opinion, from this “اَحیوا اَمرَنا” this very important point can be derived.

Another point regarding the Hussainiyah is that it is a structure that has both brain and meaning, and also has movement and dynamism; it is not just thought and spirituality and teaching, but there is also movement and dynamism in the Hussainiyah. The brain and meaning are the school; the clarification of the school. In the Hussainiyahs, the clarification of the school takes place. When we say “it should happen”, we mean it must happen. The nature of the Hussainiyah is this: the Hussainiyah is the place of clarification, the place of expression, the place of expressing the most important concepts of Islamic and Alawi knowledge, the place of answering questions. Today, our youth have various questions; they have questions about lifestyle, about fundamental issues, and the questions are valid. The way to confront questions is to think and provide answers; this work must be done in the Hussainiyahs; the important center for this work is the Hussainiyahs; answering the many questions that arise day by day. A question is not a problem, but someone who has a question should know that this ignorance and lack of knowledge creates the question, and it can be transformed into knowledge, into science, into awareness. Someone who has a question should not let this question make them think that everything is upside down; no, the question should be raised, it is not a problem, it should be answered, and the answer should be in the Hussainiyahs, in centers of knowledge and understanding; this is the brain and meaning of the Hussainiyah.

Dynamism and movement also mean using art and engaging with the audience in a critical manner. The difference between your art and many other arts is that you engage with your audience in a critical manner; you talk to them, they convey their feelings to you; that is, you are in constant interaction with each other; this is the dynamism of the Hussainiyah. Another dynamism is moving in the streets and alleys and markets with these processions that take place. As one of the brothers of taste says, this movement of Hussainiyah processions is actually a symbol of Imam Hussein's movement from Mecca to Karbala, which is a movement for jihad, a movement in the way of God.

The next point regarding the Hussainiyah is that we mentioned the jihad of clarification; well, therefore, the essence of the Hussainiyah is jihad; what does jihad mean? Jihad means effort in confronting the enemy; not every effort is jihad. Many people make efforts, they make many scientific efforts, they make economic efforts, which is good and appropriate, but it is not jihad. Jihad means an effort that has a targeting against the enemy; this is jihad. In Islamic terminology and logic, jihad is the action that is performed against the enemy. If you do economic work to confront the enemy, it becomes jihad; if you do scientific and research work to confront the enemy, it becomes jihad; if you speak, clarify to neutralize the enemy's whispers, it becomes jihad; all of these are jihad. So what is important is that we identify the arena of jihad, that in every time, in what arena we should engage in jihad; this is very important.

Let us not make mistakes! Sometimes some people - I have repeatedly given examples - are like someone who is in a trench, then falls asleep, and after a while wakes up, does not know where the enemy is, where the friend is, and points the gun at the friend; sometimes it is like this; some people do not recognize the arenas of jihad; they do not know where to move and where the enemy is, where to look, and where to target; this is important. One day the battlefield is a military one, like during the sacred defense, the defense of the shrine; here the battlefield is military; at that time, many recognized their duty and moved and went and fulfilled their duty - of course, it was a communal obligation; it was not an individual obligation - and indeed, here too, the Hussainiyahs played a significant role, as I mentioned earlier, and many of our warriors and martyrs were from the Hussainiyah youth who went and were martyred; one day the arena is science, and jihad is scientific, we must elevate knowledge; one day the arena is social activities; one day the arena is social services and serving the people. The day when the enemy tries to put pressure on society economically to turn the people against Islam, against the Islamic system, that day, if you provide economic and social services to the people, you have engaged in jihad against the enemy; but more importantly than all of these is the arena of clarification and enlightenment. If there is enlightenment, all these various arenas will be clarified in their time and place, and their men will find themselves.

I say this from a position of knowledge that today there is a multitude of media - it cannot be counted, especially with the current state of social media - with thousands of specialists: specialists in art, specialists in media, specialists in communication sciences, with vast financial support, with extensive security backing; for what? To turn thoughts in the Islamic Republic, to change tastes, to weaken beliefs and convictions, to destroy; this is the case. Now, what others do for other countries is another discussion; this matter that I am mentioning is a goal directed towards our country, our people, our Islamic Republic, our beliefs, our convictions. Thousands of organizations are working in this area with huge amounts of money and various supports. Well, this is a satanic movement and the front of Satan.

What is opposite to this front of Satan? The front of jihad in the way of God; the front of jihad in the way of God. Well, you are in the Hussainiyah, right? Ask your Hussainiyah where it stands in this jihad? This is our point. The second point we mentioned is this: we should ask ourselves where we stand in this jihad that exists, in this relentless war that exists between Islam and disbelief, between truth and falsehood, between false narration and truth - this is a war between these two; we must clarify where we stand in this front and gather our thoughts. Where do we stand? Of course, in clarification and expansion of the ideals is what is intended; the ideals, the principles, the main foundations, the clear signs of the revolution; these are the most important, but minor political and social issues are also included in this front and must be pursued.

Well, another point regarding the Hussainiyah is the element of the pulpit, the element of eulogizing, the element of the audience and listeners; these are essential elements. The two important and stable pillars of the Hussainiyah are the speaker and the eulogist. Now, regarding the pulpit and the speaker, we have remarks that are not suitable for this place, and we will discuss them at the appropriate time with their audience.

Regarding eulogizing, I will mention two or three points that pertain to our dear ones: one is that as we mentioned, eulogizing is a unique art; that is, we do not have anything similar to this in other places. In other places, there is invocation and such things, but it differs from eulogizing; eulogizing has a different identity and a different reality, and we said that the type of relationship between the audience and this art and artist is a special kind of relationship; it purifies the heart; it purifies the heart of the audience and enlightens it; this tear that you see flowing comes from the heart. Tears from the heart:

The soil of the heart on that day when they poured A dew of love into it was poured

When the heart was stained with that drop of sorrow It was like a kebab that was salted

The eye of the lover that gives pure blood Is the same blood that drips from the kebab

These tears rise from the heart, they belong to the heart, they purify the heart. Then it takes the listener to the depths of history, it does not keep the listener in the present; the eulogist takes this heart to the depths of history, clarifies historical truths for them. Then it gives them religious, ethical, and political awareness; that is, the eulogist does all of these works. [Thus, eulogizing] is both religious knowledge, ethical knowledge, and political knowledge. We have repeatedly stated that the poems you recite at the beginning of the pulpit, if they are ethical poems, are very valuable; they should be both knowledge-based and ethical poems; like some of the ghazals of Saeb - and not all of them - these are valuable. Today, thanks be to God, our ritual poets are active.

I also want to say that you and the ritual poets help each other; that is, you who are eulogists elevate the ritual poetry; that is, when you repeat and recite the poetry, you truly excite the poet, you compel the poet to elevate the poetry. Therefore, you help the poet, and the poet helps you; when you recite good poetry in your pulpit, you actually enhance your own position.

Well, this important movement - taking to the depths of history and giving shine and purity to hearts - requires artistry and skill. This artistry in our eulogizing involves voice, melody, and the geometry of singing; these three things are absolutely necessary; that is, one must be skilled in voice, must have singing and melody - which in Arabic is called “lahn” - and must have the geometry of singing, which of course some have, and some do not; it is important to clarify from the beginning in your mind what you want to do with this session. These forms of eulogizing constitute the appearance; that is, good voice, good melody, good engineering of this singing, are the appearance; these appearances should not overshadow the content. These appearances are all means for the content; let it not happen in such a way that the content is lost! That guidance, that love, that which truly directs the movement of society from within the Hussainiyah and from the center of the Hussainiyah, must not be weakened or lost. This is also a point regarding eulogizing.

Another point is that in eulogizing, like all other works, innovation and creativity are necessary; you see that the youth also innovate. Innovation in eulogizing is good, innovation is not a problem, but be careful that this innovation does not lead to breaking norms. Eulogizing has a specific identity; this identity should not change. Your innovation should not lead your movement and your execution of the program to deviate towards things that are not eulogizing; sometimes this is seen. Now, as much as my limited knowledge suggests, there are sometimes instances where the form and that innovation do not preserve the identity of eulogizing; you must pay attention to ensure that this identity is preserved; eulogizing is not pop music.

Another point is that eulogists have shone in important matters; you shone during the sacred defense, you shone in the defense of the shrine, you shone in the events of 88, and in various issues, you have done so; the eulogists have given a good test in all of these, and truly, in the real sense of the word, they have nurtured martyrs in these gatherings, they have nurtured martyrs in these gatherings. In the media war between us and the enemy, in this cultural and media struggle that exists between the Islamic Republic and the enemies, the resonant voice of revolutionary eulogists was effective; it was able to accomplish great works; this has been the history of our eulogists over the past forty-plus years in the revolution. My point is - this is the third or fourth point - do not let this resonant voice be silenced; do not let it. You have given very good tests in the past, today we are also facing a vast front of the enemy; that day your resonant voice worked a lot, today it must also work.

The next point is that our dear eulogists want to attract the youth to this Hussainiyah session; this is a good thought; that is, truly attracting the youth to these sessions can be a means of salvation for some youth and can elevate them. Therefore, one of the goals of our eulogists' sessions and in the minds of our eulogists is to attract the youth; this is very good, but I want to say that be careful that attracting the youth should not be at any cost; it should not be such that to make this youth happy, we use some inappropriate song in the eulogy or in the lamentation. Attraction is necessary, it is obligatory, it is beneficial, but it must be done while preserving the correct structure. Be careful that in the interest of attracting youth, the combination of eulogizing and the truth and identity of eulogizing is not lost.

The last point is the issue of presenting sound arguments. Both in lamentation and in eulogizing, and in the matters that are expressed, present sound and documented matters. Study, work, read books, which I know many of our dear eulogists do; they study, read books, read the collections of prominent poetry; they become proficient in literature, their religious knowledge increases, and this flows from them in their sessions. Be careful that this state becomes general and widespread; because weak words are dangerous. Sometimes a weak word, an unclear and incorrect statement, becomes a tool for the enemy to question the essence of Shi'ism. There is a time when we say something incorrect, and they attack us; well, it does not matter, but there is a time when we say something that leads to an attack on Islam, on Shi'ism, on our Islamic teachings, or on our great scholars; this is no longer permissible. Be very careful. Therefore, sound, documented, and solid words are among the things that must be included in the working agenda of our dear eulogists.

Well, today was a good session, we benefited, we made use of it. I thank the friends who executed the program here; I especially thank the friends who came from the provinces - from Zahedan, from Ardabil - and from Arab countries - our Bahraini brother - especially thank Mr. Vaezi who came from Mashhad; and those who came from these cities I mentioned or from other places I did not mention, please convey my greetings to our dear people in these cities and I hope that, God willing, you will always live, remain, and be successful under the shadow of the blessings of the Awaited Savior (may our souls be sacrificed for him).

O Lord! Increase the blessing of the remembrance of Imam Hussein day by day in our country. O Lord! Grant your grace and blessings to the tongues that move with the eulogy of Hussein ibn Ali and the family of the Prophet. O Lord! Make our Hussainiyahs, the Hussainiyahs preferred by Imam Sadiq; make us soldiers of the great jihad of this era, which is “jihad of clarification”. O Lord! Unite the pure souls of our dear Imam and our great martyrs with the pure souls of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them); make the sacred heart of Fatimah Zahra, the great Siddiqa (peace be upon her) pleased and satisfied with us; make the blessed heart of Imam Zaman, the Awaited Savior (may our souls be sacrificed for him) pleased and satisfied with us; convey our greetings and salutations to that great one and make that great one’s satisfaction with us encompass us.

Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.