Salaam dear young friends. Glad to be with you again for our weekly chat. There are lots of things to talk about with you youngsters, who are quite informative of not just your academic pursuits, but day-to-day developments around the world.
    Friends, this week we start on a sad note in view of the devastating earthquake that struck the Iran-Iraq border areas last Sunday night, causing extensive damage, especially in Sar Pol-e Zahab and other areas of Iran’s Kermanshah Province.
    As a mark of respect to the 450 men, women, and children who lost their lives, a day of national mourning was declared on Tuesday (Nov 14), throughout Iran.
    The 7,000-plus survivors of the terrible trembler that flattened even multi-storied buildings, are being provided medical aid and all sorts of relief by the concerned organisations. The whole country has mobilised itself in sympathy with the victims who have to bear the extreme cold of the region.
    Reports from the other side of the border, speak of minimum damage and far lesser deaths in Iraq compared to the calamity that befell Iran’s western border.
    May God Almighty shower His mercy on the souls of the departed and grant patience to the bereaved families, as well as to the survivors.
     Well young ones, for your information, particularly for the foreign readers of our Children’s Column, we are on the threshold of days of multiple grief, as the country is all geared up to pay homage to the Messenger of Mercy, Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and three of his Twelve Infallible Heirs.
     On Friday, the 28th of Safar, we would be commemorating the passing away anniversary of the Prophet of Peace, whose departure from the mortal world, plunged his progeny in profound grief. The same day, 39 years later in 50 AH, was to occur the martyrdom through poisoning of his elder grandson and 2nd Infallible Heir, Imam Hasan Mujtaba (AS).
     Two days later, Safar 30 (Nov 19) happens to be the martyrdom anniversary of the Prophet’s 8th Infallible Heir, Imam Reza (AS), who reposes in eternal peace in Mashhad, Khorasan, in north-eastern Iran. On the same day, as night falls, we in Iran and Iraq, will bid farewell to the Prophet’s younger grandson and 3rd Infallible Heir, Imam Husain (AS), in commemoration of whose tragic martyrdom and that of his sons, brothers, nephews, kinsmen, and loyal friends, every year we observe two complete successive months of mourning.
    Yes youngsters, the discourses that we hold every year during the mourning months of Muharram and Safar, which you and all others attend, rejuvenate our faith and inculcate in young minds humanitarian values, which are sorely absent in the supposedly advanced societies of the Americas, Europe and other places, where the decadent western culture has deprived people of spiritual aspects, including the proper upbringing of children.
    This is evident by the US-European support for the brutal bombing of Yemen by Saudi Arabia, which has so far killed over 14,000 men, women, and children, and plunged the country into famine and epidemics.
    Just look at the pictures of the sick, injured and starving children of Yemen, and you will be shocked at the crimes against humanity.
     Although at times, politicians in many countries visit orphanages and schools to smile at children and caress them (for photos and media publicity), they do nothing concrete. To date no individual can be compared with the Prophet of Islam. With utmost simplicity and kindness, he used to pass through the lanes and streets of Medina, expressing his love and kindness towards children and hugging them.
    The Prophet had a special love of children, whether they were his own children or those of others. It has been written about him: "Kindness towards children was one of the special practices of the Prophet.”
    So young friends ponder on these values till we meet again next week. Goodbye.