Salaam dear young friends, and heartiest congratulations to you all. Hope you are all doing well by the Grace of Almighty Lord.
Dear youngster, as you all know, Monday was 11th of Sha’ban, which is celebrated every year in the Islamic Republic of Iran as “Day of Youths”, since it is the birthday of one of the most virtuous youths born on Planet Earth.
He was Hazrat Ali Akbar (AS), who was martyred in the prime of youth in Karbala on the fateful day of the Epic of Ashura (10 Muharram 61 AH).
He remains an eternal inspiration for all virtuous youths. He was an example of virtue and thus an excellent exemplar of piety, bravery, patience, knowledge, devotion to the cause of Islam, worship of God, and obedience to his parents, when normally teenagers of his age suffer from temptations and lack the resolution to chart out a stable course in life or build an enduring personality.
The son of Imam Husain (AS) was a picture of physical and spiritual perfection. He was destined to remain a youth forever, because life for him did not progress beyond his youthful years. Yet during his brief stay in this world, this wondrous youth left such an indelible mark on life that till this day the young and the old draw inspiration from him and flock to his banner whenever his name is mentioned.
Well friends, we are nearing a most auspicious night, that is, the 15th eve of Sha’ban which falls tomorrow night. Here we present you a narration from Prophet’s 6th Infallible Heir, Imam Ja’far as-Sadeq (AS), who says that when his father, Imam Muhammad Baqer (AS) was asked about the excellence of this night, he replied:
“It is the best of nights after the Night of Qadr (that occurs in late Ramadhan). During it, God Almighty confers His grace on His servants and forgives them out of His favour and munificence. Therefore, try earnestly to obtain nearness to God during the course of this night. Indeed it is a night wherein God has sworn by His Sacred Being not to turn away empty-handed any supplicant from His Threshold, unless he requests something sinful. It is a night which God Almighty has appointed for us, the progeny of the Prophet, in the same way that He appointed the Night of Qadr for our Prophet. Therefore, apply yourself to celebrating His praise and supplicating Him on this night.”
In the morning of 15th of Sha’ban, the Saviour of mankind, Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance for establishment of the global government of peace, prosperity and justice), was born.
We are eagerly awaiting God’s Promise of his reappearance to cleanse the world of all vestiges of corruption and oppression by establishing the global government of peace, prosperity, and justice.
Dear friends, as we had mentioned above, today happens to be our last chat of the outgoing year, 1400 solar hijri, in view of the New Year holidays to start from next Sunday, we wish you a Happy Nowrouz in advance.
For the information of the foreign readers of our weekly column, the Calendar Year in Iran, since ancient times, is based on the Vernal or Spring Equinox, starting on March 21, and is more perfect than the Gregorian Calendar of the West.
Since Iran is a Muslim country, the official calendar, like its lunar hijri counterpart, is dated as per the auspicious migration of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) from Mecca to Medina.
Goodbye and God bless you dear young friends, until our next chat in the new Iranian Year 1401 in the first week of April.