Salaam dear young friends. Hope you are all fine. May God keep you in the best of health and grant success in your endeavours.
As you all know, the air quality levels saw an alarming drop in Tehran and other major cities in the past week as the third severe dust storm hit Iran since mid-April.
Holiday was declared on yesterday by the authorities, and offices, schools, and universities were closed as the weather conditions got worse. The fresh wave of dust particles, which made its way to Iran on Monday, has been reported to be 20 times above safe levels.
Please be very careful and avoid staying out unnecessarily as the weather conditions are not good, especially for those who suffer from asthma and other related illnesses.
Well friends, last week we marked the anniversary of the historical Battle of Ohad and the lessons which continues to impart to the faithful all over the world. During this battle the pagan Arabs had imposed on the Muslims, Prophet Muhammad’s (SAWA) brave uncle, Hazrat Hamza (AS), attained martyrdom.
His blessed body was mutilated by the progenitors of the modern day terrorists, while his holy shrine was desecrated and demolished by the heretical Wahhabi cult in 1925.
Yesterday we also commemorated the passing away anniversary of Seyyed Abdul-Azim al-Hasani (AS), whose holy shrine in Rayy, now the southernmost suburb of the Iranian capital, is the holiest site in Tehran.
He was born in Medina and was the son of Abdullah, the son of Ali, the son of Hassan, the son of Zayd, the son of the Prophet’s elder grandson, Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (AS).
He was a companion (Sahabi) of four of the 12 Infallible Successors of the Prophet – Imam Musa al-Kazem (AS), Imam Ali ar-Reza (AS), Imam Muhammad at-Taqi (AS), and Imam Ali an-Naqi (AS).
He migrated to Iran and settled in Rayy in order to familiarize people with the dynamic teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt and to instill in them the courage to resist the tyranny of the Abbasid caliphate.
He was a pious personality, a scholar of repute, and a trustworthy narrator of hadith, who in the first half of the 2nd century AH collected in book form many of the highly eloquent sermons of his illustrious ancestor, the Commander of the Faithful, Prophet Muhammad’s (SAWA) 1st Infallible Heir, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS).
No wonder, according to a hadith, pilgrimage to his shrine is considered equivalent to pilgrimage to the holy shrine of the Martyr of Karbala, Imam Husain (AS).
Surely, many of you visited his shrine yesterday and the night before to pay homage to him and avail of the blessings of God.
Hope, you also remembered us in your supplications. Goodbye and God bless you.