Salaam dear young friends. Our message this week is a mixed one – of congratulations and condolences. We felicitate you because last Sunday was the 8th of Rabi al-Akher, the birth anniversary of an Infallible Imam. We console you because yesterday was the 10th of the same month, the martyrdom anniversary of an Innocent Lady.
Our sincere salutations to these two peerless persons whose teachings remain beacons of light for the seekers of truth and whose holy shrines are always flocked with the faithful from different parts of the world.
Both were young and in the prime of their youth when they were forced to leave the leave the world as martyrs. Today, while the terrorists who caused their physical death are burning in the eternal fire of hell, these direct descendants of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) continue to provide succor to all those monotheists who reverently bow at their threshold and seek blessings of God through their intercession.
Yes dear youngsters; the felicitation was for the birthday of Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS), which we so enthusiastically celebrated by reciting the standard form of salutation (ziyara) while facing the direction of holy shrine of the 11th Infallible Heir of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) in Samarra, Iraq.
Of course, the fortunate amongst us were physically present in the holy shrine itself. They also paid their respects at the adjoining cellar (sardaab) where the Lord of the Age, Imam Mahdi (AS), was born, and was secretly brought up by his father, away from the prying eyes of the cruel Abbasid regime that intended to murder the 12th Imam so as to belie the promise of God Almighty in the Holy Qur’an of establishment of the global government of peace, prosperity and justice by the Prophet’s Last divinely-designated successor – albeit after a lengthy lapse over a millennium.
And as you very well know, the reason for offering condolences to you, is because of martyrdom anniversary of Out Innocent Lady of Qom, Hazrat Fatema al-Masouma (SA), the sister of Imam Reza (AS) and the daughter of Imam Musa al-Kazem (AS) that we commemorated yesterday throughout Iran with special ceremonies at the holy shrine in Qom.
Several of our readers in Tehran might have dashed to nearby Qom for a few hours to pay their respects at the holy shrine of the sister of Imam Reza (AS).
May God Almighty accept your prayers and supplications, and grant you the insight to observe in the proper manner.
That is all for this week and goodbye and God bless you till we meet again next Wednesday.