Key points from the speech of Grand Ayatollah Shirazi on Ashura

The Supreme Religious Authority, Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Sadiq Husseini Shirazi, delivered a speech to a group of believers in his honorable house in the holy city of Qom on the event of Ashura.

Below are some of the key points mentioned by His Eminence:

1-The sufferings of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) will not end until the Day of Judgment.

2-Allah Almighty will revenge the killers of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) with the grace of Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance).

3-Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) prayed for the pilgrims of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) while prostrating.

4-Visitation means to be present, but the Almighty Allah (SWT) gives a person the title of pilgrim in relation to Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) from a distance.

5-The narrator who had returned from Hajj and heard the prayers of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) in prostration for the pilgrims of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) said, “I wish I had gone to visit Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) instead of Hajj so that your prayers would include me.”

6-During the time of the Imams (peace be upon them), there were not many mourning ceremonies that we have today. Can a jurist say that these are innovations?!

7-The principles of divine commandments are taken from the Quran and the Holy Household (peace be upon them), and since the subject and examples of the Hussaini rituals are not specified in the Quran and hadiths, they are customary.

8-Anything which glorifies Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) is counted as of the Hussaini rituals.

9-Almighty Allah (SWT) has given characteristics to Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) that he did not even give to his ancestors, parents and brothers who are better than him.

10-In the narrations of the birth of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), all the angels consoled the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) for grandson’s martyrdom.

11-During the birth of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) did not make any supplications, he only cursed: O Allah, I have been betrayed; this is one of these curses.

12-The Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) with tearful eyes cursed those who are able to support the cause of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) but refrain from this service.

13-One of the Kufans saw the holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) in a dream after Ashura, even though he had neither drawn a sword nor shot an arrow, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: You supported the opposing army against my son Hussein (peace be upon him), and he was sent to hell.

14-The Almighty Allah (SWT) has made many universal exceptions and legislative changes for Imam Hussain (peace be upon him), which is one of the characteristics of the Imam.

15-Whoever does any work in honor of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) and his rituals, he has supported and assisted the Imam (peace be upon him).

16-Strive to establish a Husseiniyah (Islamic centre) in your city by next year.

17-In Islamic and non-Islamic countries, try to spread every ritual of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him)

18-Strive to remove any obstacles delaying your visitation to Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) through every possible method.

19-Use all your efforts to create facilities for the pilgrimage of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) so that the number of Arbaeen pilgrims reaches fifty or even one hundred million.