Declaration – 1 Muharram 1427 (2006-01-31)

The Twelve Directives of His Holiness Haj Doctor Nour Ali Tabandeh, Majzoub Ali Shah
On the Occasion of the Arrival of the Month of Muharram al-Haram

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The arrival of the sacred month of Muharram is a reminder of the uprising of His Holiness Sayyid al-Shuhada (AS) and his insightful and loyal companions. The Ashura of Imam Hussein (AS) is a pure and comprehensive mirror through which, with attentive and discerning reflection, one can perceive the radiant beauty of the Quran and the noble visage of Islam. The reason our esteemed Imams (peace be upon them) emphasized the establishment of mourning assemblies for their revered forefather and strongly encouraged their followers to uphold them is largely due to this: Although Islam itself does not institute mourning practices, Shia Muslims, under the banner of commemorative ceremonies, become acquainted with the luminous teachings and divine ideals of that unparalleled movement in human history. Through the continuation of that path—led forward by the noble lady of Islam, Hazrat Zaynab (AS), and the Imams (AS)—they come to understand the immense sacrifices made to protect and revive the religion and the Quran. In this light, let us strive to let the brilliant jewel of this sacred purpose shine throughout every aspect of our personal and social lives.

On the arrival of this month, I offer a series of recommendations—particularly relevant in our contemporary times given the condition of the Islamic world—to the fuqara of the noble Ni‘matullahi Gonabadi order—may God grant them success). I hope they will receive and implement these points—which flow from a heart that beats with love for the exaltation of true Islam and beloved Iran, the standard-bearer of Shi‘ism—and thereby earn the pleasure of God and His friends, which is the true good of both this world and the hereafter:

1. By the blessing of the Ashura of Imam Hussein and the sacrifices of the Imams (AS), the guidance of humanity has continued, and the honor and progress—both material and spiritual—of humanity, especially the Shia, have manifested under the radiant light of the words and actions of the Imams. Therefore, the fuqara, who hold the love and allegiance of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) in their hearts and take pride in following them in belief, speech, and conduct, must strive to attain virtue, love, gnosis, and an understanding of the way and conduct of His Holiness Sayyid al-Shuhada (AS) and his noble companions. With consideration of the message conveyed in کُلُّ یَومٍ عاشورا و کُلُّ أرضٍ کَربَلا (“Every day is Ashura and every land is Karbala”), they should echo the cry of the leader of the movement who declared: هَلْ مِنْ ناصِرٍ يَنْصُرُني (“Is there anyone to help me?”) and let this call reach the ears of all the world for eternity. They must convey to all that if you long sincerely to have stood by his side, then hear this call and respond to it in action—by upholding the conduct and traditions of that noble being.
2. Ashura offers countless lessons and messages, the essence and soul of which is the principle of “wilayah”—the leadership of the friends of God—which is one of the fundamental pillars of religion. It is a divine gift and a heavenly trust. It would be a shame if, through words or deeds contrary to this sacred goal, we sold it بِثَمَنٍ بَخْسٍ دَرَاهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ , and thus aligned ourselves with those who, for the temptation of rule over Rey, spilled the blood of the Prophet’s (PBUH) grandson and his noble companions—gaining nothing but disgrace and shame.
3. The holding of mourning ceremonies must be free from all inappropriate embellishments and anything that could be considered disrespectful toward the sacred presence of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), or that might cause sacred values to be viewed with contempt by outsiders and enemies of Islam. Instead, the focus should be on explaining the true stances and objectives of this sacred uprising.
4. Among the rights and expectations that Aba Abdillah (AS) and all the divine friends have of their followers and Shia is emulation of their example. God Himself commands this in the Quran: لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ . It is recommended that, through understanding their path and conduct—which should be the core aim of mourning ceremonies—the two seedlings of love and knowledge may mature the followers of those noble ones from rawness to spiritual refinement and perfection.
5. Love elevates a person to the lofty summit of gnosis, and surrender and obedience to the saints of religion—who are divine manifestations of that fruitful tree—flourish within the seeker.
6. The conduct that reflects love for the spiritual elders reveals the sincerity and truthfulness of anyone who claims to follow Shi‘ism and “faqr”. Among the manifestations of this love are respect and courtesy toward the friends and lovers of Imam Hussein (AS) and the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) as a whole, as well as showing reverence toward sacred places and Husayniyyas established in his memory for the purpose of mourning. Thus, any form of disrespect toward the devotees of that noble Imam or places affiliated with him is a sign of falsehood and hypocrisy.
7. The lessons of self-sacrifice, devotion, resistance, and patience are both intellectual and practical teachings embedded in the uprising of Imam Hussein (AS) for his devotees.
8. One of the secrets behind the triumph of Imam Hussein (AS) was his loyal, united, and purposeful group of companions who loved him. It is necessary for each of the fuqara to avoid all forms of resentment and division, and to strive for unity and solidarity in all aspects.
9. Among the gravest threats to the culture of a school of thought or society is the breaking of boundaries. Violating these limits constitutes a bid‘ah in religious rulings and a breach of the Prophet’s commands. For instance, commanding curses and slander against Imam Ali (AS) is a blatant example of such boundary-breaking. If we wish to avoid the fate of those perpetrators and pursue the path of salvation, we must refrain from breaching the sanctity of the friends of God.
10. We must not forget the sense of responsibility and response toward the fate of the community—this is the essence of “enjoining good and forbidding wrong” and a primary goal of Imam Hussein’s (AS) movement. Let us not overlook that any group or society that prioritizes personal interests and preferences over collective benefit and public well-being is doomed to decline and destruction.
11. The uprising of His Holiness Aba Abdillah al-Hussein (AS) and his companions took place during a time when a group, absorbed in worldly power and status, preferred a beastly life over a humane one, falling into ignorance and superficiality:

    When fools clung to outer forms

    And subtleties became hidden from their eyes.

    From the event of Karbala, we must always learn the two key elements: “awareness” and “steadfastness.”
12. The glorious uprising and jihad of His Holiness Aba Abdillah al-Hussein (AS) is intrinsically and inseparably linked with the reappearance and rising of His Holiness the Promised Mahdi (AJ). Our actions have deprived us of attaining the blessings of proximity to him. Although he is our guide and protector, and aware of our deeds, by the meaning of کُلُّ یَومٍ عاشورا و کُلُّ أرضٍ کَربَلا (“Every day is Ashura and every land is Karbala”), we must hear the call of مَنْ أَنْصارِی إِلَى اللّهِ (“Who are my helpers toward God?”) from our elders with heart and soul. By rectifying our speech and conduct, we should prepare the grounds for his appearance, for he is the reviver of the aims of his noble forefather. In line with the hadith of Imam Sadiq (AS) who says: فأحْيوا أمْرَنا رَحِمَ اللّهُ مَن أحْيا أمْرَنا (“Revive our cause—may God have mercy on those who revive our cause”), the noble religion of Islam and the true sect of Shi‘ism contain comprehensive and complete rulings. If these are conveyed to the people by scholars of the religion and gnostics of the path, and if their luminous teachings are implemented, humanity will witness progress in all material and spiritual domains of life at every era, leading to true religiosity and authentic civilization. Islam encompasses both Shari‘a and Tariqa, and under the radiant guidance of the Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt—the two legacies of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) among the ummah—we can overcome inner darkness and external obstacles. Even during the occultation of the Imam of the Age (AJ), these two streams—scholars of Shari‘a and gnostics of Tariqa—have always existed. As mentioned in the books of the ‘urafa, including the noble treatise Pand-e Saleh —authored by the physical and spiritual father of this humble one, which serves as the guidebook for the fuqara of this order and a comprehensive source of both outward and inward duties of the seekers toward God—these two lines are described as the two hands of one person, or the two branches of a single administration. The scholars are introduced as the religious leaders and representatives of the elders in declaring the rulings, and the gnostics as those authorized in spiritual insight and tasked with soul refinement and moral purification. This unity and harmony are the foundational means for spreading the noble religion of Islam and strengthening the principles of His Holiness the Master of Creation (AS), preventing the infiltration and execution of the enemies’ plots against the faith and the nation. I, too, in following the example of my noble predecessors and the poles of this noble order, have always—both in the past and present—maintained contact and cordial relations with scholars, and deep mutual affection has always existed between us.
    In this era, when the deceived enemies of Islam and Iran strive to distort the beautiful face of Islam and the true Shi‘i faith—presenting it to the world as a religion of terror and violence, and portraying beloved Iran as a lawless land—they overlook the fact that, at the dawn of Islam, Ali (AS), who was the friend of God, the immediate successor and legatee of the Messenger of God, more devoted to Islam than anyone else and fully aware of the world’s affairs, opposed the killing of ‘Uthman. He even assigned his noble son, the Prophet’s (PBUH) cherished legacy, to protect ‘Uthman. He also foretold that the killing of a caliph would set a dangerous precedent. As we have seen, subsequent caliphs—even Ali (AS) himself and Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (AS)—became targets of assassination.
    Today, more than ever, the unity and solidarity of Muslims are of utmost importance, even among the most vital obligations. I, this humble one, am fully aware of this grave responsibility and deeply concerned about the negative consequences of this anti-Islamic and anti-Iranian campaign. In light of the noble hadith of the Prophet (PBUH): قَصَمَ ظَهْرِي عَالِمٌ مُتَهَتِّكٌ وَ جَاهِلٌ مُتَنَسِّكٌ (“What broke my back were the impudent scholar and the devout ignoramus”), it is evident that, in line with the Prophet’s realistic insight, these two groups have posed the greatest threat to the religion and sanctities of Islam and to the Iranian nation—especially in our times.
    Therefore, in emulation of my noble predecessors and with full awareness of my duty to serve “faqr” and the fuqara, I seek to engage in discussion, consultation, and interaction with many religious authorities and scholars on important religious and national matters. However, due to my responsibilities toward the fuqara, numerous commitments, frequent correspondence, occasional illnesses, and limited time—especially outside Tehran—this vital task cannot always be carried out fully and satisfactorily. Accordingly, I have assigned this important responsibility to my esteemed brother, Mr. Hossein-Ali Kashani Bidokhti, may his success be increased—who is devoted to scholars and clerics, possesses written and oral permissions from grand authorities, and regularly visits them—to convey my greetings to the scholars during his travels in Tehran and other cities. He is to meet with those scholars who are true manifestations of the narration: مَن کانَ مِن الفُقَهاءِ صائِنًا لِنَفسِهِ حافِظاً لِدینِهِ مُخالِفًا عَلَی هَوَاهُ مُطِیعًا لِأمرِ مَولاهُ (“Whoever among the jurists protects himself, preserves his religion, opposes his desires, and obeys the command of his Master”), and inform the righteous scholars and well-wishers of Islam and the noble Iranian nation of this crucial matter. Even though the demonic forces of mankind are, in the words of the holy verse, أَعْمَالُهُمْ كَسَرَابٍ بِقِيعَةٍ , and though God has promised in the verse وَمَكَرُوا وَمَكَرَ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ , and has guaranteed in إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ the protection of the Quran and His friends—the duty upon our shoulders is not waived. As stated: کُلُّکُمْ رَاعٍ، وَ کُلُّکُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِیَّتِه (“Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock”), we are obliged to awaken and guide others.
    And since misunderstandings and suspicions have arisen in some minds—due to ignorance or malice—about true Sufism, which is none other than genuine Shi‘ism and the straight path of the “wilayah” of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), Mr. Kashani Bidokhti has been instructed to address and resolve these doubts during his meetings with scholars, clerics, researchers, and seekers of truth. Should any questions arise—as he has previously been authorized—he may answer them and clarify religious and mystical subjects. He shall strive, in accordance with the noble verse: ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ (“Call to the path of your Lord with wisdom and good advice, and debate with them in the best manner”), using gentle speech and clear reasoning, to remove doubts and offer guidance. He should not hold back from any effort or sacrifice in serving God’s servants and fostering unity and enlightenment. I beseech God Almighty to grant him increasing success in this noble mission.

Thanks be to God, the vast majority of the fuqara—our faithful brothers and sisters—are committed to fulfilling their duties in both Shari‘a and Tariqa. They show devotion and attachment to the glory of the banner of “faqr” (true Islam). Therefore, I extend my greetings and gratitude to all of them, and I humbly request their prayers.