Declaration – 13 Dhu al-Hijjah 1441 (2020-08-03)

Declaration from His Holiness, Engineer Haj Sayyid Alireza Jazbi, Sabet Ali Shah
On the Occasion of Eid al-Ghadir, 1441 AH

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We extend our congratulations on the arrival of the blessed day of Ghadir, the day when “wilayah” was made manifest, to all the believers of the world, especially to the Shi’a and in particular to the Ni‘matullahi Sultan Ali Shahi “fuqara”. We hope that by precisely following the instructions of the elders, all will be preserved through the blessings of “wilayah”, will not neglect servitude to the Divine, and — as much as possible — in the pre-dawn hours, will humbly present themselves in supplication to the All-Sufficient, repenting from past sins and asking God for success in worship and distancing from deviations.

As commanded in the Holy Quran, it is reminded that now, as we witness the consequences of our own deviations, according to Quran, 30:41: ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ [Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what people’s hands have earned, so He may let them taste part of what they have done, that perhaps they will return], Through consuming what is forbidden, committing prohibited acts, and persisting in negligence and wrongdoing, souls become corrupted and hearts turn to thoughts of sin and continuous heedlessness. For this reason, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Shall I tell you what your ailments are and what your cure is? Know that your ailment is sin and your cure is seeking forgiveness.” The patient who hopes for healing listens to the doctor; the one who has no hope ignores him.

It is now necessary, as instructed in the Holy Quran and especially in this time, to reflect on Quran, 27:62: أَمَّن يُجِيبُ الْمُضْطَرَّ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَيَكْشِفُ السُّوءَ... [Who is it that responds to the desperate one when he calls upon Him and removes hardship...?] This verse — the solace of the despairing, the comfort of the brokenhearted, and the remedy for the afflicted — calls us to greater effort in supplication and seeking forgiveness, and in asking God for health, especially for those affected or near to those affected by this devastating plague. For God answers the pleas of His servants with justice, fulfills the hopes of the desperate with grace, and grants the prayers of the weak with generosity. As stated in Quran, 39:53: قُلْ يَاعِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ [Say: “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”] — on the condition of repentance, as in Quran, 42:25: وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ [He is the One who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons misdeeds, and He knows what you do (even after repentance).] For if a servant sins for a hundred years and then sincerely says “I repent,” God will accept his repentance and say: “Your act was sin, My attribute is forgiveness. You do not forsake your act, how can I forsake My attribute?” My servant, you did not repent until I inspired you to repent. You did not come until I called you. Granting repentance is from Me, and accepting it is from Me. Your repentance is a plea, and My granting it is a gift. Your turning is through invocation, and My giving is through generosity. Your repentance is a return, and My granting it is acceptance.

Now that it is clearly visible that all of humanity has acted contrary to Divine commandments — especially regarding cleanliness and purity, which are among the first of God’s instructions and have been forgotten — and thus have faced consequences, it is best that we take utmost care in following health protocols. This includes using coverings (masks) to prevent the spread of disease through mouth and nose, wearing gloves to avoid transmission via contact, and observing distancing to prevent infecting others — neglecting which is itself a great sin. On this sacred day, let us, through devotion to the station of “wilayah” and attention to the given instructions, benefit both ourselves and others from its blessings.