Resistance, Jurisprudential Principle Against Occupation: Ayatollah Ramazani
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly stated, “Today, we face the issue of oppression and occupation by certain powers. The jurisprudential rule is if we do not stand against them, everything will be destroyed.”
ABWA Official Website – On Saturday, November 30, 2024, the third memorial for over 100 martyrs from Gilan residing in Qom was held at the Sayed al-Shuhada (a.s.) Mosque and Hussainiya in Qom, marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of Mirza Kuchak Khan Gilani. The event featured a speech by Ayatollah Reza Ramazani, Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly and representative of Gilan in the Assembly of Leadership Experts.
The Significance of Emulating Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (a.s.)
In his address, Ayatollah Ramazani highlighted the exemplary character of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (a.s.), stating, “We must emulate this great figure of the Islamic world. Not only women and girls, but all of humanity can take inspiration from her life. Though short, the life of Lady Zahra (a.s.) was profoundly blessed and fruitful. God’s emphasis on Kawthar – rooted in Tawhid - is a justice-oriented movement capable of addressing intellectual and social challenges.”
“Islam does not confine women to their homes or restrict their social engagement. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) was a strong supporter of women, and there are nearly 300 Quranic verses about women. In all its addressing, the Quran addresses both men and women equally, affirming no disparity in attaining true ranks and spiritual excellence, and women can also achieve a pure life and be guides for others, and such statuses are not exclusive to men,” he continued.
Ayatollah Ramazani elaborated on the sacrifices necessary for achieving greatness, stating, “If one desires to accomplish something significant, sacrifices must be made. According to Hadiths, if a person dedicates his/her youth to a noble cause, he/she will attain nobility. Similarly, for a society, to achieve justice and escape tyranny, it must bear the associated costs. The Islamic Republic has made many sacrifices over four decades to establish and maintain its religious identity. The imposed war on us (the 8-year Iraq-Iran War) was a sacred defense, as everything about it – from its means to its objectives – was sacred. Sacred goals cannot be achieved through unsacred means. According to Hadiths, jihad is one of the gates to Paradise, open only to selected individuals. Therefore, martyrs had special characteristics to see such beauty in martyrdom. They saw such beauty in martyrdom that wish to return to life to experience it again.”
Shiite Scholars’ Perspective on the Defensive Jihad
Referring to Iran’s historical experience, Ayatollah Ramazani remarked, “About two to three centuries ago, Iran’s territory was far more extensive. With every treaty, portions of it were lost, with Bahrain being the most recent. Yet, even this smaller Iran is noble, as Iranians have always been born noble.”
He explained that jihad is of two types: “Preemptive jihad is a subject of debate among Sunni and Shiite scholars. However, regarding defensive jihad, which is resistance, there is unanimous agreement among Shiite and Sunni scholars. One form of defense involves protecting one’s life and property, while another entails resisting oppressive governments – a jihad that is both legitimate and rational. Only Shiite scholars pursue rational proofs for defensive jihad. Wars motivated by territorial expansion are not aligned with Quranic verses or Hadiths.”
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly emphasized, “Both the means and the objectives must be sacred; only then can jihad and defense be considered sacred. Without resistance, Islamic nations would be subjected to oppression and tyranny. In this regard, verse 39 of Surah Al-Hajj states, “أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَاتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ” (Those who are fought against are permitted [to fight] because they have been wronged, and Allah is indeed able to help them). During the Prophet’s (p.b.u.h) time, the command to wage jihad was initially withheld. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) was tasked solely with enlightenment jihad (Jihad Tabyin). However, a few years after his migration to Medina, God permitted Muslims to engage in armed jihad. According to the Quran, if God had not enabled some people to resist oppressors, mosques and places of worship would have been destroyed.”
Ayatollah Ramazani, referring to the concept of jihad, stated, “There are approximately 400 verses in the Quran about jihad, more than any other secondary ruling in Islamic jurisprudence. Today, we are facing certain groups who engage in oppression and occupation. The jurisprudential rule is clear: if we do not stand against them, everything will be destroyed.”
“The Archbishop of Georgia once told me, 'You did not witness the 70 years of communist rule when our churches and mosques were turned into storage facilities.' Western powers have adopted two approaches toward religion: one was an attempt to eradicate it, and the other, which continues to this day, seeks to limit its influence. The enemies destroyed Gaza and have now turned to Syria. They are notorious for violating laws,” he said.
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The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly stated, “Today, we face the issue of oppression and occupation by certain powers. The jurisprudential rule is if we do not stand against them, everything will be destroyed.”
ABWA Official Website – On Saturday, November 30, 2024, the third memorial for over 100 martyrs from Gilan residing in Qom was held at the Sayed al-Shuhada (a.s.) Mosque and Hussainiya in Qom, marking the anniversary of the martyrdom of Mirza Kuchak Khan Gilani. The event featured a speech by Ayatollah Reza Ramazani, Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly and representative of Gilan in the Assembly of Leadership Experts.
The Significance of Emulating Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (a.s.)
In his address, Ayatollah Ramazani highlighted the exemplary character of Lady Fatimah al-Zahra (a.s.), stating, “We must emulate this great figure of the Islamic world. Not only women and girls, but all of humanity can take inspiration from her life. Though short, the life of Lady Zahra (a.s.) was profoundly blessed and fruitful. God’s emphasis on Kawthar – rooted in Tawhid - is a justice-oriented movement capable of addressing intellectual and social challenges.”
“Islam does not confine women to their homes or restrict their social engagement. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) was a strong supporter of women, and there are nearly 300 Quranic verses about women. In all its addressing, the Quran addresses both men and women equally, affirming no disparity in attaining true ranks and spiritual excellence, and women can also achieve a pure life and be guides for others, and such statuses are not exclusive to men,” he continued.
Ayatollah Ramazani elaborated on the sacrifices necessary for achieving greatness, stating, “If one desires to accomplish something significant, sacrifices must be made. According to Hadiths, if a person dedicates his/her youth to a noble cause, he/she will attain nobility. Similarly, for a society, to achieve justice and escape tyranny, it must bear the associated costs. The Islamic Republic has made many sacrifices over four decades to establish and maintain its religious identity. The imposed war on us (the 8-year Iraq-Iran War) was a sacred defense, as everything about it – from its means to its objectives – was sacred. Sacred goals cannot be achieved through unsacred means. According to Hadiths, jihad is one of the gates to Paradise, open only to selected individuals. Therefore, martyrs had special characteristics to see such beauty in martyrdom. They saw such beauty in martyrdom that wish to return to life to experience it again.”
Shiite Scholars’ Perspective on the Defensive Jihad
Referring to Iran’s historical experience, Ayatollah Ramazani remarked, “About two to three centuries ago, Iran’s territory was far more extensive. With every treaty, portions of it were lost, with Bahrain being the most recent. Yet, even this smaller Iran is noble, as Iranians have always been born noble.”
He explained that jihad is of two types: “Preemptive jihad is a subject of debate among Sunni and Shiite scholars. However, regarding defensive jihad, which is resistance, there is unanimous agreement among Shiite and Sunni scholars. One form of defense involves protecting one’s life and property, while another entails resisting oppressive governments – a jihad that is both legitimate and rational. Only Shiite scholars pursue rational proofs for defensive jihad. Wars motivated by territorial expansion are not aligned with Quranic verses or Hadiths.”
The Secretary-General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly emphasized, “Both the means and the objectives must be sacred; only then can jihad and defense be considered sacred. Without resistance, Islamic nations would be subjected to oppression and tyranny. In this regard, verse 39 of Surah Al-Hajj states, “أُذِنَ لِلَّذِينَ يُقَاتَلُونَ بِأَنَّهُمْ ظُلِمُوا ۚ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ نَصْرِهِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ” (Those who are fought against are permitted [to fight] because they have been wronged, and Allah is indeed able to help them). During the Prophet’s (p.b.u.h) time, the command to wage jihad was initially withheld. The Prophet (p.b.u.h) was tasked solely with enlightenment jihad (Jihad Tabyin). However, a few years after his migration to Medina, God permitted Muslims to engage in armed jihad. According to the Quran, if God had not enabled some people to resist oppressors, mosques and places of worship would have been destroyed.”
Ayatollah Ramazani, referring to the concept of jihad, stated, “There are approximately 400 verses in the Quran about jihad, more than any other secondary ruling in Islamic jurisprudence. Today, we are facing certain groups who engage in oppression and occupation. The jurisprudential rule is clear: if we do not stand against them, everything will be destroyed.”
“The Archbishop of Georgia once told me, 'You did not witness the 70 years of communist rule when our churches and mosques were turned into storage facilities.' Western powers have adopted two approaches toward religion: one was an attempt to eradicate it, and the other, which continues to this day, seeks to limit its influence. The enemies destroyed Gaza and have now turned to Syria. They are notorious for violating laws,” he said.
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