بِسْمِ رِبِّ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ الْسَلاَمٌ
In the name of the Lord of Husein (peace be upon him)
A while ago, through one of the sons of the Grand Maraje' of Qum, we became aware that an interview with two of the Ulema of Europe took place during which Azadari4Imam was accused of tampering with these Ulema's words and...
In reality, experiencing allegations is normal and not unexpected, and we have been faced with them previously. However the aforementioned accusation is comparatively strange, especially considering the number of years that have lapsed since initially broadcasting their words.
Now, here are a few responses:
Mr X, you have only now begun denying your own actions and lecture you delivered a few years back. Azadari4Imam have broadcast this lecture every year, from the time of Mr Moezzi until now, the time of Mr Shomali; the surprising fact is that you did not deny, complain or partake in any interviews in previous years - is someone pressuring you into denial...?!
Secondly, Mr X, you cannot undo your past. Rather than denying people the truth and deceiving them with falsehood, you should have opted for the wiser, and at least allowed these lectures to remain as rewardable deeds on your scroll of actions.
Thirdly, Mr X, perhaps due to ageing you struggle to recollect the content of the lectures you delivered a few years ago. If you require a refresher, please visit the archives of the Islamic Centre of England and review both your Farsi and English lectures.
Fourthly, Mr X, now that you claim that you did not deliver those lectures, why not allow people to judge for themselves? Please produce copies of both your complete Farsi and English lectures and distribute them.
As for you, Mr Y, claiming that you did not comment on or accept or disagree with this ritual - let me remind you. Cast your mind back to 2008: once you had viewed our Azadari book after the morning Muharram majalis, you addressed one of our volunteers, complaining that your ancestors had not been cited and that they all approved this holy ritual and even possessed greater knowledge than a number of the Grand Maraje' named in the book. Have you sincerely forgotten this instance or are you pretending to have forgotten? Have you forgotten that when the volunteer asked for your own opinion you replied that your opinion is that of your ancestors and that you approve? We do not know what has transpired that you now fly the opposing flag.
Has Imam Husein (peace be upon him) waived the obligation of allegiance from your shoulders? What has happened that you dare to oppose the commands of the Imam of our time (may God hasten his reappearance) (source: Bayan Al-A'immah, volume 2, pages 461-462) and the rulings of the Grand Maraje' of the world? Have you not listened to the order and warning of the eminent Marja' of the world, Ayatollah Vahid Khorasani? Are his words not superior to ours? Of course they are.
As for you, the manager of the Islamic Centre of England and the representative of Mr Khamenei, we had expected the important message of the eminent Marja', Ayatollah Roohani, delivered at the start of Muharram, to be a lesson and an awakening for humanity. But evidently it has not been so for you, or perhaps you have not read it.
Anyhow, we had hoped that with the replacement of the manager of the Centre there would be rational decision-making, unity amongst the Muslims, respect for the rulings of the Maraje' and freedom of speech and beliefs.
Being the manager of the Islamic Centre of England and the representative of Mr Khamenei, you ought to be suitably capable of answering the following: tell us, which of our Grand Maraje' has disapproved the holy ritual? Mr Sistani, Mr Vahid Khorasani, Mr Roohani, Mr Sayid Ali Milani, Mr Shirazi, Mr Saanei, Mr Saafi, Mr Modaressi, Mr Ishaq Fayadh, Mr Haeri, Mr Gerami Qummi, Mr Mousawi Ardabeeli and tens of other Maraje' from the past until now - which of them is against the ritual?! Of course, none of them. And you know far better than anyone that all of them approve it and rule it a recommended act.
Have you not learnt from the past? Until when do you want to forcefully conceal the truth using falsehood? Why do you and your actions mirror the description in this verse:
يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ
Their intention is to extinguish Allah's Light by blowing with their mouths, but Allah will complete the revelation of His Light, even though the Unbelievers may detest it. [61:8]
Why do you not allow people to be free: why do you disrespect their beliefs which are in accordance with the rulings of the Grand Maraje'? Why do you not leave people to follow the rulings of their respective Maraje'?
Clearly, your overt obedience of the Vali Fagih is nothing but sly ostentatiousness, when, through your actions, you shame both him and Islam with betrayal and degradation. Have you forgotten that your previous disobedience of the words of the leader of the Islamic Revolution resulted in disunity? For example in 2010, in the 'LIVING ISLAM' magazine, you insulted all of the Maraje' and Ulema, especially the pioneer of the Islamic Revolution, Mr Khomeini (may God have mercy on his soul) by labelling him weak and cowardly. Have you forgotten this incident or are you pretending to have forgotten? Surely you have not forgotten it and neither will history.
Mr Shomali, are you not the representative of Mr Khamenei? If so, why don't you wholeheartedly accept the words your leader spoke in Shahrivar of 1393 (solar calendar)? Here, the term 'Islamic unity' does not amount to forgoing one's beliefs in order to conform, rather 'Islamic unity', which is the essence of the Islamic Republic, means that there should not be hostility within the Islamic nation.
Mr Mohammad Ali Shomali, have you done anything other than create enmity and division, and shatter the unity of the Shia and Muslims?! We are disappointed: instead of obeying the rulings of the Faqih of our time, respecting all beliefs and uniting all preferences in the way of advancing Islam, you have axed the roots of Islam and trampled upon the rulings and the righteous advice of the leader.
Lastly, we are not anyone to advise you, but in observance of one of the core duties upon everyone: encouraging good and preventing evil, we urge you to respect the rulings of the Grand Maraje' of the world from the beginning until now. Do not mock the beliefs of the people and mourners, and do not refer to the holy rituals using derogatory terminology..., otherwise there will be consequences, as God has promised:
فَأَصَابَهُمْ سَيِّئَاتُ مَا عَمِلُواْ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ
So the evil consequences of what they did shall afflict them and that which they mocked shall encompass them. [16:34]
Wa min Allah tawfeeq
Azadari4Imam
www.sistani.org
www.emamrohani.net
www.wahidkhorasani.com/web/index.php?lang=en
www.imamshirazi.com
