In the name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

The holy month of Ramadan of the year One Thousand Four Hundred and Forty Hijri, reminds of an extremely tragic and terrible incident that occurred in the history of the human world and mankind’s life.

Exactly fourteen centuries have passed since the oppressive martyrdom of the first true monotheist of the Islamic school of thought, the ideal teacher of the Quranic theological institution, the vicegerent and true successor of His Eminence, Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him and his family), the manifestation of justice, a supporter of the oppressed and the enemy of the transgressors, a friend, companion and father of the orphans, Master of the ultimate divine Guardianship, the door of Prophet’s city of knowledge, the possessor of Murtazawi virtues and excellences, His Holiness, Commander of the Faithful, Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be upon him).  

Since fourteen centuries, the Islamic society, rather the human world and the world of knowledge and literature, mourns the demise and tragic loss of their beloved Imam.

In these fourteen centuries, how much did the friends and devotees of his holiness suffer? What oppressions and atrocities and injustices were committed on them! Thousands of oppressed and defenseless people were killed for the crime of being the lovers of Ali (peace be upon him) and many suffered from severe punishments, a large number of them were sent on exile and numerous parents were given the grief of their children who were martyred in the path of love;

فَقُتِلَ مَن قُتِلَ وَ سُبِی مَن سُبِی وَ أقصِی مَن أقصِی

Some were slain, some were help prisoners, some were sent to distant foreign lands…

This year’s holy month of Ramadan reminds us of all those afflictions, atrocities and injustices. In order to perform the smallest obligation in the holy threshold of Imamate and divine guardianship, I request all the freedom-seekers and Muslims, especially the Shias, to express their love and devotion for His Holiness, the Master of the monotheists, the Leader of the pious, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) more than ever, in these blessed days of the holy month, specifically in the days and nights of Qadr (ordinance), and the day and night of his martyrdom. By propagating the enlightening virtues and excellences of this oppressed Imam, and by organizing mourning sessions and seminars, we must strive to project at least a small aspect of the blessed existence of His Holiness. Similarly, the demonstrations and processions of commemoration and lamentation must be greater and more glorious than before and by participating in them, we all must express our love and devotion for the Infallible and Pure Household of Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny). We must express our condolences in the sacred threshold of the Master of Time, the great remainder of Allah (s.w.t.), His Holiness Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance) and we must all request for the immediate relief and the joyous reappearance of His Holiness in order to eradicate the transgression of the transgressors and establish the unique Mahdawi government in the world.

إنَّهُم یَرَونَه بَعیداً وَ نَراهُ قَریباً

They (the disbeliever) consider it to be distant while we consider it to be near.

Lotfullah Saafi

Holy Ramadan, 1440 Hijri.