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Before you, there was us, ignorance and darkness.
But with you, we went up to the skies.
It all started with you.
You taught us life,
and you showed us God.
We salute you,
O the best teacher.

He prayed while others slept.
While others ate, he'd fast.
While they would laugh, he wept.
Until he breathed his last.
His only wish was for us to be
among the ones who prosper.
Ya Mu’allim, peace be upon you.
Truly you are our teacher, O Mu'allim.

Project Living

Imam Sadiq (‘a) said, “Planning is a part of religion.” People, who do not plan, live based on projects. For some time, all of their concern is about a certain thing. Then, they leave that and all of their concern is something else. When they work, they don’t pray. When they pray, they don’t work. When they study, they don’t pray or work. When they are having fun, they do nothing, nothing, nothing. But, each of these has a certain time.
The Household of the Prophet (‘a) repeatedly divided the times of a person’s day. Imam Khazim (‘a) said, “Endeavour to divide your time into four parts. One part should be for talking to God (and worshiping Him). One part should be for working and making money. A part is for communicating with friends. And, a part should be for Halal enjoyments. Use this last part to gain energy for the other three parts.” (Tuhaf al-Oqul, vol. 1, p. 409)
After saying to divide your time into four parts, the tradition goes on to say not to sit and think about just anything. This means that you should have a plan for your thinking too. A person shouldn’t let his mind wander. You should have a program. What should I think about now?
A person is watching TV and says, “TV, tell me what to think about. It has a movie. Let’s watch it!” “What is the movie about?” “I Don’t know!” Let’s have a contest for drawing the caricature of such a person. I suggest a caricature where the TV has two rollers for flattening asphalt. And the person is sitting in front of it. The TV passes over him with the rollers! Then, his mother comes and collects him with a scraper from the ground! Should a human being live like this?
When satellite dishes and foreign TV channels had first come and people debated about them, I talked about not watching TV. A young man started complaining, “So we shouldn’t watch TV either?!” I replied, “Watch TV, but not too much. How many hours do you watch TV per day?” “Three hours a day.” I said, “So I don’t have anything to say to you. There’s no use in you!” He watches TV three hours a day!
People, who do not plan, live based on projects. Each of these has a certain time. “Endeavour to divide your time into four parts.”
[From the series of speeches under the topic of, “What is sinning? How should we repent?”]

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Get up at dawn and confess your faults to God.
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With all God’s power in designing and managing, He doesn’t have anything to do other than taking us on a journey! You just need to know and declare your faults to God at dawn [when praying]. Sit in the car for the rest of the day and God will take you.
If you pay attention to your faults for a while, it will become easy for you. You’ll see the enjoyable results and won’t fear seeing your faults. Then you’ll see more of your faults. And you’ll see God hasn’t asked you for anything other than for you to see your faults. Get up at dawn, review your faults [before God] and see how He will manage your life till night. God won’t let you make mistakes. He will allow you to do some deeds to uplift yourself. He’ll take you to the paths where less bad events will happen for you. Your life will be fun.
Have you seen how some people join tours that take them around? The tours ask people to join their group and they charge them too. People easily pay for such things and ask these tours to take them around. [They say,] “We don’t know which parts of this city are fun to see.” Tour leaders say, “I’ll take you around.” They stop at different places and explain for them. [In the same way,] Almighty God makes a person’s life like going on a picnic. You only need to know and declare your faults [to God] at dawn. Sit in the car for the rest of the day and God will take you. He says, “I have planned this for you today.” You yourself will start to realize what’s going on.
It’s like you’re sitting in a personal trailer, not in a bus with forty other people. I mean a recreational vehicle that’s like a complete house. It’s a nice house. Imagine if someone is there who explains for you, “I want to take you to these places today. I saw that you have that certain problem and this herb is good for you. So I’m taking you to the farm where they have it. Also, I see you need this certain kind of exercise. So I’ll take you to a mountain for climbing, and this will help heal your leg pain. You also have that other problem, and there is a place for mineral water on our way.” “How beautiful you design everything for me!”
God doesn’t have anything to do other than this! With all God’s power in designing and managing,
He doesn’t have anything to do other than taking us on a journey! [In the Qur’an] when God wants to say He’s giving the worst punishment to a person, He says, “I abandoned him.” The Holy Prophet of Islam would constantly pray, “O God, don’t ever leave me on my own for even the blink of an eye.” Don’t leave me on my own. Plan for me. Take me on a picnic. Take me like a tour leader who takes people around and shows things to them.
How does this come about? I swear this is the result of a person getting up at dawn and seeing and knowing his faults. With all God’s power in designing and managing, He doesn’t have anything to do other than taking us on a journey! Get up at dawn, review your faults [before God]
and see how He will manage your life till night.

The Amazing Story of Sameri

The Children of Israel were suffering the worst tribulations according to the verses of the Qur’an. Moses, the son of Imran, rescued them from all their miseries, according to the verses of the Qur’an. The most miracles descended for this nation, according to the verses of the Qur’an. When else has a prophet come to rescue a group, then destroyed all their enemies in the sea at once?! And, so easily!
Our Prophet (s) fought for many years. Many people were martyred. Prophet Noah (a) preached for 950 years, but the people didn’t accept him. However, Prophet Moses (a) rescued them and destroyed their enemies in one or two years time. The people were so comfortable! The rest weren’t like this.
The Nile River was opened with a staff, “You may pass.” They needed water, “Use the staff! Don’t worry.” The water flowed. They asked for food from the skies. They asked for a special menu! These have been written in the Qur’an. “We can’t eat lentils every day. What about beans?” Then, they reached a place. “Wait till I bring the Torah, the book of God, for you." “Go ahead.” Moses (a) went to bring the Torah, to teach them a way of life. How many miracles did they need to see from a prophet?
Then, when Moses wasn’t around, suddenly a man named Sameri caused the people to worship a cow in the presence of Aaron, the successor and brother of Prophet Moses (a). Amazing! Prophet Moses (a) came. “Aaron what were you doing? Why are they worshiping a cow?” This is very strange! This is impossible! How could people forget all these miracles just like that? But, it happened. See. Think about the story.
The Prophet of God (s) said, “In the same way that Prophet Moses’s nation had a Sameri, my nation has a Sameri too.” Really? Who is the Sameri of your nation so that from him we can distinguish who is the new one? Or, perhaps that whole story was for us to be able to understand what is happening here. The Prophet (s) said, “The slogan of the Sameri of Moses’s nation was, 'Don’t touch me.’ The Sameri of my nation says, ‘No war.’” They talk against the culture of resistance. Their names have been mentioned in history. One is Abu Musa Ash’ari. They talk about not resisting. The culture of not resisting and being against it, is the culture of the Sameri of this nation.
Sameri is very talented. He uses certain parts of religion. You see that whatever he says is based on religion. He speaks about morality. It is subtle. He has only removed “resistance.” If you remove the string from rosary beads, they will fall apart. You will certainly witness that they will remove the part about resistance from Imam Husayn (a) and the culture of Ashura in the future. They will delete fighting with oppression from Imam Husayn (a) and the culture of Ashura. What will remain of Ashura? Only affection and liking.
Those who don't want to teach us resistance, don't want us to enjoy struggling, don't want us to see beautiful fighting, and don't want us to see fighting fairly along with morality. They want to distance us from fighting for us to be like sheep. Sheep don’t fight. They are busy with their grass.
Some of the movies, which are about the 8-Year Holy Defense, are actually against the war and resistance. They are preaching compromise. Imam Ali, “Surely fighting is one of the doors of Paradise, which God has opened only for His dear Friends.” (Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon no. 27) It isn’t open to all of God’s Friends. It’s only open for His special Friends.
Friends, if we increase our resistance a little, God willing our Imam will come! What does Imam Mahdi (‘a.j.) want? People who resist. Those who want to distance us from fighting, want us to be like sheep. The culture of not resisting and being against it, is the culture of the Sameri of this nation. What does Imam Mahdi (‘a.j.) want? People who resist.
[From the series of speeches under the topic of, “The Culture and Art of Resistance."]

Does praying have a condition I haven’t thought about?

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It is said in one of the beautiful verses of the Qur’an, «إِذَا سَأَلَک عِبَادِی عَنِّی فَإِنِّی قَرِیبٌ» “And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near. «أُجِیبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ» I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me. «فَلْیَسْتَجِیبُوا لِی‌ وَ لْیُؤْمِنُوا بِی‌» So they should answer My call and believe in Me.” [Qur’an 2:186]
[God says,] “In the same way that I answer them, they too should answer Me when I call them and they should believe in Me.” So if this is a condition for prayers to be answered, that I must answer God and believe in Him, how should I fulfill this condition? “So they should answer My call and believe in Me.” Must I go a long way in trying to strengthen my faith in God then return to this?
Imam Sadiq (as) has shortened the path. About the verse “So they should answer My call and believe in Me,” the Imam said, «یَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّی أَقْدِرُ عَلَى أَنْ أُعْطِیَهُمْ مَا یَسْأَلُونِّیَ» [God says,] “When they are praying, they should have this in mind that I am able to answer them.” Are you able to think this positively about God? This is the condition for your prayer to be accepted. [God says,] “When they are praying, they should have this in mind that I am able to answer them.”
The phrase “and believe in Me” means that you should believe that God can. Think in this way. In his interpretation, Imam Sadiq (as) said that people should have this in mind that God is able to answer them. Have you paid attention to the meaning of this? It is said in a tradition that when a servant says, “There is no strength except from God, the Exalted and Great,” God says, “Take care of the needs of My servant.” The angels say, “What’s happened? Did he pray? Why does he deserve this? What did he do?!” The tradition continues on to say that God answers them, “Didn’t you see that he said, ‘There is no strength except from God, the Exalted and Great’? I am the only One Who can do everything in the world. Take care of the needs of My servant.”
This means our only thought should be that God can. The phrase “and believe in Me” means that you should believe that God can. Think in this way. This is the condition for your prayer to be accepted.

Each moment He is waiting to see if I will return to Him or not.
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According to the traditions, a person who says that he won’t get anywhere in this world will be deprived of everything. Many people don’t get up to talk to God since they think they’re not valuable. They think they’re being humble when they don’t consider themselves to be valuable. Yes, the Friends of God go to God and say, “God, I’m nothing. Have mercy on Your lowly servant.” What does “lowly” mean?
If you think in a bad way that you are bad, contemptible and inferior, you will not pray for yourself at all. You won’t go to God anymore. You won’t consider yourself to be valuable for you to supplicate God. Why don’t we pray to God, cry and plead for the Reappearance? Because we think, “We’re not important in this world! How important are we?! God doesn’t look at us, does He?!”
“You are important to God!” “But we’re sinners, we aren’t important!” “My dear, you’re so important that when you start repenting, the Almighty God says, “Tell My servants that when they repent and return to Me, I am [happy] like a person in the desert who has found his lost food and water.” “O God, but You’re not in need, are You?!” He’ll reply, “I’m not in need. But I love My servant so much that his destiny is important to Me.”
Pharaoh was important to God. God was going to take him to Hell, and He did in the end. But he was important to God that He told Moses (as) to talk to him with gentle words. [Qur’an 20:44] “He has rebelled and won’t accept. Talk to him in a way that he becomes convinced.” “O God, is Pharaoh important for You or Moses? You’re telling Moses (as) to talk mildly with Pharaoh!” Pharaoh is important for Him. God’s kindness toward Pharaoh is very surprising.
[One may say,] “Don’t say this! God doesn’t like the disbelievers.” Yes, I know God is angry with them, but He has talked about them a lot. This shows a disbeliever is so important to God that He rebukes him so that he may return! I am important to God. Yes, it’s true that since I’m not that good a person, I’m not that valuable and I won’t be greatly rewarded. And God doesn’t like me the way He likes good people. But He hasn’t thrown me away! And this is very valuable.
Satan tells a person, “God doesn’t look at you at all.” But he’s very wrong! It’s impossible that God doesn’t look at me. Each moment He is waiting to see if I will return to Him or not. I am important to God. My prayer is important to God! God listens. “What did My servant say?” Of course God doesn’t ask anyone. He knows this Himself. I’m playing it out like this. [God says,] “What did My servant say? What was his opinion about the Reappearance?” “He didn’t say anything.” “Did God ask my opinion?” “Yes, God asks your opinion.” Looking at yourself in a bad way shouldn’t dominate your mind. [You may say,] “Don’t you say that we should be humble and not be arrogant?”
Yes, one shouldn’t be arrogant. But even a bad child knows that he is important to his mother. A child who has failed his exam thinks, “What should I tell my mother?! I don’t care [about my test], but she will get very upset and may even start crying!” This is a very important point. But we consider ourselves to be so lowly, bad and little that we don’t see a mother waiting for us to want to cry for us.
I am important to God. My prayer is important to God! Each moment He is waiting to see if I will return to Him or not. Looking at yourself in a bad way shouldn’t dominate your mind.

God has not created people in a way that they can feel good without Him

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One of the very important factors that cause a person to feel bad is feeling insecure. Being in a good mood is the result of feeling secure. Feeling insecure truly ruins a person’s mood. Who feels bad? One who has not resolved his feeling of insecurity. He has just forgotten it and doesn’t want to look at it. What are different factors that make a person feel insecure? For example, when will you pass away? I don’t know. I might die at any moment. No one has given any guarantees. All of us feel insecure due to being anxious about death. So we don’t feel good unless we have passed this stage and we don’t look at death as a danger and insecurity anymore. [As a poem says,] “If death is daring, tell it to come to me so that I may embrace it tightly.” Yes, in that case death is not a factor for us to feel insecure.
Apart from animosities or death, another factor that causes one to feel insecure is the tragedies in life. These tragedies make a person’s life insecure, and so one starts to feel bad. [One might say,] “We become anxious when you say these things.” But you can’t find security unless you solve these issues, and this is only possible with God. God has not created people in a way that they can feel good without Him. It’s impossible. You ask, “So all the unbelievers and those who don’t care about such things feel bad?! But I can see they’re laughing and enjoying.” The Commander of the Faithful, Ali (as), said, «المُستَمتِعونَ بِالدُّنیا تَبکِی قلوبُهُم و إنْ فَرِحُوا» “The hearts of the people who seek this world are crying although they appear to be laughing.” «و یَشتَدُّ مَقتُهُم لأنفُسِهم و إنِ اغتَبَطُوا ببعضِ ما مِنها رُزِقُوا»“They are not satisfied with themselves although others may envy them because of the blessings they’ve been given.”
They have some blessings so others think, “Good for him. See what a car he has!” This tradition says that people may envy them because of their assets, but they themselves aren’t happy. This is how the Commander of the Faithful (as) describes such people. One of the most important reasons that faith is called “Iman” is that a believer feels he is in safety.
The Holy Qur’an says, «الَّذینَ آمَنُوا وَ لَمْ یَلْبِسُوا إیمانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُولئِکَ لَهُمُ الْأَمْنُ» “Those who believe and have not confounded their belief with harm, security belongs to them; and they are guided.” [6:82] Imam Ali (as) said, «لأنَّ مُفارَقَةَ الدِّینِ مُفارَقَةُ الأمنِ» “If one distances himself from religion, he will not feel secure anymore.” If one wants to gain this deep feeling of security, there is no other way than worshiping God and believing in Him. You probably all know that believing in God is different from knowing there is a God. Some are sure there is a God, but they behave like unbelievers.
Believing in God is very different from knowing that He exists. When this knowledge becomes fixed in a person’s heart, this is called faith. This brings a very deep feeling of security. Children are the same way. When their parents are around them, they feel safe. They play and look at their parents every few minutes, depending on their age. “Are you here?” “Yes.”
For example, children feel safe about tomorrow’s food. Why? They think, “My mom or dad will give me food. What about it?!” They never wonder whether their parents have food or not. Ayatollah Bahjat said, “If we believed in God as much as children believe in their parents, everything would have been corrected.”
Who feels good? A person, who is like a child who takes refuge in the power and affection of his parents, takes refuge in the God of the universe and so he feels good. God has not created people in such a way that they can feel good without Him. It’s impossible. Being in a bad mood is corrected only with God.

#AliRezaPanahian #Panahian #GoodMood #BadMood #God #children #secure #safe #death #fear

Husayn (as) will take you with himself…

[Imam Ali (as) said,] “Loving God is like fire. It doesn’t pass by anything without burning it.” If you want to experience this, God has given you the opportunity. Where? Love for Aba Abdillah al-Husayn (as). When can we experience it? From the moment when affection for him starts a fire in our heart and we see we are nothing when we are with him. Even if you want something when you go to his mourning ceremony, in the middle of the elegies, you suddenly see you don’t need that certain thing anymore. Even you yourself are not important. See how you burn for Imam Husayn (as)! You can experience it there.
You experience this love there. Then Imam Husayn will take your hand and take you to the main goal. Husayn (as) is God’s servant. Sow how God Himself will affect our heart! You may ask, “Is God oppressed like Husayn (as) that I will burn for Him like I burn for Husayn?!” Don’t think you burn for Husayn (as) because he was oppressed. Don’t make this mistake. It’s your love for Imam Husayn (as) that causes you not to be able to tolerate him being oppressed. Don’t even think that since he was a good person [you burn for him]. Are you able to understand these things?! I can’t! I can’t understand people’s goodness, so how can I understand Imam Husayn’s goodness? Imam Husayn (as) was no different from Imam Hasan (as). Don’t mention imaginary reasons.
God has gifted you this love and said, “I wanted you to experience a love.” That is the heat we feel in our heart due to Imam Husayn being killed [according to the traditions]. This heat is a small experience in love. Experience this and whenever you go to the mourning ceremonies, tell God, “God, is it possible for me to fall in love with You one day, for the curtains to move aside so that I burn for You?” Is it possible? Yes! Yes!

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The link for the book "How to Pray a Good Prayer," written by Ali Reza Panahian:
http://amazon.com/author/panahian​​​
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A Practical Solution for Us Not to Feel Lonely