We haven’t been able to help people to understand this attractive, affectionate, deep, rational concept of getting close to God.
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The most important feature of a goal is that it should create a fire from within a person. It should give warmth, strengthen, entertain and give direction to a person’s imaginations. This is how a person’s goal should be, otherwise one’s life is useless. [As a poem says,] “Pray over his body although he’s not dead.” A life in which one’s goal doesn’t give warmth and doesn’t answer one’s need for love is a very low level of life.
In our life, everything really depends on the goal we choose. Imagine if you let people be free but don’t talk about religion, God’s commands or beliefs. Just tell people, “Live with a goal that warms you, creates a fire and answers your need for love. See where you can find this goal yourself.” They can’t find such a goal even if false propaganda is used.
Have you seen that people talk about love and affection? It’s interesting that everyone talks about love, but no one reaches to it. Everyone likes and admires a life filled with love. Instead of using the term “a life with love,” God has designed this in religion in this way that He says, “Set your goal to be getting close to Me.” Getting close to God will light a fire (of love) in one’s heart. Maybe when people talk about a life with love, this is what they mean.
And we have worked so poorly and weakly in this regard! The effects of our deeds have sometimes been so repulsive that we haven’t been able to help people to understand this attractive, affectionate, deep, and so rational concept of getting close to God. People do not know religion to be getting close to God. But no deed without having the intention of getting close to God is accepted. Unfortunately, if you introduce religion without the concept of getting close to God, religion will seem awful to people. Those people [who’ve learned this kind of religion] are right to hate it. Perhaps religion without the passionate, attractive meaning of closeness to God has been taught to them.
Imagine if one is able to understand such a goal, he sets it as his goal and he is able to gradually strengthen this goal. Imagine what effects this will have on one’s heart. The explosive part of religion that awakens one’s heart and causes him to move can be found in the concepts of getting close to God and how to get close to Him. God shows us this majestic universe and says, “I have created these. These are my creation. Now look at Me Myself.” It’s incomparable. Then God says, “Set your goal to be getting close to Me.”

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Go along with the laws of the world.

We live in a very orderly, calculated and responsive world. We should be in harmony with this very orderly world. We should go along with nature. We are living in the heart of nature. We can’t do just anything we want or we’ll see its reaction. We are living in such a world. We are not able to do everything we like.
The world is this way. These are not the whims of God, His Friends or the scholars. One should live in accordance with the rules of this world. One cannot live in opposition to it. Whoever wants to accept religion should first accept that the world is orderly. “Surely We have created everything according to a measure.” [Qur’an 54:49] With numbers and mathematics.
We want to work with these two systems, the system of a human being’s existence - his soul and body - and the system of nature. This needs a program. You should give me a brochure for me to know what to do!
It is as if a skilled physician, chemist or physicist has designed this dear Islam. All of its commands. Even such commands as praying, worshiping, waking up at dawn, and commands for a long ‘Qunut’ in the Midnight Prayer. How else should they tell us the physical aspects of the Midnight Prayer, which is truly a beautiful worship act?
It has been said that if you pray the Midnight Prayer, it will have a wonderful effect on your health. It will affect the physical appearance of your face. It’s been said that the Midnight Prayer makes your face beautiful and sweet. It has been repeatedly mentioned in the traditions. For example, “If you don’t dust and clean the house in this way, Satan will come.” or, “Satan will go under your nails or other places.” Some interpreters say that Satan in these traditions means microbes. They say this means something, which is annoying for a person’s life, will come afterwards.
There are commands about how to sweep the house. There are many details. How tall should the ceiling of a house be? The traditions say 3 meters. There weren’t many of today’s calculations at that time. People are breathing and carbon dioxide is being produced. People are inhaling and exhaling. They have designed these very accurately. Religion has been designed in this way.
God’s encouragements are strange. He says that if you follow religion correctly, “… they would certainly have eaten from above them and from beneath their feet…” [Qur’an 5:66] It’s talking about this world, not Heaven! What phrases God uses to encourage us! God says, “Come to Me on the correct path, and see what I will do with your life.” You’ll benefit from life very much! How else should God encourage us? We are living in such a world.
Religion has two suggestions for a person who wants to live comfortably in this world. One is that you gain the skill to observe these rules, like in driving where you gain the skill of using the brake, clutch and gear on time. Then, you’ll be comfortable. A tradition says, “Make yourself used to doing good deeds.” Then you’ll be comfortable. Religion has a second suggestion, which is much more beautiful. God says, “Is it hard to live in this very orderly world? When you were a child, you went to your mother’s embrace and took refuge in her embrace. Your mother would make up for your mistakes, change your clothes and plan for you. Come to Me in the same way. I’ll take your hands Myself and make up for it for you.”
If we eat an unhealthy food, will God compensate for us? What should I say so that those who hear these discussions from far won’t make fun of this? Yes, sometimes by praying our mistakes in eating will be compensated for too. Then, a person can gain spiritual and mental energy in order to compensate for the lacks in physical energy that he wanted to gain for his body. The Commander of the Faithful (‘a) said, “A person’s strength is not from food; it’s from his intention.” It’s from the power of his intention that his body is strong.
We should see the world around ourselves as an orderly, very firm, very complicated, steely and regulated world. Then, we should start behaving carefully with this world. We live in a very orderly, calculated and responsive world. We should be in harmony with this very orderly world. We should go along with nature. We are living in the heart of nature. We can’t do just anything we want or we’ll see its reaction.

Why is Aba Abdillah al-Husayn’s (as) tragedy so painful?! Why does it still feel fresh and affect us? One reason is that he was an Imam. Do you know what this means? One of an Imam’s features is that he loves people. He does not want people to go to Hell. Do you know what it means to hurt an Imam? It’s as if children hurt their own father. Won’t this father’s heartbreak be different?
Have you heard the shocking story about a son who threw his mother into a well [since he wanted her gold]? Then he tried to look into the well to see if she had died. Suddenly his mother called from the bottom of the well, “My son, don’t come forward or you may fall.” Have you heard this story? This may be a folktale, but did you know this happened in Karbala? “Umar Sa’d” committed so many crimes. When Imam Husayn (as) was lying in the ditch where he was slaughtered, Umar Sa’d wanted to show off. So he picked up a dagger to cut off Aba Abdillah al-Husayn’s (as) head.
When he went close, Imam Husayn (as) started showing kindness to Umar Sa’d. Imam said, “There wasn’t anyone worse off than you to cut off my head? Don’t make yourself wretched.” Umar Sa’d’s place is certainly in Hell. Imam Husayn (as) was still kind to him that perhaps at least he may go to a better place in Hell.
Imam (as) was eager to guide people until his last moment. So he brought his son, Ali Asghar, to the field. He wanted to have mercy on them and help them. He was an Imam. One of the features of an Imam is that he loves people.

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Ugly Repentances

Do you know how people repent? They say, “God, I’ve heard it looks like You have become upset at my wrong deed. Don’t be upset. Please. I don’t like You to be upset. Don’t be upset my dear! I’m asking You. You became angry and upset. I didn’t do anything. Nothing happened! Please don’t be upset.” What an ugly way of repenting this is. It has thousands of bad complications.
Repentance is like if you were to put your hand on a butcher block and cut your fingers off with a cleaver. Obviously, God gets upset. But, the problem here is not God’s anger. What’s the problem? Your fingers have been cut off. It’s as if you hold up your fingers and ask God to put them back on. “Crazy! So why did you cut them?!” “I was wrong. I’ve wronged myself. Now, I’m in pain. No one except You can save me. Do a miracle and put these back on.” God replies, “I don’t do that many miracles. I rarely do miracles! They’re rationed.” “I plead You!” Now, this is very different from your previous repentance! If you tell someone who is a sinner but generous to repent, he will say, “Good job! I can’t stand it! Fix it, please!” See! When worse people want to repent, they repent better.
What is repentance? “I have wronged myself, and I have been audacious in my ignorance.” [The Kumayl Supplication] I’ve hit myself and hurt myself. Repentance means I know the effect of my action will last forever. I know that my action has come into being and whatever exists will never disappear. Only the unending power of God can eliminate the effect of my action. Even an angel cannot do anything. The effect of my action won’t be forgotten.

Repentance means I know that the effect of my action lasts forever. I know that my action has come into being and whatever exists will never disappear. Only the unending power of God can eliminate the effect of my action.


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Is the Coronavirus related to the Reappearance of the Imam of the Time (‘a.j.)?

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful. My Salams to all the friends. One topic, which is discussed very much recently, is the relationship between the Coronavirus as a disease, a public affliction, and a worldly phenomenon and the Reappearance. We who are awaiting the Reappearance always keep track of the signs of the Reappearance. We like to receive the good news that the Imam is coming sooner. Although we know, bitter events will happen before the Reappearance, we must confront these bitter events, resist in the face of them, and do the needed actions, which are our duty, in these situations.
Take a phenomenon like Corona, which in fact is a disease and affliction, and has also caused extreme changes in behavior, lifestyle and people’s livelihood in most parts of the world. How is it related to the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi (‘a.j.)? Some people insist on announcing this disease to be one of the signs mentioned before the Reappearance. No, this is not correct. Of course, widespread diseases, which cause many people to die, have been mentioned as one of the events before the Reappearance. But, we don’t have any clear or specific sign for assessing this. We shouldn’t insist on comparing the signs, which have been mentioned in the traditions, with all the complexities that they may have, with the current situation and the Coronavirus.
Some people insist on saying there is no relation between Corona and the Reappearance. I would like to talk more about this. Why should one insist on saying that there is no relation between Corona and the Reappearance? In analyzing this, we may be able to say that all events in the world, especially the time that we are in, are related to the Reappearance. From the first day, the prophetic mission of the Holy Prophet was related to it, where it is said, “…so that He raises it above all religions.” [Qur’an 61:9] So, how could the events at this time, which is probably the end of time, not be related to the Reappearance? All the Imams (‘a) have talked about the phenomena and the hard tests before the Reappearance. Even the course of the missions of the Imams (‘a) were all somehow related to the Occultation and the Reappearance. From the time when Imam Sadiq (‘a) trained students, he took into account the period of the Occultation. After him, the next Imams (‘a) introduced deputies in different regions among their devotees, either directly or indirectly. These were groundwork for the Occultation, and of course for the Reappearance. Wasn’t our revolution groundwork for the Reappearance? Isn’t it related to the Reappearance? This is one of the definite parts of Imam Khomeini’s statements. The philosophy of the 8-Year Holy Defense was to make us ready for preparing for the Reappearance. We saw the effects of this Holy Defense, and also the defense to confront the regional terrorists. All of these can be counted as preparing the personnel and the equipment for the Reappearance.
We should never consider widespread events and phenomenon, especially the ones, which are a kind of affliction and can have a deep effect, to have no relation with the Reappearance. They are not necessarily a special sign, but they are events leading up to the Reappearance. The Coronavirus is one of these events. Firstly, Corona showed that human beings don’t have the power to confront a virus that easily. Everyone’s life and the entire world’s news have been effected by it. Secondly, it showed that making a change in the world based on God’s planning and providence with different tribulations is easy for the Almighty God. You can see that in a couple of months’ time this virus changed the situation in the world.
Of course, we could discuss separately about whether this virus was made by human beings or not. If human beings have made it, it is obvious that there couldn’t be any oppression higher than this against the world and all of humankind. If people made this and have lost control of it, this is again a sign of human beings’ weakness in managing themselves. If this was made by human beings, and for example, they wanted to murder elderly people on purpose to benefit large insurance companies, cartels, trusts and capitalism, this is still an all-inclusive oppression. If it was made by people, any way we look at it, whether this was a plan for some countries and they have lost control of it or this was their intention, this can be considered as one example of the oppression, which becomes all-inclusive in the world before the Reappearance. If it wasn’t made by human beings and it has happened naturally, although studies show this is unlikely, it again shows that human beings do not have the necessary knowledge and are ignorant.

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Is God fearful?
The sharp answer from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (‘a), to a young man who said he was afraid of God!

Repent like the People of the Book did!

This verse was revealed, “The Prophet has a greater right on the believers than their own selves.” The Prophet (s) is the owner of the people. He is the owner of people’s property. He has a greater right than their own selves. He has a greater right in everything. This verse means that the Prophet (s) has authority over them. “The Prophet has a greater right on the believers than their own selves.” He even has more right than themselves.
The Jewish people of Medina saw Islam and were close to becoming Muslims. They didn’t know what to do with this invitation and this Prophet (s). They asked him, “O Prophet of God (s)! Does this verse mean that you are the owner of whatever we earn?! ‘The Prophet has a greater right on the believers than their own selves.’”
The Prophet of God (s) said, “The meaning of this verse is as you have said, but the verse doesn’t want to say this.” They said, “So what does it want to say?” The Prophet (s) said, “It wants to say that the Prophet has authority over you. Whatever you earn, you go and spend it and live. The Prophet (s) won’t take it from you. But, whenever you couldn’t make it, the Prophet (s) is there for you. You are not without an owner. He will compensate for you.” You are not without an owner! When the Prophet (s) stated this interpretation, all of the pure hearted Jewish people of Medina became Muslims.
Whoever has ruined his life must go to God and repeat these sentences: O God, I have ruined my own life. “I have oppressed myself.” I have hurt myself. I have ruined things. Because I knew that I have an advocate, and that is You. You are the Absolute Power. You were waiting for me to come and tell You of my lapses so that You could compensate. Now I have come to say: O God! I know that You are not my enemy to punish me. You are my God. You are my Guardian.
I have ruined my life. I didn’t listen to You, and I gave the price for it. What should I do now? Shall I go all this way from the beginning?! It is impossible. Is it possible that I return to my teenage years, live again, and come forward?! Even if You make me a teenager now, what is the guarantee that when I go back I will be able to do something? I am still the same person! You compensate for me…
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People should be free to be able to choose religion.


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Many who are familiar with religion say there is politics in religion too. But they do not pay attention to the fact that this is its essence. We can say that all the conflicts were over issues related to politics and power. We need to think carefully about why there were disputes over politics and how this came about. Why is the appointment of a prophet a political matter? When a prophet is appointed, his mission is to guide people. This guiding is not by force. “There is no compulsion in religion.” [Qur’an 2:256] Whoever wants to can come. This guiding should be in a free environment. The Holy Prophet (s) brought the message to the people for whoever likes to come, but first the people should be free. They shouldn’t be oppressed by the ruling powers. The prophet must say, “Let them be free! They may want to choose religion.” So he is forced to fight with the oppressors. He has to prepare a free environment.
A prophet may be able to attract four people in a society ruled by oppressors, but he cannot attract forty people in that society. Oppressed people like Ammar Yasir and his parents believed in the Prophet (s). His parents were killed very cruelly and only Ammar Yasir remained. What do people like Ammar Yasir do? They gather an army to confront the oppressors. Preparing an environment where people can be guided requires fighting, struggling for power and entering politics. Because if you do not enter the field of power and politics, you cannot guide people at all!
“We did not send a Messenger except that he should be obeyed, by the permission of Allah.” [Qur’an 4:64] We did not send a Messenger except to be a commander. [One may ask,] “Why to be a commander? Why don’t you say a prophet? He can tell us his message and go. Then it depends on us whether we want to accept or not.” God replies, “Power relations exist in human societies. And I have instructed the prophets to definitely deliver the message.” They’re preachers and not just news reporters! The Guardian sent by God is the one who makes you free [Rumi’s poem].
He doesn’t want to take people to Heaven by force or to make people Muslims by force! Rather, he wants to make people free so they can choose to be believers. Some people who are infatuated with the western culture foolishly think that the slogan of freedom has come from the west. Freedom is a precondition to religion! People must be free first. Maybe they will want to choose this religion. This was the first point, now the second.
When the Prophet (s) formed a “value system,” this value system disrupted the power structure of the society. If you had a high status in that society, you couldn’t be sure of your position after the formation of the new value system. In that society, this was hard for people like Abu Jahl who were in power. They thought the Prophet would become in charge of the society and they wouldn’t have a share anymore. Because they didn’t have the values that he preached. They became upset. So they formed an army to kill the Prophet (s) in the Battle of Badr.
As soon as the Prophet said he was a prophet, since they were familiar with religion, they understood he would take power. They wouldn’t be in power anymore. They were smart in understanding this. So they started fighting with him immediately. The Bani Rabi’a tribe told the Prophet (s), “O Prophet of God, we’ll help you. Then can we help choose your successor?” He said, “No.” They said, “So we won’t help you.”
So when religion came, it established a value system that some people could not tolerate. The Prophet had been sent to free people and to disrupt power relations. These are two factors that create conflicts. Apart from these two, something else was happening too. He himself wanted to be in charge of the society. Because no one besides the Messenger of God was capable of being the leader and observing people’s freedom at the same time. No one else can do this. Only the pious and the Guardians can. No one can manage the society except people who are extremely pious, because other people will either make mistakes or betray society. Or the people around them will make mistakes or betray society.

The Strategic Role of a Bad Trait

Sometimes there is only one bad trait, but it causes a person to go to Hell. Very simple. It makes a society wretched. This means this evil has a strategic role. Some evils in general have a strategic role. For example, jealousy is strategic.
Amru Aas’s son narrated, “Once, I was sitting in the Mosque. The Prophet of God (s) said, ‘Whoever wants to look at a person that will go to Heaven, look at this old man who will enter now. He will definitely go to Heaven.’”
Amru Aas’s son was a sensitive and astute person. He wondered about him?! He was young. He came to the old man’s house and said, “I have had an argument with my father and don’t have a place. Will you let me stay in your house?” The old man accepted.
He stayed there for three days and watched him day and night. He saw that he was a regular person. He couldn’t find anything special in him! He prayed, slept, ate, worked, etc. He didn’t recite the Qur’an or fast in a special way.
After three days, he told the old man, “I’m sorry. I lied that I said I had an argument with my father. I wanted to watch you closely to see how you are. And I saw that you are a very normal person.” The old man responded, “Was I supposed to be abnormal?” He replied, “The Prophet (s) said that you will go to Heaven. You have something that we don’t.” The old man replied, “That’s very kind of the Prophet to say so. I don’t know.” He asked, “Talk some about your mood and work.”
The old man replied, “I am like ‘this and that.’” Suddenly the old man said, “If God gives a virtue to anybody, it isn’t hard for me.” I say, ‘How nice. Good for him. How beautiful.’” Amru Aas’s son said, “This is what we are unable to tolerate.” I am unable to tolerate for God to give something to someone with no reason. I say, “What about me?!”
Some traits are strategic. Like the trait of jealousy. Actually, what is the first negative trait that is born in a human being? Jealousy starts from the age of three. It bothers the child too. You should have children very close in age, not very close, at least three years between them, so that this child feels jealous, becomes bothered, and learns to pass on it. You vaccinate him or her.
“This is how it is! You have come into this world to pass the test of jealousy. With your small brother or sister, see how it is. Feel what Cain, Talha, Zubayr, Mu’awiah, and Umar Sa’d felt. The story started from here. Fight! Fight with your jealousy my little one.” Let your child practice and you help him or her. This is the way it is. Is it possible for God not to tell us to work on such a strategic trait like jealousy every day? Is it possible?
What part of the Qur’an is obligatory to recite every day? Chapter ‘Hamd.’ “(Lord), guide us to the right path, the path of those to whom You have granted blessings.” (Qur’an 1:6-7) You didn’t feel bad?! God has granted them blessings. What about you? “No, guide me to their path. It’s not a problem that He has granted them blessings. I’m not jealous.” Good job! Good job! “…the path of those to whom You have granted blessings,” means that I’m not jealous. Actually, I’m humble in another way too. Not only I’m not jealous or miserly, but I’m humble in another way too. What is that? “Guide me to their path.”
Jealousy is the basic theme of God’s test about religion. Guardianship shows itself there. One of the miracles of our religion is the religious mourning ceremonies for Aba Abdillah al-Husayn, which work on our most basic, strategic, bad trait. In each meeting, your jealousy towards the “Guardians” will be struck down so that you won’t become like Cain. It brings us out from being like Cain.
When they talk about Abel’s tragedies, your heart softens and warms so that you won’t become Cain. May I be sacrificed for Husayn (‘a) and his children that they were all beaten so much to create this humbleness in us. You will see on the Day of Judgment how much Husayn (‘a) has struggled for us. This was God’s design! This Able (Husayn) that we burn for helps us not to become Cain.
[From the series of speeches under the topic of “Being Independent, Being Passive.” Muharram 2019.]

Interest Seeking under the Cover of Seeking the Right

Some people are with the right as long as the right is in their favour. As soon as the right becomes against them, they become against the right too. Some people work in favour of the right to the extent that they think that the right is coming towards them and is benefiting them. As soon as the right doesn’t benefit them, they lose interest in the truth and move away from it. Their love for the right ends.
You have certainly heard the story of the “oven believer” who insisted for Imam Sadiq (‘a) to rise up. Finally, the Imam told him, “Go in this oven, which is filled with fire.” He replied, “Why should I do that?” The Imam passed on him and told the same thing to another companion who had just shown up, and he went in easily. The first person was worried that the oven was on and was thinking, “What is he doing in the oven now?”
When the Imam saw the discomfort of this person, he said, “Go and see how your friend is doing.” He went forward and saw that he is repeating God’s names in a cool and safe fire, and it hadn’t burned him. The Imam asked, “How many people do we have like this?” The man replied, “No one. It’s just this one person.” The Imam said, “So, it’s not time for my uprising. I have some friends. But, how much can they tolerate the right?”
“God, bestow the tolerance also for the right that You have introduced to us. And, that which we have been negligent about attaining, help us to attain.” (Iftitah Supplication) God, give us the success to act according to and tolerate what You have introduced to us. “And, what we have been negligent about attaining, help us to attain.”
If a person acts according to what he knows, he will attain what he doesn’t know. I think in preparing for the reappearance, it is these kinds of people who become ready for the Imam’s government.
It is unimaginable that the Imam of the Time (‘a.j.) comes and people are in a deep sleep, and they don’t know at all what the right is for them to tolerate it, then all of them become the helpers of the Imam overnight and advance to high levels. Naturally, this won’t happen. Whatever we say in the “Iftitah Supplication”, we have to carry out at this time as much as we can.
[From the series of speeches under the topic of “The Month of Ramadan, the Month of Hope for the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi (‘a.j.).” ‘A Commentary on the Iftitah Invocation.’ An excerpt from the 20th session.]