סרטונים אחרונים
Ali Reza Panahian’s Speech broadcast on Eid al-Ghadir in the UK | August 2020
Topic: “Guardianship: The only way to save human society”
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We are not alone.
We are not alone. There is God. God loves us. This feeling that you are alone is a false feeling. The first factor, which causes a person to constantly forget God’s Kindness, is the feeling of loneliness in making decisions, and the situation that God has brought for him. Why don’t we believe in God’s Kindness? Why do we gradually forget and become suspicious? Because of the environment of testing in our lives, we human beings feel lonely. We feel that God is not close. He doesn’t answer us quickly. So, we feel alone.
God told Adam, “Don’t touch the forbidden tree. You can touch the rest.” God was silent a little to see what he will do. He left Adam alone. Satan used Adam’s loneliness, because he knew that Adam was being tested. As soon as Adam was alone, Satan said, “Adam, shall I direct you to the ‘Tree of Eternity’ and a kingdom which never decays?” (Qur’an 20:120) Adam forgot God and His Kindness for a moment. Pay attention. He thought he was alone. “Adam disobeyed his Lord.” (Qur’an 20:121) He forgot God and thought he was alone. From this feeling of loneliness, we get to the point that we feel no one loves us. “I’m with you 24 hours a day.” “Where are You God?” He replies, “I’m standing back a little to see how you pass your life tests.”
Why do we forget God’s Kindness? Because, God leaves us alone in the testing field to see what we will do. We think we’re alone and ruin it. We think we’ve lost our Patron and ruin it. Why don’t we rely on His Kindness? Why do we forget His Kindness? Because, God has put us in a situation, which makes us believe that we are alone. Are we really alone? Has God abandoned us? We should realize that in this being alone we are never alone. Never. God supports and guides us. God won’t stop His Kindness.
We believe in an unkind God. We say, “No, He’s not that kind! Actually, He’s waiting for me to make a mistake to punish me!” We’re not alone. There’s God. God loves us. This feeling that you are alone is a false feeling. This is the feeling that Hazrat Adam (‘a) had, and Satan dragged him to the forbidden tree. We should never go towards the forbidden tree because of feeling alone. God is very kind. Disobeying this kind God is very, very bad. Very bad. Very. Why do we forget His Kindness? Because, God has put us in a situation, which induces us to think that we are alone. Are we really alone? Has God abandoned us?
We should realize that in being alone, we are never alone. Never. God supports us. We’re not alone. There’s God.
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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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Have you heard this?
«إِلَهِی هَبْ لِی کَمَالَ الانْقِطَاعِ إِلَیْکَ»
“God, grant me complete disconnection in coming toward you.” (Shabaniah Supplication)
How does this complete disconnection come about? This is truly amazing. Some things should happen in our mind. What happens in our mind is the greatest action we take in life. [Imam Sadiq (as) said,] «إذا أرادَ أحدُکُم أن لا یَسألَ رَبَّهُ شیئا» “When one wants to ask for something from God” - you want to ask for something from God and you want Him to definitely grant it to you - «فَلْیَیأسْ مِن النّاسِ کُلِّهِم» “be disappointed in everyone,” «و لا یکونُ لَهُ رجاءٌ إلاّ عندَ اللّه»”and do not have hope in anyone but God.”
No one can be effective in our lives [except God]. No one can. When we are a little ill or have a slight problem, we first list everything [that can help us]. Become disappointed from everyone. «یَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّی أَقْدِرُ عَلی أَنْ أُعْطِیَهُمْ ما یَسْأَلُونِی» “When praying they should have this in mind that I [God] have the power to answer them.” This is the condition for prayers to be accepted.
This means our only thought should be that God can. God can. Power is in His hands and no one else is able to do anything. When we are a little ill or have a slight problem, we first list everything [that can help us]. If we pay attention to God from the beginning like someone who is ill and doesn’t have anyone except God, the situation may change a lot.
Sometimes this disconnection happens in a person’s mind for a moment. Friends, how does the Almighty God bring a person close to Himself? I want to say something scary. If we don’t achieve disconnection through practice, paying attention and thinking, we will gain this complete disconnection with great difficulties, because God has said, “I swear by My dignity and glory that I cut off the hope of My servant from everyone [except Me].”
In the beginning of the Abu Hamza Thumali Supplication, it is said, «إلهی لا تُؤدِّبنِی بِعُقُوبَتِکْ» “O my Lord, do not discipline me with Your punishment.” I have come myself. Don’t punish me. There are many intermediaries, but I have disconnected myself from them.
God says, «وَإِذا سَأَلَکَ عِبادی عَنّی فَإِنّی قَریبٌ»“And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near.” [Qur’an 2:186] «یَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّی أَقْدِرُ عَلی أَنْ أُعْطِیَهُمْ ما یَسْأَلُونِی»“When praying they should have this in mind that I [God] have the power to answer them.”
One who feels profoundly safe feels good.
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We want to be very calm and attain the best good mood. If a person is very good and experiences this good mood at times, he will feel like he’s flying in the skies when asleep or awake! Having a profoundly good mood is very enjoyable. It is not easy to gain a profoundly good mood.
If you attain a profoundly good mood, one part of it is feeling a tremendous safety. Where can one find a tremendous safety? From God Himself. This is the origin of faith. Do you feel safe due to God’s existence? We have to get to a point where even if we see or hear about bad events to come in the future and even if we are informed about our own death, we trust in God so much and have calmness to such an extent that we don’t feel bad. “In times of hardship and ease, they [pious people] feel the same.” [Nahj al-Balaghah, sermon no. 193]
They don’t feel bad in hardships. In the same way that one feels good when at ease, pious people don’t feel bad in hardships. If one wants to gain this much faith, surety, and good mood, then along with faith, he needs to have good actions too. He should act upon his faith. He should increase his faith. He should work on his faith. He should make great sacrifices for his faith. He must put effort into it. What have you done for your faith?
Faith is not an event. It’s a path. One should move on the path of faith. Faith is a seedling, which should grow and give fruit. One must irrigate faith. If you strengthen your faith, you will reach to a point where you will gain so much calmness that if you are aware of future hardships, you won’t feel bad. Your calmness won’t be due to not being aware of the time of your death and upcoming events. We should work on our faith and make it grow. When does our faith grow? In hardships. Where does our faith grow? When facing God’s difficult commands. Where does our faith grow? When facing God’s commands, which you feel are against you. But then you think and realize that this is your duty. When you act upon it, your faith will increase.
When your faith increases, in fact your feelings of safety will increase too. Then a person will gain a very profound feeling of safety. One who feels profoundly safe feels good. If a person does not practice his religion, act upon it, sacrifice for it, and increase his faith, he will not experience the highest calmness. If a person is very good and experiences this good mood at times, he will feel like he’s flying in the skies when asleep or awake! Having a profoundly good mood is very enjoyable. It is not easy to gain a profoundly good mood.
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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?”]
panahian.net
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.
