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.]

I want to worship God…

I want to invite you to start a campaign together. A campaign for this good event. Let’s declare this good event with a loud voice. Let’s announce that we are a part of this good event and group. What is this good event?
Let’s create a universal campaign. Let’s make various kinds of hashtags in the social media, create a stir, and then live with it. Let’s make a sect. A sect that saves. A sect of people who like to adhere to God’s commands. They see this to be one of their needs. Different sects exist in the world. Some people like to walk like a dog, while a woman is holding their leash. Or, a man is holding the leash of a woman. Some have raised up the flag of disobedience toward any religion, culture or anything that human beings usually consider to be good. They suddenly rebel, a rebellion against culture and traditions. They advocate rebelling against conscientiousness and moralities.
Why don’t you advocate obeying God? If your internal nature and this feeling has awakened within you, call out and say, “O lustful people who are inclined toward carnal desires, I am announcing my own tendency. This is how I am! I too am answering to an inner tendency! I love to worship and obey Him.” See what will happen in the world.
If this nature and feeling has awakened within you, call out. I love to worship Him! Those who travel a distance of 100 years in just one night and are changed in a moment, suddenly this feeling awakens within them, “I love to worship You. You command me and will I say yes to You. Now, what is Your command for me?”
Due to His kindness and beneficence, God has not left this natural need of His servants without an answer. He has commanded them. “God, what should I do in the first hour of the morning?” “Pray a two-cycle prayer.” “How should I pray?” “Make the minor ablution and pray in this way.” “Then what should I do?” “Repeat My names.” “Then what should I do?” “No other commands.” “God, I’ll become wretched (without Your commands)!” “Go after your livelihood.” This person cannot live without God’s commands for even a moment.
When the background exists in a person, he/she will sense this feeling within that, “God, I want to worship You. And worshiping You is through obeying You!” Friends, will you come for us to join this flow? Will you help to create a movement? Will you help to create a sect and a religion?! This religion and sect already exist! This is what the Qur’an says! In the first verses of the chapter “The Cow,” “O people, serve your Lord Who created you.” [Qur’an 2:21] This means that since He has created you, this feeling is in you. It means if your innate nature is awakened, as soon as you realize Who has created you, you will see that you like to be His servant!
We should start a movement in the culture of today’s people. We should say something loudly for humankind. What is that? We want to obey God. We don’t want to only believe in Him. We don’t want to go to Him only when we need Him to ask for His help. We want to say “alright” to Him. We want His commands. This is part of a human being’s nature.
We want to start a movement and turn it into a culture! We are God’s worshipers. We are those who are obedient to God. I want to worship God! I want to obey Him.

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Double their power by remembering the Yemeni believers on the 15th of Sha'ban.

The Yemeni people are closest to the point of the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi (aj).

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#SaveOppressedYemen

Some people don’t even bat an eye!


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The first, most common, important, influential, valuable, effective psychological effect of the verses of the Qur’an is the induction of God's greatness in the heart of His servant. What will be the result of this? The result is one feeling small and humble, and one becoming crushed before the greatness of God. From then on, pleasure, enlightenment, mercy, kindness and everything good can be tasted. If someone reads the Qur'an like this, he won’t abandon the Qur'an anymore and will become fond of it. Try it.
The first of God’s attributes that you must pay attention to in order for your soul to become corrected, and so that light, mercy and the doors to all beauties will be opened to you, is God’s greatness. Do you know what the result of this will be? When you recite the Qur'an, it is as if you are attending a workshop that inspires God’s greatness in your soul!
This is not like listening to a speech, which is about exercising and the human anatomy for instance. They say, “This is an arm muscle. Repeating this move 20 times brings about these changes.” But you have not exercised. But if you actually go to a gym, you will start exercising, sweating and strengthening your muscles. When you recite the Qur’an, it is as if you have gone to a gym and are practicing with God’s attribute of greatness. This is very surprising and important! This is the first action that helps build up the human soul. If this is true, it’s very important. It’s a key point.
The first feeling that one must find with respect to God is feeling humble and small before God. [You say,] “I’m your little one.” After saying this, you start loving God too. Let’s not run before we can walk! We cannot love God unless we become small before Him. We must first become small before Him. We should pay attention to the Qur’an. You prostrate before God [when praying]. Have you noticed this? Have you noticed that you bow down? Have you noticed that you put your face on the dust? Why don’t you bat an eye at this?
What I am talking about has been mentioned in the Qur’an too. “Had We sent down this Qur’an on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of its fear of Allah.” [Qur’an 59:21] What is meant by “falling down, splitting asunder” is that it would have become small and crushed.
Have you seen how when some people are arguing they say, “You’re nothing to me”? This means you’re very small. “Splitting asunder” means it becomes small and crushed. O God, crush us. And who can understand the pleasure of becoming crushed by reciting the verses of the Qur'an? The way to become fond of the Qur’an is to become crushed with it. But sometimes we don’t even bat an eye. An example is when a person is cursed but doesn’t even bat an eye. The Qur’an is crushing you. Be affected by it and see how enjoyable it is.
Write this phrase I’m saying a hundred times tonight! Become crushed with the verses of the Qur’an and see how enjoyable it is. You don’t need to write it more than a hundred times! We will remember it. Become crushed with the verses of the Qur’an and see how enjoyable it is. This does not need much spiritual wayfaring. You will become fond of the Qur’an.

#AliRezaPanahian

The Taste of Getting Close

A person should taste and savour getting close to God! The time of the Month of Ramadan is an opportunity for getting close to God. Living while being close to God is a different life. After getting close to God, a person lives differently. He’ll lose his own self.
It is as if a person decides to rise up, just like that. Gravity is constantly pulling! But, he is constantly overcoming it and going up. Getting close to God is a special environment and place, and it creates a sensation. There is a difference between a person who is close to God and one who isn’t! He is God. It’s no joke!
If your repentance is accepted, you’ll get close. If you have the intention to do your deeds because of God, you’ll get close to Him. If you are careful not to displease Him, you’ll get close to Him. If you get upset because you have displeased Him and become separated from Him in a moment of neglect, you’ll get close to Him.
And, you yourself will understand that you have become close! I don’t want to say something unreal. I want to say that the soldiers understood this during the wartime. I saw that soldiers understood this. This was their game, entertainment and avocation. They were very busy getting close to God. They were careful not to move away from God. They recited God’s Names to reach that joy, which they had experienced at the peak of being close to God.
We SHOULD experience it! We SHOULD experience getting close to God! We SHOULD see its effects on our soul, body, and all of our movements! We should see that our prayer has changed! We will cry to God so much and beg Him to experience it.
We SHOULD get close! There is no other way. Should I postpone getting close? Now that I’m a better person, I don’t get close to Him. Later when I have become a worse person and moved away, I want to get close? This is not something to put for later.
God has provided an area for us to do trade. He says, “Do all of your deeds because of Me. I’ll buy them from you. I’ll bring you close to Myself.” A person would have to be like an animal to say no to God!
“God, I’m not in the mood now. I want to sleep.” God says, “Sleep because of Me.” We don’t listen to Him in the other 11 months. Then, the Almighty God says, “I’ll force you to taste this experience (during this month).” So, what does He do?
The Month of Ramadan. You get sleepy and hungry. God says, “This servant’s sleep is bringing him close to Me.” After you wake up, you have a good spiritual frame of mind. When you wake up at other times, you’re lethargic, and you see that you have become distanced. Breathing is like repeating His Names (in this month).
Your mouth smells bad since you’re fasting because of God. God says, “Your mouth smells bad because of Me.” “God! I didn’t do this by my own will. It smells bad itself.” “That’s fine. It smells bad because of Me. You fasted because of Me. This is the best perfume.” And, you see that the bad smell of your mouth has made you close to God and luminous. What should He do with you? How should He hug you tightly by force?
Ramadan is an opportunity for getting close to God. What an opportunity!

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