Cultural exchange among the fruits of holding conference of AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly: Director of Sayedah Zaynab Institute (a.s.)

News News of the Seventh Summit of the General Assembly Interview with the participant of the Seventh Summit

Monday, 17 October 2022

University professor and director of Sayedah Zaynab (a.s.) Institute in Syria considered the holding of the 7^th General Assembly of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly as a good opportunity to get to know the elites of the Islamic world and cultural exchange.

Dr. Ruqayyah Shebli Kermanshahi is a university professor and director of Sayedah Zaynab (a.s.) Institute in Syria. She is engaged in various religious and social activities in this institution and uses the cyberspace to propagate and promote Islamic knowledge and useful information.

She was one of the participants in the 7^th General Assembly of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, which was held in Tehran in September 2022. She considers the holding of this conference as a good opportunity to get to know the elites of the Islamic world and cultural exchange.

On the sidelines of the conference, ABNA News Agency interviewed this preacher and educated lady.

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By: Wajihe Sadat Hosseini

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ABNA: At first, please explain about your activities in Sayedah Zaynab (a.s.) Institute in Syria.

Sayedah Zaynab (a.s.) Institute is dedicated to supporting orphans and empowering women heads of households. In this institution, we perform various activities including providing scientific services to mothers of the orphans. Also, for women who want to continue their education, even if it is too late in terms of age or time, we organize university entrance preparation courses.

We also organize cultural courses focusing on Quranic studies, Fiqh and science courses for women. In addition, we organize cultural courses to improve the scientific level of girls in the society. Especially now that all kinds of corruption have taken over the society, we consider it our duty to hold courses for young girls on the topics of Muslim women’s ethics according to God’s introduction in the Quran, and simple educational programs centered on Islamic culture.

ABNA: For your part, how do you use cyberspace to promote the AhlulBayt (a.s.) culture and communicate with other educated women of the Islamic world?

According to the experiences at Sayedah Zaynab (a.s.) Institute, we use the cyberspace to promote a lot of useful information and Islamic culture, and we convey this information to every listener through virtual and electronic pages.

With the help of experts, we teach mothers and girls the correct behaviors in cyberspace and internet pages. Also using his way, experts answer the questions and messages of mothers and girls and guide them.

This idea works very well with the technique we use, and it helps women to tell us their problems and we provide the solution with the cooperation of psychological, educational and Islamic experts, so that they can overcome their problems and choose the right path for their lives.

Fortunately, we also have good relations online with women from other countries, and if it wasn’t for these relations, I wouldn’t be able to participate in this conference. By communicating with educated and cultured women form all Islamic countries, we are trying hard to be able to get out of the siege in which Syria is suffering.

ABNA: What are the consequences of the Syrian war, and what measures are social activists taking to revive the country and help the people?

The world war against Syria inflicted many damages on our country. Among these damages is weakening the cultural and economic activities of Syria. In fact, many developments and changes took place in all aspects of the human life of the Syrian people.

But today, our male and female Mujahids are trying to hold the hands of the mothers of this land, especially the women without a supporter and the wives of the martyrs. We help them to build their lives, so that we can all get through this difficult phase and the calamities that Syria has suffered, and overcome the problems.

Honestly speaking, I should say that all the matters of people’s lives, from food and essential needs to everything else in Syria, have been affected by the all-encompassing and suffocating economic blockade, making life difficult for people.

ABNA: To what extent do you think the roots of the war against Syria were ideological or political, and what were the most important roots and reasons of this unfair war against Syria?

The war against Syria was waged due to the promotion of ISIS and Wahhabi ideas. The groups that welcomed the war were not intellectuals and cultured people. Rather, they were from the ignorant and common people who themselves were destroyed by the Wahhabis and ISIS. The cultured people who were deceived by ISIS were less than ordinary people.

I think that this war was not just ideologically rooted, rather it was waged for the interests of the arrogant enemies. Today, the duty of all educated people, both men and women, is to properly encounter this type of extremist thought. We must disgrace this wrong thought in all circles and gatherings.

ABNA: Currently, the Arab countries are competing to normalize relations with Israel. What is your opinion about this, and what are the consequences of this issue for the Islamic world?

I have always said that normalization of the relations with the Zionist regime is against human nature. Normalization means surrender, submission and bowing to the oppressor. While God Almighty has ordered us to support the oppressed. Supporting the oppressor is against human nature. Therefore, the person who normalizes relations with the Zionist enemy is not human, and obviously, we should shed light on this issue in the society.

We have to explain to the youth and women and different strata of the society what the normalization of relations is, and what will be the result of this normalization. The fact is that anything that is against human nature will not lead to human progress. Rather, it will cause a person to fall to the lowest level. This is the path of the Arab countries that normalized relations with Israel.

It is very clear that the Syrian nation and government have been against the normalization of relations with Israel, they did not surrender to the Zionist enemy, and they did not normalize their relations with this regime. Therefore, this issue was the main and fundamental factor of the war against Syria.

ABNA: What is your opinion about the role of Martyr Soleimani in the developments in Syria and the victory of this country in the fight against terrorist groups? And what was his influence on Syrian young people?

Martyr Soleimani is the master of resistance martyrs. He was the one who thought about nothing in his life but Imam Hussain (a.s.) and martyrdom. He longed for martyrdom, and finally, he was martyred like Hazrat Abu al-Fazl Al-Abbas (a.s.).

Martyr Soleimani did significant work in Syria, and our youth see him as a role model in leadership. My son, who was constantly present in the war, followed Martyr Soleimani as a great commander.

Martyr Soleimani has become a leader and role model for Syrian youth. May God have mercy on him who achieved the wish of martyrdom. Martyrdom is the elevation and exaltation of the human soul, and not everyone deserves to reach this status. Only people who have great character are worthy of martyrdom. This is a success that God gives to whoever He wills and writes martyrdom in his destiny.

ABNA: Please Explain about the Supreme Leader's recent statement about Jihad of Enlightenment and its important role in stating the facts.

The Supreme Leader may God grant him a long life, and may God make us his true followers, pointed out the important issue of jihad of enlightenment. Jihad of Enlightenment is an important issue. It means that we should make do our best to state the truth in the today’s world. Interpretation and expression are the best means to explain the thought that we want to achieve. Therefore, if stating and explaining the facts is considered a form of struggle and jihad, then all of us should strive in this direction in various fields in our era.

Regarding the Syrian war and its following events, I must say that after every war, some events always happen, and various classes of corrupt strata appear. But all in all, the Syrian government can take over the situation and dominate it, and it does this to the best of its ability, and we are also enlightening. Thank God currently the security and peace has prevailed in Syria.

ABNA: How do you evaluate the holding of the 7^th General Assembly of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, and its impact on strengthening relations between educated Shiites from different countries?

Holding the General Assembly of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly is very important. Because it has gathered many groups of intellectuals, scholars and Islamic ulama and provided an opportunity for these groups and people to know each other. I myself met many cultured people from other countries like Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, and I met friends from France, Zimbabwe and England. One of the things that take place in such conferences is cultural exchange. I wish that these conferences will be fruitful and reach their operational results.

ABNA: Thank you for giving us the opportunity to have this conversation despite the busy schedule of the 7th General Assembly of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly.

 

AhlulBayt (a_s_) World Assembly Islam Syria