On Saturday, March 5, 2022, on the first anniversary of Hojat al-Islam Sayed Moghtada Hosseini Abhari, the specialized conference “The situation of Shia in the West” was held.
In the conference, referring to the importance of immigration in Islam, Dr. Ayat Peyman, Secretary-General of the World Center for Shiite Studies, said, “The issues related to the emigration and the value of the emigrants for the sake of God, who preach the divine mission, are among the divine teachings that the Quran teach us. Immigration is a divine teaching and Quranic advice that is offered to the thinker in order to open new opportunities, horizons, arenas and fields for him, and to provide him with an opportunity to fulfill his divine mission.”
“Hojat al-Islam Sayed Moghtada Hosseini was a researcher, preacher, scholar and thinker, whose life was full of preaching the divine mission. His life and scientific endeavors are in accordance with the values expressed for the missionaries in the Quranic texts and hadith,” he continued.
“Western society is a pluralistic society, composed of different cultures, nationalities, tendencies, tastes, religions and sects. In such a society, the situation is very different for a religious preacher who has religious concerns. In an environment which one faces different cultures and tastes, and many thoughts are interacting and conflicting with each other, there must be many characteristics in a wise and knowledgeable person to be able to function properly there,” added the Secretary-General of the World Center for Shiite Studies.
“Given the conditions prevailing in Europe, he was one of the few figures who was able to establish the correct way of coexistence of religions and sects, and form a stable and constructive basis, and create an opportunity for those who can continue this mission, in a country that has emerged from several different languages and cultures and there are different communities of different religions and sects in its cultural and religious activities,” Hojat al-Islam Peyman stated, referring to the characteristics of the late Hojat al-Islam Haj Sayed Moghtada Hosseini Abhari.
“Establishing a good foundation, such as an Islamic center, that can attract different tastes but at the same time lead them all to the transcendent values of the life-giving Shiite religion and school, requires art insight and delicacy in speech, behavior and interaction. Such a person must be gifted in many good qualities in order to be able to unite Muslims around the life-giving school of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) in such societies, and emerges in the role of a successful educator, a capable teacher, a thoughtful researcher, an influential and successful preacher. The late Hojat al-Islam Haj Sayed Moghtada Hosseini Abhari was successful in all the dimensions and aspects we have mentioned,” he continued.
“Unlike those who today view immigration as a completely negative issue and refer to it in terms such as brain drain, we do not believe such a thing. We know that today in all parts of the world and in different countries and cities of the world, the intellectual bases of the Shiite school, mosques and Islamic centers, departments and chairs of Shiite studies, religious bodies and religious organizations have been established. Today, both in the Western and the Eastern world, the culture and knowledge of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) are taught and promoted. This is due to the immigration jihad, scientific jihad and religious jihad of the figures who were able to base their valuable lives on the Quran. They left precious impressions, laying the foundations for their migration destinations, of which we see many examples in Europe today. These should be considered as divine blessings,” added the Secretary-General of the World Center for Shiite Studies.
“Despite all the new restrictions, bottlenecks and strictures that exist for Shiite thought in some Western governments, today the faithful and believer immigrants who love the AhlulBayt (a.s.), and the defenders of Shiite culture, enlightened the lights everywhere in different cities of the world in the name of AhlulBayt (a.s.). By creating new fields and interacting with academia, churches and talking to thinkers around the world, they explain the true face of Shia. This is a great service, and a legacy left by the emigrants for the sake God, and the missionaries of the divine mission,” Peyman said, referring to the spread of the Shiite school in the world.
“One of those who, according to the hadiths, both during his life and after his demise, left the foundation of goodness, is the late Hojat al-Islam Haj Sayed Moghtada Hosseini Abhari. The deceased will be rewarded for every good deed done in the West in the future until the Day of Judgment. Because the growth of Shiites in a part of Europe was created by him,” he mentioned.
It should be mentioned that the commemoration of late Hojat al-Islam Haj Sayed Moghtada Hosseini Abhari, and the specialized conference “The situation of Shia in the West” was held virtually by the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, the Imam Ali (a.s.) Center of Lugano, and the Office for the Defense of the Rights of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) followers in Switzerland.
University of Religions and Islamic Denominations, Swiss International Association for the Religions Studies, AhlulBayt (a.s.) News Agency - ABNA, Foundation for Iran-Netherlands Friendship and Developing Relations, Islamic and Cultural Foundation of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) Geneva, Europersia University of International Interaction, Secretariat of Iranian Theologians, Coordination of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland (KIOS), Islamic Confederation of Shiites in Italy, Al-Bayan Institution for Connection and Establishing, The World Center for Shiite Studies, AhlulBayt (a.s.) Islamic Cultural Center of Zurich, Imam Ali Cultural Center of Milan, and Scientific Association of Shiite sects, participated in the conference.
