International Webinar “Imam Hussein (a.s.) Movement, Movement for the Preservation of Human Values”

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Thursday, 19 August 2021

Chairman of the Supreme Council of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, and the head of the International Ashura Foundation said, “Human and moral values are realized by carefully and deeply studying the goals and messages of Ashura and being inspired by the path and character of Imam Hussein (a.s.).”

In the international webinar “Imam Hussein (a.s.) Movement, Movement for the Preservation of Human Values”, which was held participating thinkers from the Arab and Islamic world, referring to a set of goals of the revolution and uprising of Imam Hussein (a.s.), Ayatollah Mohammad Hassan Akhtari stated, “The most obvious of these goals was to confront the oppressive government. Another goal of this uprising has been awakening the oppressed to achieve human justice. This uprising, its goals and message are not limited to time and place for a specific period. Rather, it has sent a message to the world throughout history that humanity, inspired by it, would not accept oppression, corruption and aggression.”

The head of the International Ashura Foundation advised all followers of religions and denominations to make moral and human values – the most obvious of which is the spread of love, honesty and confrontation with arrogance and the fight against poverty and corruption – come true by studying carefully the goals and messages of Ashura and being inspired by the path and character of Imam Hussein (a.s.).

After welcoming the speakers and viewers of this webinar, Sayed Fadi Al-Sayed, the director of the United Ummah Center, emphasized three basic elements on the most obvious human values that Imam Hussein (a.s.) rose up to revive and spread and sacrificed his blood for:

1- Confronting the oppressive and tyrannical ruler, and exposing the anti-Islamic nature of this usurping ruler;

2- Expressing the truths of Islam and the characteristics of the Islamic ruler, who is qualified to lead the Islamic society;

3- Rejecting the idea of surrendering to the status quo, and giving in to force.

“The movement of Imam Hussein (a.s.) has been for all humanity. Just like the mission of his grandfather – Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) – which was for all the worlds. The movement of Imam Hussein (a.s.) is universal and comprehensive, and is not specific to a particular group or religion. All thinkers and scholars, therefore must adjust their human relations to the mission of Imam Hussein (a.s.) so that human society can reach redemption,” he said.

In his speech on the strategic role of Imam Hussein (a.s.) in preserving human values, Hojat al-Islam Sheikh Naeem Qassem, Deputy Secretary General of Lebanese Hezbollah in said, “Imam Hussein’s (a.s.) reformist movement was a manifestation of the all-encompassing system of Muhammadan (p.b.u.h) Islam. Jihad and martyrdom from the Quranic point of view and the hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h), prove that the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (a.s.) is one of the beautiful manifestations of human values. Because it revived the concept of Islam and manifested the concept of jihad and martyrdom.”

“With the sacrifice of Imam Hussein (a.s.) and his companions, he proved that life is full of scenes of jihad and confronting the oppressors. Therefore, with this sacrifice, he established Islam and Velayat and revived the religion of Muhammad (p.b.u.h), and this is a great victory,” he added.

“Martyrdom is not an end in itself, but is in line with jihad. Therefore, Mujahid is ready to sacrifice his life and blood for Islamic values. According to a hadith, “The highest value is to be killed for the path of God. There is no higher value than this.” continued Sheikh Naeem Qassem.

“The concept of jihad and martyrdom from Imam Khomeini’s (r.a.) point of view is in line with the concepts of Islam and Imam Hussein’s (a.s.) movement. Therefore, this concept paved the way for the victory of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, and dismantle the oppressive Shah regime. This concept was also manifested during Saddam’s eight-year imposed war against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” stated Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General in another part of his speech.

“The victories of the Mojahedin and the elements of the Islamic Resistance, defeating the enemy and the liberation of the occupied territories – with no financial and weapon facilities, modeled on Imam Hussein (a.s.) and the leadership of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) – are examples of the manifestation of resistance and jihad,” he stressed, referring to the experience of Lebanese Hezbollah in fighting the occupying Zionist regime.

Regarding the movement of Imam Hussein (a.s.) from the Quranic point of view, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Jafari, an Islamic thinker and former Prime Minister of Iraq, said in this international webinar, “Islam emphasizes Fitra (nature) and there are countless verses in the Quran that God Almighty created man on the basis of divine nature. This nature encourages people to adhere to religious and human principles. Therefore, religiosity and adherence to human and moral values show adherence to the Quran and Islam.”

“The uprising of Imam Hussein (a.s.) is the continuation of the movement of the prophets and messengers of God, all of whom were inspired to spread moral virtues and reform society. To achieve these human-moral goals and reform in the Ummah of his grandfather, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h), Imam Hussein (a.s.) revolted. The revolution of Imam Hussein (a.s.), its values and goals, are for all religions and denominations and all the oppressed of the world who want the realization of dignity, honor and freedom,” He emphasized.

“She said an immortal and human-nurturing phrase in the court of the authoritarian Yazid. “ما رأيتُ إِلّا جميلاً”: (I saw nothing but beauty (in Karbala event)). This shows that this phrase is a manifestation of human expressions in the Quran and Islam, and unity with Imam Hussein (a.s.) and God. This high thinking shows that the uprising and movement of Imam Hussein (a.s.) is in line with its divine goals. It was created to fulfill the divine promises and to establish a glorious and human-nurturing civilization and to establish justice, equality and brotherhood among human beings. Anyone who wants to keep the memory of Imam Hussein (a.s.) alive must have Husseini behavior and character, and defend the oppressed, so that this movement can be achieved with its lofty goals,” he said, referring to the role of Hazrat Zainab (a.s.) and the moral and human values ​​that she showed in her behavior and sermons.

Regarding the concept of the uprising of Imam Hussein (a.s.) and the dimensions of human values ​​and its effects, Sheikh Sarmad Tamimi, advisor to the Mufti of Iraq, emphasized, “The uprising of Imam Hussein (a.s.) was to revive the Islam, and to show the nature of Yazid. Because this tyrannical ruler violated the principles of Islam and questioned the tradition of the Prophet and abolished the rules of Islam.”

“With his uprising, Imam Hussein (a.s.) revived the mission of his grandfather, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h), and introduced the intellectual, moral and human values of Islam to the world. Therefore, expressing obedience and love to him means love for the Prophet, Islam, and human values. All human beings, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, should follow the example of this great figure. We are now witnessing that the followers of different religions and denominations all over the world, are reviving the ceremony of Imam Hussein (a.s.). Imam Hussein (a.s.) is the symbol of human oppression, and his way and uprising is the guide of the oppressed,” the Sunni scholar added.

Regarding the human dimension of the Imam Hussein (a.s.) movement and the comparison of the oppression to Jesus Christ and Imam Hussein (a.s.), Bishop Abdullah Dilo, the head of the Catholics of the West Bank of Palestine, said, “If anyone considers himself a follower of Imam Hussein (a.s.) and Christ (a.s.), he should denounce oppression and the oppressors and rush to the aid of the oppressed. The liberation of Quds is about to happen. Humans must unite with each other so that we can eliminate oppression and establish the truth by following the example of Imam Hussein (a.s.) and Jesus Christ (a.s.).”

On four great lessons of the Ashura movement, Sheikh Maher Hammoud, the head of the World Union of Resistance Scholars in Lebanon, said:

1- Imam Hussein (a.s.) is a universal figure and an eternal role model for humanity throughout history and is not affiliated with a particular group or religion. Because the uprising of Imam Hussein (a.s.) has lessons for all humanity;

2- All Islamic denominations and heavenly religions, as well as the freemen of the world, should follow the path and life of Imam Hussein (a.s.). Love for Imam Hussein (a.s.) and the legitimacy of his uprising are issues on which Sunnis and Shiites agree. But Wahhabism seeks to achieve its political goals by inciting religious sedition and distorting history.

3- From his time to the present century, the revolution of Imam Hussein (a.s.) has been a lesson of life, struggle, self-sacrifice, and resistance against oppression and injustice. These movement and revolution will continue until the end of history, and the name of Imam Hussein and his esteemed family, who sacrificed their lives to defend Islam and Muslims, and human dignity, remains immortal. Because this uprising was to revive the religion and dignity of the Muslims, and we must learn these lessons from this revolution.

4- By sacrificing himself, his family and his companions, Imam Hussein (a.s.) protected Islam from deviation and revived the enjoining good and forbidding wrong. In his speeches and sermons, he stressed the need to elimination of the oppression and aggression. Therefore, humanity should follow the example of this Imam in order to achieve redemption in this world and the hereafter.

Commenting on how to turn the tragedy into an epic, Rev. Abdu Raad, president of the Christian Church in Italy, said, “The commemoration of the event of Karbala and the uprising of Imam Hussein (a.s.) should be a lesson in the life of all religions and denominations.

Regarding the concept of human values of Imam Hussein (a.s.) movement, from the perspective of Quranic verses and lexical principles, Sheikh Tawfiq Alawi, Islamic researcher said, “It is not feasible to retreat from human values. Because by expressing his human principles and values in this uprising, Imam Hussein (a.s.) obliged all of us to believe and adhere to them.”

This researcher called for studying the history of Imam Hussein (a.s.) movement, with knowledge and away from prejudice. He called on all thinkers, scholars and intellectuals to evaluate this movement from a human dimension and to extract the messages of Ashura and learn from it.

At the end of the international webinar Imam Hussein (a.s.) Movement, Movement for the Preservation of Human Values”, Bahraini poet Salman Abdul Hussein recites poems on the Ashura epic that caught the attention of the participants.

Tags

• AhlulBayt (a_s_) World Assembly
• Ashura
• Human Values
• Imam Hussein (a_s_)
• International Webinar
• Movement