On Tuesday, February 23, 2021, the Secretary General of AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly Ayatollah Reza Ramazani, who has traveled to Syria, met Dr. Mohammad Abd al-Sattar al-Sayed, the Minister of Endowments of the Syrian Arab Republic.
“The people and the President of Syria, Mr. Bashar al-Assad, were able to stand up and give the word resistance a real meaning. Iran also considers itself a friend and brother of Syria and supports their resistance,” said the Secretary General of the Assembly in the meeting, appreciating the Syrian people and government for resisting the Takfiri terrorists.
“Our Islam is a compassionate Islam; But compassionate Islam alone is not enough, and resistance must be placed alongside compassion,” he said, “The Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) is “رحمة للعالمین” (mercy for the worlds), but mercy is only one dimension of Islam and one of its other dimensions is resistance.”
“Unfortunately, some new religious currents, with extremism in religion and under names such as “ISIL”, opposed the true Islam. In the name of Islam, they actually strengthened Zionism. To confront these currents, we must be united. By strengthening compassionate Islam alongside the resistance, we must increase the power of Muslims in the fields of science, technology, and even the military to increase the power of Muslims in the face of enemies. Because, if the Muslims do not have access to sufficient knowledge and acceptable military power in the way of resistance, the enemies of Islam will estimate the axis of resistance as weak and destroy it,” Ayatollah Ramazani continued.
“Praise be to God; we have achieved many successes in the fields of science and technology. In recent months, a major medical breakthrough has been unveiled: producing the Iranian Quid-19 vaccine, which is comparable with English and French ones. Access to this advanced vaccine by Iranian scientists is an example of strengthening the scientific and medical strength of the Axis of Resistance,” he said, referring to Iran’s scientific advances in various fields after the victory of the Islamic Revolution.
“Supplications in the Sahifa Sajjadiya are not just for Shiites or even Muslims. Rather, all of humanity can benefit from it,” referring to the holding of the Sahifa Sajjadiya Conference in Syria, the Secretary General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly also expressed the great importance of this legacy of Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein al-Sajjad (a.s.) and the precious aspects of the supplications of this valuable book.
“Anne-Marie Schimmel, a German scientist, and philosopher who knew several languages, did not stop translating Sahifa Sajjadiya into German, even beside the illness bed of her mother. This translation is now available in German and has been well received by non-Muslims in that country and European continent,” said the former president of the European Union of Shiite Scholars and Theologians, as an example of the book’s impact on Western thinkers.
“The prayers of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) also include the whole of humanity - Muslims and non-Muslims. For example, when they say in the prayer of the holy month of Ramadan, “اللهم أغنِ کلّ فقیر؛ اللهم أشبع کلّ جائع؛ اللهم اشف کلّ مریض” (O God! Make every poor person needless, O God! Satisfy all the hungry, O God! Heal all the sick) they do not set a limit between humanity. Therefore, we must also spread these universal moral teachings well among all the worlds so that they too may enjoy this divine blessing,” Ayatollah Ramazani added.
“We were informed that you are also a pure descendant of Imam Sajjad (a.s.). I congratulate you on belonging to the generation of AhlulBayt (a.s.),” noted the Secretary General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly, referring to the lineage of the Syrian Minister of Endowments.
I completely agree with your deep, precise, and meaningful statements: Syrian Minister of Endowments
“It is my honor to be from the pure generation of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) and his holy family (AhlulBayt),” stated Dr. Sheikh Mohammad Abd al-Sattar al-Sayed in the meeting, while welcoming the Secretary General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly and the accompanying delegation.
“Last year, we managed to hold the “Sahifa Sajjadiya Conference” in our country, and this was due to the importance of the prayers in this book,” said the Minister of Endowments of the Syrian Arab Republic.
“I completely agree with your deep, precise, and meaningful statements and I emphasize that the prayers of Sahifa Sajjadiya have no religious boundaries and belong to the whole of humanity. This book has no specific time, place, or boundaries to use,” he added.
“If we did not have Nahj al-Balaghah and Sahifa Sajjadiya, we would not be able to achieve our current position in Islamic sciences and knowledge, including prayers,’ continued the Sunni scholar.
“Such concepts should be spread in the face of the actions of the enemies of Islam, who try to ignore Islamic virtues and morals and accuse Muslims of terrorism and violence,” said Mohammad Abd al-Sattar al-Sayed, referring to Islamophobic propaganda in the world.
“Dear Ayatollah Ramazani! your words made our hearts happy,” stated the Minister of Endowments of the Syrian Arab Republic, confirming the words of the Secretary General of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly that “compassion and resistance in Islam should be together”.
Ignoring the resistance in Islam is a thoroughly incomplete and unacceptable interpretation of compassionate Islam. As the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h) by going to the She’b (Valley) of Abi Talib (during the boycott of Quraysh against Bani Hashem, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and his followers) and also migrating from Mecca to Medina, introduced the true meaning of resistance in Islam.
“Today, we are witnessing the normalization of relations between some Arab countries and the Zionist regime; their argument is that “we have a religion of mercy so we should coexist in brotherhood with the followers of other religions - such as Jews!” This argument is completely wrong and rejected,” added the Sunni writer and commentator.
“First, God explicitly identifies the Jews as the enemies of Islam; Secondly, did they accept the Prophet (p.b.u.h) and you as brothers, that you, the leaders of the Arab countries, accepted the Zionists as brothers? Or do they still call Muslims terrorists?!” the Syrian minister clarified.
“How can we consider the Jews, who have distorted the religion of God, as our brothers?! How can the Zionists who take Palestine and Al-Aqsa Mosque from Muslims and propagate distorted Judaism be considered brothers and how we can have a normal relationship with them?!” Mohammad Abd al-Sattar al-Sayed asked.
“The meaning of resistance must be known. The truth of the resistance of the prophets against the arrogant of time makes us have this resistance against the arrogant today,” he said, reiterating that mercy and compassion must be together with resistance.
“Praise be to God, since the time of Imam Khomeini (may God have mercy on him) until today and under the wise leadership of Imam Khamenei, the progress of the Islamic Republic of Iran is a source of pride for Muslims and the Axis of Resistance,” he said, referring to another part of Ayatollah Ramazani’s speech, and considered the strengthening of the scientific and military strength of Muslims to be very effective in strengthening the resistance front.
“Today, the scientific and military powers of the Islamic Republic of Iran have prevented anyone like Saddam from invading this country. Iran has reached acceptable military power; As in other areas, we see these developments,” continued Mohammad Abd al-Sattar al-Sayed.
“We hope that Iran’s scientific experiences will be transferred to us as well”, Minister of Endowments of the Syrian Arab Republic concluded, “We hope that the fraternal relations between Iran and Syria will be further strengthened more than ever. The reason for unity and brotherhood between us is the Quran and the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h).”