1. Providing worldly and otherworldly bliss
The Quran is the book of human bliss: such bliss which is undoubtedly for this world and the hereafter. The Quran is not only for humans bliss in the hereafter. It ensures ones bliss in this world as well. Worldly bliss means benefiting from divine blessings in this universe. This can be achieved with the Holy Quran. Nations can achieve dignity, welfare, scientific capability, power, unity and solidary with the Quran and by acting on the Quran. They can lead a sweet life with the Quran. All these are worldly affairs. Otherworldly bliss too which is a spiritual, real, perpetual and eternal life will be ensured with the Quran. Therefore, the Quran is the book of worldly and otherworldly bliss provided that we act on it and heed its words of advice.
2. Eliminating internal wars and conflicts among Muslims
The Qari [reciters of Quran] recited a holy verse from Sura al-Fat’h: "Those who are with him are strong against unbelievers, but compassionate amongst each other" [The Holy Quran, 48: 29]. We should be strong against the enemies of religion and against the unbelievers, but we should be kind towards one another. But they [Muslims who drift away from Quran] are doing the opposite. The enemies are waging wars and creating discord among us; they are highlighting the issues of Shia versus Sunni, Arab versus non-Arab, and other such matters. Those rulers who stray away from the Quran, from wisdom, and from reason are deceived by their [the enemies'] game: they give in to them. We are far away from the Holy Quran. The Quran has stated what our duty is; it has described the enemies for us: "Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths. What their hearts conceal is far worse," [The Holy Quran, 3: 118].
These ayahs (verses) were recited today: Quranic ayahs. Their enmity towards Islam and Muslims will not come to an end: "And they ill-treated them for no other reason than that they believed in Allah, Exalted in Power, Worthy of all Praise," [The Holy Quran, 85: 8]. Their enmity is because of our inclination towards Islam. We are far from the Quran. The Islamic Ummah is far away from the Quran.
If we get close to the Quran, we will, undoubtedly, overcome the enemy whoever he is: "If the unbelievers should fight you, they would certainly turn their backs, then would they find neither protector nor helper. Such has been the practice of Allah already in the past. No change will you find in the practice of Allah," [The Holy Quran, 48: 22-23]. This is a divine promise: this is a Quranic promise: "Allah will certainly aid those who aid his cause," [The Holy Quran, 22: 40].
3. Liberating from humiliation by enemies
"And the Quran is an efficient cure." [Wasael al-Shia, Vol. 6, page 191] We (the Ummeh) are plagued with disease. We suffer from a certain illness. For instance, observe the ignorance of leaders of some Islamic countries. You should look at the domination of unbelievers over many Islamic countries. When the U.S. president says, with sheer blatancy, “Without the US, many of these Arab countries cannot protect themselves even for one week,” this is a source of humiliation for Muslims! This is because we are suffering from a grave disease. There is no disease that is worse and more significant than this disease of humiliation (that plagues Muslim societies).
This disease is the cause of humiliation, and it spreads due to avoidance of the Quran. We are out of touch with the cure and treatment: "The Quran is a guard for anyone who relies on it and it is a savior for anyone who follows it.” [Jame al-Akhbar, Vol.1, page 432]—This is the truth: this is the Quran. We need the Quran, today, in our personal lives, in our social lives, in our politics, and to guide us in our governmental procedures and methods.
4. Standing up against arrogant powers’ bullying
The Quran teaches us valuable lessons, just like the ayahs which were recited here: "Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and those who are with him are strong against unbelievers, but compassionate amongst each other. You will see them bow and prostrate themselves in prayer, seeking grace from Allah and His Good Pleasure. On their faces are their marks, being the traces of their prostration." [The Holy Quran, 48: 29] This ayah describes the characteristics of believers: the Quran asks of us to be like the believers.
The first characteristic (we must come to understand) is being "strong against unbelievers.” The first characteristic is standing up to these unbelievers. Muslims should avoid being like soft ramparts which are penetrable. They should stand up against unbelievers like a firmly built dam. They should stand up against the bullying of the US officials and other thugs around the world. If they do not observe this characteristic, if they do not pay attention to these borderlines, they will be humiliated; and they will suffer from corruption and backwardness. In the present time, this (issue of ignorance and corruption in some Islamic countries) has, unfortunately, occurred.
5. Granting an Islamic identity to the Islamic Ummah
Due to lack of a single identity inside Islamic societies, there exist conflicts, wars, hatred and lack of understanding. Today, the world of evil is after destroying and annihilating this identity. They want to destroy everything that has remained from this identity in every part of the world.
This is an Islamic principle: "Whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things." This is a truth. If we understand this truth correctly, if we are committed to it, if we pursue it and if we turn it into a public reality in the Islamic community and the Islamic Ummah, notice what a great transformation will take place! Notice what a great transformation this single truth – and there are hundreds of such truths in the Quran – will bring about in the world. If we understand, believe in and promote this very issue and concept, notice what will happen!
6. Overcoming the conspiracy of making the Ummah forget about the oppressed
The tyrannical powers in the world are afraid of Islam. They are afraid of the one and a half billion community of Muslims. This is why they are doing their best – in different ways – to take away power from the Muslim community. They know that Islam is opposed to their greedy intentions. If the voice of Islam is raised, then it will not be possible anymore to oppress nations like this. They are muffling the voice of Islam so that they can consign to oblivion the issues of underprivileged nations in the world, the issue of Palestine and the issue of occupying an Islamic country. This is their goal. If we rely on the Holy Quran and on Quranic guidance, we will be able to overcome these plots. If we continue this jihad, victory will surely belong to us. We should get attached to the Holy Quran. The world of Islam needs to get attached to the rope that Allah stretches out. It should strengthen itself and guarantee its resistance. Today, this is what the world of Islam needs.
7. Absorbing hearts from around the world that suffer from identity void
The world needs the Holy Quran whether it accepts and acknowledges it or not. Today, the world suffers from a void of identity, ideology and faith. A faithless individual is like an empty fruit. This is the reason why you see that the rate of murder and crime is increasing in western countries on a daily basis. This is one of the reasons. When you see that the rate of suicide is increasing, this is one of the reasons.
Humanity no longer has any food to satiate the minds, hearts and souls of individuals. Of course, they fabricate certain things, but this is not accepted by the hearts of peoples. However, the Holy Quran can do so. If only one drop of the Holy Quran – not the entire Holy Quran, only one drop of it – is sent to people with a proper language, then hearts will be attracted to it. We ourselves are experiencing and witnessing this today. Today, humanity needs the Holy Quran.
8. Liberating the World of Islam from the imposition of poverty, weakness, and wars
We should not allow ignorance [jahiliyah] to impose itself on our societies and our lives, as it has done so in the present time. Today, the world of Islam is suffering in the claws of jahili systems. The world of Islam feels a pain. Today, the world of Islam is suffering from weakness, poverty, discord and domestic wars. Today, it is using its great resources and forces against itself. This has been imposed on the world of Islam. The Holy Quran wants to liberate us from the pressure of these impositions. We should reach that point. We should learn the Holy Quran and establish a close relationship with and submit to it. We should show determination in order to move towards Quranic goals. If we do so, then we can reach that point. If we take one step forward, Allah the Exalted will give us great power. This is what Muslim peoples should understand today. They should understand it. We should take one step forward and experience this.
9. Preventing betrayal of Islamic Ummah through allying with enemies
From the viewpoint of Islam, following and accepting the wilayat of the enemies of religion and arrogant powers are among the things that believers should avoid: "Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who reject faith fight in the cause of taghut" [The Holy Quran, 4: 76]. If you move on the path of taghut in the name of Islam, you should know that this kind of Islam is fake, that it is not real and that there is a problem. Today, the situation is like this.
Of course, we can see the enemy's hand. We should understand that the evil hand of the intelligence services of the enemies of Islam, play a definite role - either directly or indirectly - in creating these events and uproars for Muslims. As we can see, it is they who are directing the scene. And the signs and reasons for this are clear. If the Islamic Ummah becomes close to Quranic concepts and if it gains a deeper familiarity with it, such events occur less. The relationship of hearts with God and their connection to Him prevents them from betraying the path of God. I hope that this will happen.
10. Increasing influence and the power to resist enemies’ pressures
The closer we get to the Quran, two things are likelier to happen: One is that we become stronger; and second is that when our international enemies mobilize against us, we won’t care. The more we walk toward the Quran, the angrier will the enemies of mankind get and they start lying, spreading rumors, exerting economic pressure and political pressure, and they conduct whatever vicious and evil act they can against our nation—just as you can see they are doing so—however, our power, our power of resistance, our influence will also increase day after day. They will intensify, just as you see it has intensified.
July 15, 2010
11. Protecting national unity from personal interests
All these verses from the Quran that we recite, we repeat for each other, well, we should make our hearts be influenced by the concepts of these verses. For instance, the verse “Hold fast together to the rope of Allah;” [3:103] is a Quranic teaching we have repeatedly recited. Once this noble Quranic verse is revealed to our hearts as a divine intuition, once it is absorbed by our heart and our heart inclines to it, and our heart and soul take the form of it, then the issue of unity will become a fundamental one for us and we will not disrupt massive national unities for the sake of our personal and selfish desires. That is how the effect of the Quranic verse would appear.
August 22, 2009
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