In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
They organize commemoration congresses for martyrs in many cities and provinces of the country. Both you and I are aware of these commemoration congresses, but you have done an innovative task by holding a commemoration congress for disabled war veterans. This is a very good action. Some of the soldiers who engaged in jihad became disabled and some endured many problems. Many of these personalities do not receive due attention from society. The self-sacrifice that these soldiers have shown is not different from that of martyrs. Both of them went to the frontlines, but the mortar shells that were dropped hit only one of them. This is their difference.
Of course, martyrs receive special kindness from God. This kindness has not been given to those who have not been martyred yet, but they might be martyred later on thanks to their efforts. There were certain disabled war veterans of the Sacred Defense Era who were martyred later on as a result of the side effects. However, being a war veteran is a value in itself. Therefore, we should hold this value in high regard.
If a society and country are devoid of the spirit of being prepared to stand up against evil and to show resistance on the path of the truth, that society will be ruined. Being ruined does not mean that it will be completely eradicated, rather it means that it will lose its honor, dignity, independence and reliance on its willpower and that it will be others who will rule over its fate. Such societies and countries will either suffer from domestic dictatorship or foreign interference. This spirit of resistance and steadfastness is very important and our war veterans showed this spirit.
However, my advice is that they should preserve that spirit because it is a divine provision and it will be a pity if they lose it. Some individuals were fairly young during the Sacred Defense Era. They were enthusiastic and dynamic and they moved forward in certain arenas, but later on, various attractions swayed them here and there. This is a pity. This is really losing a true value and a provision. It is losing a treasure. If Allah the Exalted helps someone carry out a good and great feat, they should always be thankful to Him. And being thankful shows itself by continuing this path because without it, it is not possible to be thankful.
Therefore, we respect the dear war veterans who made many endeavors during the Sacred Defense Era and we hold them in high regard, but we also advise them to do their best to preserve that spirit. They should preserve the spirit of defending the truth, of fighting in the way of God and of laying down their lives and forgetting about life opportunities in order to safeguard the path of the truth. I hope that Allah the Exalted will shower His blessings on your people, God willing.
What you said is completely correct. All of Khomeinishahr is a Hussainiyah. In one sense, all of Isfahan is like this. Once – long ago – I went on a trip to Isfahan. It was not Muharram at that time. I saw that some small caravanserais were holding a rowza ceremony in the bazaar. This was common practice in Mashhad. In the month of Muharram, they would hold rowza ceremonies in the caravanserais that were situated inside the bazaar, but this would normally happen in the month of Muharram. In Isfahan, I saw this in another month. So, I was surprised. There were several of them. I asked my friend, who was accompanying me, what those ceremonies were about. He said, “Here, it is always like this. The people hold rowzas starting from the month of Ramadan to the month of Muharram and even after that.”
This is how things are in Isfahan. The people of Isfahan are extraordinarily and strikingly interested in the principles of sharia, in the Holy Prophet’s household, in Ashura and in other such issues. Well, Khomeinishahr is unique in this regard and we have seen this in some other cities of Isfahan as well. Because I have visited some of the cities of that province up close, I have seen that the people there are really interested in such matters.
I hope that God will bestow his blessings on you on a daily basis and I hope that He will help all of us continue our movement on the path of martyrs and disabled war veterans, God willing.
Greetings be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings