The Prophet's appointment to prophethood was the pinnacle of God's mercy on humanity.
The appointment to prophethood (Bi’that) is a unique and unparalleled event; indeed, no other event in the history of humankind is as splendid and important than that of “Bi’that”. Bi’that of the prophet revealed the utmost of God’s mercy on mankind and humanity. Sending the prophet on a mission for guiding humankind, to lead humankind to their climax, is God’s biggest grace on humanity, it's the most important manifestation represented in the appointment of Muhammad as prophet.
Thanks to Bi’that, a path opened up for humanity, which has the power and capacity to advance humankind until the end of the world; just as, since that day until now, humanity has continuously progressed. Minds and thoughts have developed; and the many of facts, that religions had come to profess, have become part of the culture within human societies; and, thanks be to God, hearts of people from various groups have become inclined to spirituality. Apr 14, 2018
The relationship between the prophets’ appointments to prophethood and the fight against Arrogance
There is a point regarding the issue of Mab’ath: on several occasions, the Holy Quran refers to the sending down of messengers and prophets – which was for the sake of divine guidance – as “bi’that”. It describes it as “baath” [literally “to send”]: “Allah did confer a great favor on the believers when He sent among them an apostle from among themselves” [3: 164], “It is He Who has sent among the unlettered an apostle from among themselves” [62: 2], “For We assuredly sent among every people an apostle” [16: 36]. It is referred to as “baath”. This is an important point. The mission of the prophets is to transform. It is not an ordinary movement simply for the sake of instruction. A prophet who would emerge in society was not only there to teach certain things to people. Of course, we have ayahs like “Who shall rehearse Your signs to them and instruct them in scripture and wisdom” [2: 129], but all these lessons are based on bi’that and a great movement.
“Bi’that” means to encourage and to stimulate. What is the direction of this encouragement? The Holy Quran has specified the direction: “For We assuredly sent amongst every people an apostle, with the command, ‘serve Allah and shun Evil’” [The Holy Quran 16: 36]. The first goal is to worship God which means defining life on the basis of divine commands and edicts. This is the first goal.
And the second goal is to shun taghut. Who is taghut? Taghut is comprised of all oppressors and evil kings. In the present time, it includes all presidents who exit in countries such as the US and some other countries. These are taghuti individuals. “Shunning evil” does not mean separating oneself from such individuals so much so that we do not become corrupt, rather it means that there exists a line against the line of monotheism and divine monotheism which is the line of taghut. Rejecting taghut is a necessary complement to faith in Allah. This is the direction of prophets’ bi’that. Apr 3, 2019
Mab’ath (the Prophet’s appointment to prophethood) is the celebration of arising to eliminate human suffering
Today, humanity really needs- more than ever- to understand the meaning and truth of Mab'ath. The Holy Quran has addressed the ayah (Quranic verse) “Now has come unto you a Messenger from among yourselves, it grieves him that you should perish, ardently anxious is he over you” [The Holy Quran, 9: 128] to the entire humanity. The last part of this ayah is “To the believers is he most kind and merciful.”
Despite this emphasis on “believers”; the pains of all human beings, the life problems of all people and all human societies are difficult for the blessed life of the Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh). “Ardently anxious is he over you.” He is eager to guide them and to ensure their bliss. Mab'ath is for all humans. In the next ayah, the Holy Quran’s sympathy towards the Holy Prophet (pbuh) is interesting: “But if they turn back, say: Allah is sufficient for me, there is no God but He. On Him do I rely, and He is the Lord of mighty power” [The Holy Quran, 9: 129].
This ayah is addressed towards all of humanity. It says that we should step on the path of humanity’s salvation and reformation and that we should rely on Allah, the One, because everything is in His hands and divine traditions are at the service of this movement. Today, we need the meaning of Mab'ath. Humanity- particularly the Islamic Ummah- needs this.
The eid of Mab’ath is an occasion of inspiration with the purpose of wiping away the suffering of humanity, it is really an eid. The major sufferings of humanity that have continued throughout history- today too- continues in different forms. They are serving those other than God, establishing oppression and injustice, allowing a rift among different classes of people and witnessing the disasters of the weak and oppression by bullies. These are the ever-present pains of humanity. These things have always been imposed on humanity by the filthy and corrupt motivation of the hounding powers.
The goal of Mab'ath is wiping away these troubles. Mab’ath is, in fact, the day of returning to the divine nature. This is because all these sufferings, difficulties and chaotic situations have been rejected in the divine nature that has been installed and placed in human nature in the form of trust. The divine nature of humankind is supporting truth, justice and jihad in the way of the oppressed. This is human nature. May 5, 2016
Compelling people to think and reason was one of the great goals of the prophets being appointed to prophethood
The Commander of the Faithful (as) has said something in the noble Nahjul Balaghah on which we should think very deeply. He says, “Messengers of God have come to get them [people] to fulfill the pledges of His creation…” [Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 1]. Prophets urge humans to fulfill the pledge that has been installed in human nature and to acknowledge this pledge. Allah the Exalted has asked humans to be free, to live a life of justice and salvation and to avoid serving other than God. “To get them to fulfill the pledges of His creation, to recall to them His bounties…” Allah has sent messengers to remind them of God’s forgotten blessings – divine blessings. We show negligence about the blessing of our existence, our health, our wisdom and the good qualities that Allah the Exalted has installed in human nature in the form of trust. Humanity forgets these blessings, but prophets remind them of these blessings.
“To recall to them His bounties, to exhort them by preaching…” He has sent prophets to clarify, and to convey and explain the message of the truth to them. The most important responsibility of a prophet was to clarify and to explain. The enemies of the prophets take advantage of ignorance and cover-ups. They make of use the veil of hypocrisy. However, prophets lift the veil of ignorance and hypocrisy. “To unveil before them the hidden virtues of wisdom”, they have come to urge humans to think and to deliberate.
Notice what great goals these are? These are the goals of Mab'ath. How desperately humanity needs these things today! And when the act of re-opening the treasure chest of wisdom is carried out, it is time “To show them the signs of His Omnipotence”. Wisdom guides humanity towards monotheism and divine signs. Prophets have come to show humanity the signs of God’s power. A guidance-free mind cannot understand the truth the way it is. It cannot do so without the guidance of prophets. Prophets aid the human mind. They guide it so, with the power that God has given it; it can take the difficult path of life and clarify the truths of the world for humans. The power of wisdom and reasoning is important for humans, but only with divine guidance – with God’s assistance. These things constitute Mab'ath. May 5, 2016
The appointment of prophets was for confronting "ignorance"
Bi'that emerged for confronting jahiliyyah. In Islamic literature, jahiliyyah is the era before the emergence of the Holy Prophet's (s.w.a.) prophethood. It should not be thought that jahiliyyah was particular to the Arabian Peninsula and those Arab peoples living in Makkah, Hijaz and other Arab areas. This was not the case. Jahiliyya was common everywhere. At that time, Iran was drowned in jahiliyyah as well. The same was true of Rome. Islam and the Holy Prophet's (s.w.a.) bi'that emerged to confront that jahiliyyah. Jahiliyya does not only mean lack of knowledge. In Islamic terminology and literature, the meaning of jahiliyyah is beyond this. Part of jahiliyyah is lack of knowledge, but jahiliyyah in its broad sense means the domination of human lust and rage over the environment of life. This is the meaning of jahiliyyah. Jahiliyya means that human societies lose virtue and are subdued by evil mainly under the influence of their rulers' lust and rage. This is the meaning of jahiliyyah.
Ignorance in the lives of the people of those days was so vast in scope. On the one hand, people were involved in lust, sexual desire and other such temptations in an unbridled way - you can take a look at the Arabian Peninsula of those days, but other environments were the same and anyone who had the opportunity indulged in lust in an unbridled way - and on the other hand, these followers of lust exploited all imaginable boundaries of cruelty, destruction and blood-shedding. They used to kill their own children: "Lost are those who slay their children from folly and without knowledge" [The Holy Quran, 6: 140]. This is done out of folly and this folly is the same as jahiliyyah. Their cruelty reached as far as killing their own children, let alone others' innocent children and women. This is jahiliyyah.
On the one hand, it was out of lust and on the other hand, it was out of rage. At that time, life was a prisoner of these two unbridled and uncontrolled feelings. Islam emerged to change that condition. Of course, the same thing could be witnessed in the behaviour of Sassanid courtiers in Iran and courtiers in the Roman Empire. The same thing could be witnessed in all those places where empires, courtiers and cruel and taughti monarchies existed. Islam rose against all these ugly realities: "That it may be an admonition to all peoples" [The Holy Quran, 25: 1]. The Holy Quran addressed its warning to all the people in the world. This is Islam's message. May 16, 2015
If the Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh) was among us today, he would have invited us to unity
If the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) were among us today, he would invite us to promote unity as this holy ayah says, "It grieves him that you should perish: ardently anxious is he over you: to the Believers is he most kind and merciful" [The Holy Quran, 9: 128]. He would prevent these kinds of discord. If we love the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.), we should meet this major demand that he made. Jan 29, 2013
The Holy Prophet is still on his Prophetic Mission today
The bi’that of the Holy and Great Prophet of Islam was the best, most comprehensive, most complete and most permanent one. That be’that exists today as well. Today too, the Holy Prophet is engaged in be’that. When you read the Holy Quran, you learn a lesson and you become motivated to begin a movement. This is the continuation of the Holy Prophet’s be’that.
When the people of Iran stood behind a great personality like our magnanimous Imam, when they passed through different obstacles, endured hardships, crushed various problems and moved forward, when they destroyed the derelict network of satanic taghut in the most important area of the region – Iran – and when they erected an Islamic building, this is the continuation of the Holy Prophet’s taghut. The Revolution was the continuation of the Holy Prophet’s be’that. The Islamic Republic is the continuation of the Holy Prophet’s be’that. This is what we are saying. He who is an enemy of the Islamic Revolution and the Islamic Republic is an enemy of Islamic be’that and the monotheistic movement, just like the enemies who existed in the early Islamic era.
Some people say that we should not create enemies. No, we are not creating enemies. We are merely saying the same things that the Holy Prophet and God said. We are only repeating monotheistic ideas. However, these mere words create a number of enemies. The enemy is showing enmity because of the establishment of a monotheistic movement. He will stop showing enmity when you let go of this movement and return to the state of affairs that they desire, which is worshipping and following taghut. The US expects us to do this. And his servants too – the house of Saud and their regional cohorts – act in the same way. They merely repeat what the Americans say. In fact, they “fight in the cause of taghut”. They are people who fight and act for taghut.
Well, in this confrontation – the confrontation between the truth and evil and the confrontation between monotheism and taghut: this confrontation is inevitable – Allah the Exalted has ordained that the party of the truth will be victorious. In other words, if you people of Iran continue moving in the same fashion, you will definitely achieve victory over your enemies. You will achieve victory over the US: “And We wished to be gracious to those who were being oppressed in the land, to make them leaders and make them heirs” [The Holy Quran, 28: 5]. And “It is He Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion” [The Holy Quran, 9: 33]. This is how things are. Allah the Exalted has ordained this.
Of course, you and I can change this result. How? By showing negligence and refusing to cooperate, by showing sincerity, by endeavoring and fighting in the way of God. If we do not do these tasks, this front – namely the front of the truth – will not achieve victory. However, the Iranian nation has shown that it is not like that. The more time passes, the clearer this becomes. Today, our youth are more motivated, more knowledgeable and more prepared than those of us who spent our youth-serving this cause.
That is why I address these statements to the youth. Today, our youth are prepared to move. They are prepared to move forward on different fronts. The fight and endeavor of the people of Iran do not only mean that they hold guns in their hands. This is not the case. We do not fight against anyone. As long as we are not attacked, we do not usually attack. However, on other fronts, we will advance: we will advance in the area of science, morality and lifestyle, God willing. We will move forward in these areas. Today, our youth are very motivated. We will make progress step by step. Apr 3, 2019
The goal of the Prophetic Mission is to establish an Islamic civilization
The purpose of the prophets’ bi’that was to establish an ideal society. As was pointed out in the meeting, the purpose was to establish a civilization. Well, this civilization has everything. Everything exists in civilization. There is science, morality, lifestyle and war. War exists in a civilization as well. As you can see in the Holy Quran, there are many ayahs related to war. It is not the case that we say that Islam emerged in order to put an end to the war. This is not the case. What matters is the direction of war: a war against whom? War for the sake of what? These are important questions. Global taghuts fight for the sake of selfish desires, for seizing power and for promoting corruption. It is many years now that the Zionists have been fighting, but they fight for the sake of their selfish desires. Believers fight too. Palestinian mujahids, the mujahids of Hezbollah and our dear people fight as well. They fought during the eight-year Sacred Defense Era. However, such wars are not condemned, rather they are praiseworthy as they are jihad in the way of God. “Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah” [The Holy Quran, 3: 76]. Apr 3, 2019
Our duty today with respect to the Prophetic Mission is to create a new Islamic civilization
You and I are commemorating this occasion today. Well, commemorating something in words and by gathering together is a good deed, but this is not what we who claim to be following Islam and the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) are expected to do. This is not enough. We too should try to breathe a spirit into today’s dead and pest-stricken world. Today too, the world is suffering from oppression, cruelty and discrimination. Today too, the death of virtue is the big problem of humanity. Virtues are being suppressed by the instruments of materialistic powers. Justice, human values and morality are being suppressed, human blood is constantly being shed at the hands of unscrupulous powers and some nations die of hunger because of being looted by powers. This is the condition of the world in the present time. This era is like the jahiliyyah era which existed before the emergence of Islam. This is a kind of jahiliyyah as well.
Today, the responsibility of the Islamic Ummah is not only to hold a celebration in memory of the Holy Prophet’s (s.w.a.) birthday and bi’that. This is a small and minor task compared to its duty. Today, the world of Islam has a responsibility to breathe a spirit into this world – just like Islam and the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) himself – to create a new environment and to open a new path. We refer to this phenomenon, which we are looking forward to, as “the new Islamic civilization”. We should be striving for the new Islamic civilization- for the sake of humanity. This is dramatically different from what powers think about humanity and from how they act. Dec 29, 2015