Salaam and welcome to a special feature on the start of a special week. For your information, today is the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal, which our Sunni brethren regard as the birth anniversary of the Almighty's Last and Greatest Messenger to mankind, Prophet Mohammad (SAWA).
Since, we the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt, on the basis of narrations from the Holy Household, consider the 17th of Rabi al-Awwal as the auspicious day of the Prophet’s birthday, this 5-day span has been bridged as the Unity Week thanks to the dynamic initiative taken 34 years ago by the Father of the Islamic Revolution, Imam Khomeini (RA), to promote Islamic solidarity on the national and international level, in accordance with God’s command in ayah 103 of Surah Aal-e Imran: “Hold fast, all together, to Allah’s cord, and do not be divided [into sects]”
Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) was sent by God with the universal message of Islam, for all humanity. As the Messenger of Mercy, whose mission was foretold by all previous prophets over the different parts of the world, he preached brotherhood of humanity. Although born in Arabia, he never said the Arabs had any preference over the non Arabs. Among his companions were Salman the Persian, Sohaib the Roman, and Bilal, the black Abyssinian.
As a matter of fact, he hailed his Iranian companion Salman as “from us the Ahl al-Bayt”, an honour no Arab companion was able to achieve. Once, on the commandment of God, he concluded pact of brotherhood among his companions, selecting a pair of those who were friends of each other. For instance, if Salman and Abu Zar were paired as brothers, the others paired together were Zubair and Talha, as well as Abu Bakr and Omar, and Osman and Abdur-Raham Auf. Yet another pair was Meqdad and Ammar Yasser.
After pairing some 740 companions, the Prophet then held the hand of his dear cousin, Imam Ali ibn Taleb (AS), in his hand, and declared him his brother. The brotherhood accord was so firm and binding that when one such pair was martyred in the Battle of Ohad, the Prophet instructed the two be buried in a single grave. This is all indicative of the spirit of brotherhood in Iran, and this warrants Muslims to close ranks, instead of drifting away from each other. Thus, in view of these facts, it is necessary for the different denominations of Islam, especially the schools of jurisprudence to work closely with each other.
Today, international paganism in the form of the Zionists and the secularists of the West are trying to harm Islamic unity. Unfortunately, they are being assisted in their unholy mission by the Salafis and Wahhabis and the terrorist groups they have formed to create sedition in Muslim ranks, such as the al-Qa’eda, the Taleban, the Laskhar Jhangavi, etc. These terrorist groups are active in Syria, Iraq, Pakistan, Egypt, and other countries, and under the guise of Islam, they are carrying out the mission of their masters in the West and the usurper state of Israel. Under such circumstances, it is vital for Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims to assemble on a single platform. The Prophet is the ideal for all Muslims, and before departing the world, he made it clear that the Muslims will never go astray if they hold fast to Weighty Things, which he introduces as Thaqalayn.
On the command of God, he said that he was leaving behind the Book of God, that is the holy Qur’an, and his progeny, the Ahl al-Bayt. The Prophet said the two are inseparable from each other, and as long as Muslims hold fast to them there never will be any discord. Thus, in order to thwart the plots of the enemies of Islam and humanity, Muslims should converge on the common platform of Islamic unity, on the basis of love and affection for the Infallible Ahl al-Bayt.
According to the holy Prophet, a true Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hands others are safe. A true Muslim should not oppress anyone, since oppression is a grave and unforgivable sin. Trampling the rights of others disrupts the psychological health of persons and is the most important factor for discord and separation. The Seal of Prophets made it clear that Muslims should regard themselves as brethren of the same community, and anyone who is not concerned about the affairs of fellow Muslims is not a true Muslim. It means, a Muslim should not betray another Muslim, let alone slander or kill him. As per the practice and behaviour of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), a Muslim ought to be the mirror of his Muslim brother.
On the one hand, he views his values and virtues and turns to them and on the other hand, he distances from evilness and warns him. Muslims should help Muslims in achieving economic stability, rather than being influenced by the enemies of Islam to destroy the economy and industry of fellow Muslims.
In view of these facts, it is rather unfortunate for many Muslim countries to bow to the pressures of the US, to stop trade and other ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran, or engage in state terrorism against Syria. The holy Quran says “Power, altogether, belongs to Allah.” In ayah 29 of Surah Fath, the holy Quran presents us an interesting visage of the Prophet and his true companions, when it says:
“Mohammad, the Prophet of Allah, and those who are with him are hard against the faithless and merciful amongst themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in worship], seeking Allah’s grace and [His] pleasure. Their mark is [visible] on their faces, from the effect of prostration.”
