Hujjat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, coincident with the martyrdom night of Imam Reza (A.S.) in the special program of the channel two of National Broadcasting expressing that in the final days of the last ten days of Safar, about 300 thousand pilgrims attended Razavi Holy Shrine on foot from around Mashhad and the neighboring provinces reminded, “Imam Reza is the key to the coalition of the Islamic world. Familiarity, recognition, obedience to the practical conduct of Imam Reza’s (A.S.) life and in the light of this magnanimous Imam, all of the differences can be transformed to unity.”
Member of the Expediency Council, arguing that Imam Reza (A.S.) is the key of resistance and endurance reaching the goal, and his Illuminated Court is the place of calmness of the serenity of heart stated, “The Golden Chain Tradition of Imam Reza (A.S.) is the treatment of contemporary human’s pain, the touchstone of the Islamic society and government is monotheism, and monotheistic society is only formed in the light of the guardianship.”
Imam Reza (A.S.), the Harbinger of Social Justice
He referred to Imam Reza (A.S.) as the harbinger of social justice, and pointing out that in the life of Imam Reza (A.S.), caring about others especially the weak and the oppressed is evident, expressed, “The emphasis on the provincial government and Imamate is in abundance in the words of Imam Reza (A.S.) and this is because the success of the Islamic society can be realized in the light of the guardianship and Muslims have perceived this throughout the history by experience.”
“Thanks to the God and the blessing of the presence of Imam Reza (A.S.), every year, the number of pilgrims of the Razavi Illuminated Court is increasing. While the pilgrim's numbers are increasing, the quality of the pilgrimage also increases, and we are witnessing that the pilgrims attend with more passion and understanding” Board Member of the Assembly of Experts added.
Systematic Corruption; the Result of Indifference to the Evils and the Abandonment of the Virtues”
He introduced pilgrimage as a turning point in the life of the pilgrims, and influential in all aspects of their life and stated, “The enemies’ attacks over the subject of pilgrimage today, reveal its effective role on the humanization and Quranic community building. Arbitrary officer, which the Supreme Leader of the Revolution has mentioned, is an interpretation of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil; a Muslim religious man can not be indifferent to forbidding the good and enjoining the evil. Corruption then becomes systematic wherein others become indifferent to the evils and the good, and in the light of the pilgrimage, human feels responsibility toward social problems.”
In another part of his statements, Grand Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi emphasizing that accommodation in the camp does not suit the guests of Imam Reza (A.S.) at all, stated, “Mashhad has four camps for the pilgrims' accommodation; surely the status of Imam Reza’s pilgrims is higher than accommodation in the camp, hence, Astan Quds Razavi has constructed Razavi pilgrims city.”
“To this day, nearly 500 thousand first-time pilgrims, and those who had their last attendance a long time ago have initiated the Razavi Shrine with the contribution of Astan Quds Razavi” he added.
Hujjat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi, pointing out that Astan Quds Razavi will do whatever it can for the pilgrims' well-being said, “We have created a forum of advisers with the participation of city and provincial officials to solve the problems regarding the pilgrims.”
The Authorities Prevent the High Level Heterogeneous Constructions around the Shrine
Member of the Expediency Council, further criticizing the high level constructions surrounding the shrine, said, “Unfortunately, in the constructions around the Shrine, the harmony between the spaces and the architecture with Islamic culture and identity has been neglected. So that this mismatch today is clearly visible in some buildings.”
“The process of constructions in the sanctum of the Shrine should be reformed, so that the fabric surrounding the Razavi Shrine expresses the religious identity of the people, and there should be visual harmony between the sanctum and the Shrine. We have objections concerning the development and constructions of buildings around the Shrine, which occasionally has affected the visual landscape of the Shrine” he said, highlighting that authorities should prevent high level inharmonious constructions around the shrine.
Referring to the actions of Astan Quds Razavi in order to help the poor and the needy, Board Member of the Assembly of Experts reiterated, “In pursuance of the Septet Charter of the Supreme Leader, and attention to the deprived and the needy, in the first act, we founded the Oppressed Relief Organization and Imam Reza’s (A.S.) Karamat Foundation, with the mission to care for the needy, working closely with relief agencies, including the Relief Committee and charity institutions.”
An Empowerment Approach to Help the Needy
“Astan Quds Razavi's approach to help the needy is empowering them, so we have entered the area of empowerment of deprived people, creating small and medium-sized businesses for the villagers, and creating constant incomes for poor families.” he enunciated
“In this regard, we have begun restoration and reconstruction of many aqueducts in the provinces of Razavi and South Khorasan, with the aim of wiping deprivation and creation of employment and preventing the migration of villagers and increasing agricultural production, which can create jobs for hundreds. Also we are about to run a light livestock donation project to create rural employment and empowerment of deprived people” Member of the Expediency Council commented.
Pointing to the strong conviction to serve people, especially those in need, in cooperation with other service providers and in particular public contributions, he asserted, “The construction of a 530-unit residential unit for young couples with the aim of creating housing for deprived young couples and the promotion of marriage in Mashhad has begun, as well as the construction of a similar project in South Khorasan for young couples.”
The Opinion of the Donors Is Accurately Executed Regarding the Endowments
Hujjat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin Raeisi, called the endowment and vow effective in resolving many of the people’s economic problems and stated, “Astan Quds Razavi, knows one of its most important duties as the accurate implementation of the views of donors concerning the endowments, so that today, the opinion of the donors who endowed 300 years ago are being implemented precisely.
“We are trying to provide cultural and welfare services to the deprived cities, such as the construction of library, clinic, etc., which of course the priority is given to the attention to pilgrims” he commented.
“We have defined the pilgrim from the source to the source, that is, from the moment when the person travels to the holy Mashhad, until they return to their city, and they must be supported by welfare and cultural services. In this regard, on the paths leading to the Holy Shrine, we have built the Miqat al-Raza stations, which have been built up to 20 today, and we try to bring it to 100” he enunciated.
Grand Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi, saying that achieving scientific authority is something we can accomplish for Mashhad, and God willing it will soon get realized pointed out, “Mashhad has the capacity to become the scientific authority of the Islamic world, due to the presence of prominent universities and the ancient seminary school in the vicinity of the Illuminated Court of the Learned of the Prophet’s Household (A.S.).
The Media Infrastructures of the Holy Shrine Should Be Elevated
He introduced the Radio Ziarat foundation, managed by Khorasan Razavi's Broadcasting, and the commencement of the Imam Reza’s (A.S.) satellite television network, which began its experimental broadcast since the beginning of this year, the new measures of Astan Quds Razavi in the media field and said, “We have also entered into negotiations with National Broadcasting to set up the Razavi channel, and Mr. Askari has made promises in this regard. Nevertheless, we believe that the media grounds of Astan Quds Razavi are still very limited despite the huge capacities of the Holy Shrine.”
“Astan Quds Razavi, on Arbaeen Hosseini while helping the stations between Karbala and Najaf, in areas such as Samarra and Mehran, which were less spotted, entered seriously to provide services for the pilgrims” Member of the Expediency Council remarked.
“After the occurrence of the earthquake in Kermanshah, we told the Arbaeen headquarters of Astan Quds Razavi to go to assist the earthquake victims whereof, and the first groups that came to the aid of the people, was Imam Reza's Karamat Foundation. Now, Imam Reza's Karamat Foundation (A.S.) in collaboration with the IRGC, the army and government agencies is pursuing the relief work to the earthquake-stricken” he added.
Raising Petty and Political Issues Would Not Solve Earthquake Victims’ Problems
Grand Custodian of Astan Quds Razavi, emphasizing that regarding the issue of earthquake, one should avoid petty and political issues and put all the forces in order to resolve the people's problems said, “We will not abandon the people of Kermanshah, and we ask all officials and authorities to do whatever they can for these people who stood up during the Holy Defense against the invasion of the enemy. The trivial issues will not relieve these people, and will not yield fruit, except for the anxiety of the public opinion and bringing the unimportant matters to the spotlight.”
“Astan Quds Razavi is now seeking to provide facilities and temporary accommodation for earthquake victims who have lost their homes through cooperation with Khatam al-Anbiya (S.A.W.) Construction Headquarters, Basij, the IRGC and the Government, so by provision of housing conditions, peace will return to the people” Hujjat al-Islam wa al-Muslimin Raeisi said.
Saturday 11 January 2025
