Today I was incredibly blessed to meet Ayatollah Sayed Sistani for the first time along with a group from the UK & and the US. He told us that he is well aware of the struggles that Shia Muslims face across the world and that he prays for us, and that we are incredibly lucky to do the Ziyara of Arbaeen which is something he cannot do.
Re: Palestine, he reiterated his two statements and said that the same way he is fulfilling his role, we must fulfil our role, and that part of his role is that when he met with the Pope he brought up the Palestinian struggle as one of the only two topics he discussed with him (the other being womenโs rights).
It was truly one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Despite his old age, I noticed that the Sayed did not hesitate for a second when answering our questions, showing that he was incredibly sharp, and his answers were practical and full of wisdom.
Major and Minor sins๐ค
As narrated from Abu Abdillah (as):
โMinor sins are not minor if one persists committing such sins & major sins are not major if followed by plea for forgiveness.โ
Source: Al-Kฤfi, V2, The Book of Belief and Disbelief, Persistence in Sins, Hadith #1
The Narrator: I was in the presence of The Imam (a.s.) and he sneezed.
I then asked him, โMay Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what should one say when the Imam sneezes?โ
The Imam (a.s.) said, โOne should say, May Allah bless up you.โโ
(Al Kafi, Vol 1)
โฆAfter you, the world is nothing but ashes!"
The narrator says: Zaynab bint 'Ali (a) came out crying, "O my darling! O son of my brother!"
She came and threw herself on him. Then al-Husayn (a) came forward and took her, and led her back to the
women.
(al-Malhuf, p. 166)
Masaeb๐ญ
Ali al-Akbar advanced to face the enemy & fought them ferociously, killing several of them.
Then he returned to his father, & said,
"O father! Thirst is killing me, & the weight of the iron [armour & sword] is draining me! Is there a possibility of a sip of water?"
says to tell you, 'Come to us soon." Then he drew a deep breath & passed away.
Al-Husayn (a) came to his body, placed his cheek on his cheek, and cried, "May God kill the people who killed you! How audaciously they have defied God and violated the sacred trust of His Messenger!
Imam Al-Husayn (as) at the death body of Janabe Ali Akber (as):
"They have killed you, my dear son. The world after you has turned to ashes."
He cradled his son to him until he passed away. ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ
(al-Tabaqรคt al-Kubra / al-tabaqat al-khรคmisah min al-sahabah, vol. 1, p. 470)
โฆHow audaciously they have defied the Merciful Lord and violated the sacred trust of the Messenger. After you, the world is nothing but ashes!โโ
(Ziyรคrat al-Nรคhiyah al-Muqaddasah)
Imam Mahdi (as) remembers Janabe Ali Akber (as) in the following words:
โPeace be on you, O first martyr from the offspring of the best descendant of Ibrรคhim al-Khalil. May God bless you and you father, who said about you, โMay God kill the people who killed you, O my dear sonโฆ
โฆand he flies in Paradise alongwith the Angels as He had presented to Ja'far bin Abi Talib (a.s). While Abbas (a.s) possesses such a position near Allah, may He be Hallowed and Exalted, that on the day of Qiyamah all the martyrs will be envious of it".
(Nafasul Mahmoom)
Shaikh Sadooq relates from Imam Sajjad (a) about Maula Abbas (a):
"May Allah's Mercy be upon Abbas! He self-sacrificed fairly & underwentย trials. He offered his life for his brother until both his arms were severed & Allah, the Mighty, the Sublime, compensated him with 2 wingsโฆ
Then he pressed him to his chest & took him in a state that his legs were drawing upon the ground. (Tabari)
Imam Husain (a.s) pressed his chest to that of Qasim. I said to myself, "What does he intend doing to him?" Then he brought him & placed him near his
son Ali (al-Akbar).