“By its very nature, a revolution is sacrifice.
The prerequisite of a revolution is martyrdom and a readiness to become a martyr.”
— Imam Khomeini, July 2, 1982 #iran
Shīʿism has long placed the intellect (ʿaql) at the center of religious life. This is reflected in one of its foundational ḥadīth collections, al-Kāfī, which opens not with ritual law, which certainly does feature later in the collection, but with Kitāb al-ʿAql wa al-Jahl (The Book of Intellect and Ignorance). The placement is clearly deliberate and aims to teach us something fundamental about the faith. Before discussing law, worship, or even ethics, the tradition first establishes the faculty by which they all these dimensions are to be understood.
It is, therefore, unsurprising that Shīʿī seminaries became some of the last institutions to preserve philosophy, logic, theology, and the rational sciences in the Muslim world. In our tradition, reason is not viewed as a rival to revelation, but as one of the means through which revelation can be understood, defended, and articulated.
This is also why true philosophical and mystical Shīʿī scholars never felt compelled to reject an idea simply because it originated outside the Islamic tradition or their sectarian identity. From Aristotle to Ibn Sīnā, ideas were examined on their merits, retaining what was true and discarding what was false. Such openness is the clear effect of the wisdom-based teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt.
During Ali Khamenei funeral, the Iranian regime recited not-so-subtle verses from the Quran before each foreign delegation, carefully curated to signal how the regime feels about them exactly. Here is a sample:
Hamas: “Among the believers are men who have proven true to what they pledged to God. Some of them have fulfilled their pledge, others are waiting their turn. They have never changed their commitment in the least.”
Hezbollah: “Do not falter or grieve, for you will have the upper hand, if you are true believers. If you have suffered injuries, they suffered similarly. We alternate these days of victory and defeat among people so that God may reveal the true believers, choose martyrs from among you, and God does not like the wrongdoers.”
Palestinian Islamic Jihad: "So that God may forgive you for your past and future shortcomings, perfect His favor upon you, and guide you along the Straight Path, and so that God will help you with a mighty victory."
China: “God ordained this only as good news for you and reassurance for your hearts. And victory comes only from God.”
Iraq’s Hashd al-Shaabi PMUs: "Never say that those martyred in the cause of God are dead; in fact, they are alive! But you do not perceive it."
Saudi Arabia: “There was certainly a sign for you in the two armies that met in battle: one fighting in the cause of God and the other disbelieving. The believers saw their enemy twice their number. But God supports with His victory whoever He wills. Surely in this is a lesson for people of insight.”
Qatar: "So that God may forgive you for your past and future shortcomings, perfect His favor upon you, and guide you along the Straight Path, and so that God will help you with a mighty victory."
Turkey: “God has elevated in rank those who strive with their wealth and their lives above those who stay behind. God has promised each a fine reward, but those who strive will receive a far better reward than the others.”
Pakistan: "And say, 'My Lord! Grant me an honorable entrance and an honorable exit, and give me a supporting authority from Yourself.'"
Egypt: “Their reward with their Lord will be Gardens of Eternity, under which rivers flow, to stay there for ever and ever. God is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him. This is only for those in awe of their Lord.”