[13] Tabyeen (Clarification) - Youth at the Edge of Tomorrow
A series of discussions on the notion of tabyeen; critical within Islam and Islamic thought. This series is based on lectures delivered by Imam Khamenei. These sessions are for Arbaeen 2025/1447
In His Name, the Most High
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ سَيِّدِ الْأَوْصِيَاءِ
نَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَمِينُ اللَّهِ وَابْنُ أَمِينِهِ
عِشْتَ سَعِيداً وَمَضَيْتَ حَمِيداً وَمُتَّ فَقِيداً مَظْلُوماً شَهِيداً
وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ مُنْجِزٌ مَا وَعَدَكَ
وَمُهْلِكٌ مَنْ خَذَلَكَ وَمُعَذِّبٌ مَنْ قَتَلَكَ
وَنَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ وَفَيْتَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ
وَجَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ حَتَّى أَتَاكَ الْيَقِينُ
فَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَكَ وَظَلَمَكَ
وَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ أُمَّةً سَمِعَتْ بِذَلِكَ فَرَضِيَتْ بِهِ
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نُشْهِدُكَ أَنَّا أَوْلِيَاءُ لِمَنْ وَلاَكَ
وَأَعْدَاءُ لِمَنْ عَادَاكَ
بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِPeace be upon you, O son of the Messenger of God.
Peace be upon you, O son of the Master of the Successors.We bear witness that you are the trustee of God and the son of His trustee.
You lived a blessed life, departed praiseworthy, and died a martyr, deprived and wronged.
And we bear witness that God will fulfil what He promised you,
and will destroy those who abandoned you, and punish those who killed you.
And we bear witness that you fulfilled the covenant of God,
and strove in His way until certainty came to you.So may God’s mercy be away from those who killed you and wronged you,
and may God’s mercy be away from the people that heard of this and was pleased with it.O God, we make You our witness that we are friends to those who befriend you,
and enemies to those who are hostile to you.
May our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for you, O son of the Messenger of God.— Adapted from Ziyarat Arbaeen1
Introduction
This is the thirteenth in our series of sessions, for the nights of Ashura and now continuing in these blessed nights of Arbaeen, on the subject of Tabyeen (or clarification).
This is the third part of the second series on Tabyeen, we will be continuing this series during the remaining nights of Arbaeen, God willing.
As with our other sessions - such as those on Patience, the Lantern of the Path or on the Art of Supplication - it is strongly recommended that the reader, at the very least review the previous sessions prior to consuming this one.
This is because of the nature of the discussion, and the manner of discourse requires that each part build upon the ones that came before; so as to avoid confusion, misunderstanding and any invalid assumptions; that can lead to what would be the antithesis of tabyeen (clarification).
While we do have a recap for each session, the recap is highly summarised, and to get the full nuance, the previous sessions will need to be consumed, studied and reflected upon.
The previous sessions can be found here:
Video of the Majlis (Sermon/Lecture)
Audio of the Majlis (Sermon/Lecture)
Recap
When Knowledge is Not Enough
In our twelfth session, we crossed into the deepest fault lines of the ummah — the fracture between knowledge and transformation.
We asked:
What happens when truth is clarified, but the soul remains unmoved?
When knowledge abounds, yet action is absent?
When the pulpit recites verses, but hearts do not tremble?
This is not the crisis of the ignorant. It is the hypocrisy of the informed. A scholar who recites but does not reform. A speaker who knows but does not surrender. A congregation that listens, applauds — but does not rise.
We reflected on the Quranic parables of betrayal — the donkey burdened with sacred books, and Bal’am, the learned man who knew the Greatest Name but clung to power and was cast down.
These are not ancient warnings. They are mirrors for our present.
We exposed the difference between sacred eloquence and sacred sincerity — and how, without taqwa and tawakkul, the pulpit becomes a platform of performance, and the scholar a merchant of religion. We witnessed the dangerous rise of charisma over courage, popularity over principle, and reputation over repentance.
But the betrayal is not only from the pulpit.
We confronted the complicity of the congregation — when silence is preferred over sincerity, when reputation shields abuse, and when no questions are asked, even as injustice walks through the mosque door.
Real cases were presented — from burial without ghusl, to rejection at the masjid door, to the manipulation of trust in religious settings — not to scandalise, but to awaken.
And then we turned to the remedy.
For the scholar: repentance, realignment with divine trust, cutting ties with dunya, creating space for feedback, and reviving sincerity.
For the people: reclaiming the right to question, refusing intimidation by titles, establishing structures of accountability, supporting the sincere, and raising the standards of the minbar.
All of it anchored in taqwa, in tawakkul, and in the whispered supplications of the Ahl al-Bayt — the only soil in which revival can take root.
And we ended with the cry of Sayyedah Zaynab in Kufa, the chains of Imam al-Sajjad, and the haunting question of Ziyarat Arbaeen:
“God is our witness — we are friends to those who befriend you, and enemies to those who are hostile to you…”
If we do not rise with tabyeen — we risk becoming the people who heard the truth… and were pleased with its betrayal.
And so, we now turn our gaze to the horizon — to the youth standing on the edge of tomorrow.
Will they rise with clarity — or fall into confusion?
That is the question of our next session.
Tabyeen (Clarification) – Youth at the Edge of Tomorrow
On the Threshold of a Generation
There comes a moment in every civilisation when its fate is not secured by the prestige of its institutions, nor the eloquence of its preachers — but by the conviction, courage, and clarity of its youth.
That moment is now.
This thirteenth session of tabyeen marks a transition. Having addressed the sanctity of the minbar, the betrayal of knowledge without sincerity, and the silent complicity that corrodes religious trust, we now turn to those standing at the most critical frontier: the youth of the ummah.
They are not the audience of tomorrow. They are the battleground of today.
To speak of youth in Islam is not to enter the realm of sentimentality. It is to speak of those entrusted with the continuation of divine guidance — or its abandonment. The youth are the mirrors of a community’s honesty. If they are confused, corrupted, or spiritually hollow, then it is the elders who have failed to clarify.
The Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) spoke of the youth with reverence and urgency. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
إِنَّمَا قَلْبُ الْحَدَثِ كَالْأَرْضِ الْخَالِيَةِ، مَا أُلْقِيَ فِيهَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ قَبِلَتْهُ
“The heart of the youth is like uncultivated land — whatever is sown in it, it accepts.”
— Nahjul Balagha2, Saying 109
And he warned:
كَمَالُ الأَدَبِ لِلْمُرَاهِقِ كَالنَّقْشِ فِي الْحَجَرِ
“Perfecting the character of a youth is like engraving on stone.”
What, then, have we engraved? What seeds have we sown?
The youth are inheritors of Karbala, but they are also the most targeted by the enemies of God. They are fed by algorithms, raised on contradiction, distracted by design. Many possess sharp minds and soft hearts — but no one to clarify the path for them. They have heard the slogans. But few have shown them sincerity.
They are asked to rise like Qasim ibn al-Hasan and Ali al-Akbar — while being raised in comfort, confusion, or contradiction.
This session seeks to restore clarity to the station of youth in divine history — to their rights, their spiritual vulnerabilities, and their revolutionary potential. It will draw from the Quran, the sayings of the Imams (peace be upon them), the Risalat al-Huquq5 of Imam Zayn al-Abedeen, the insights of Imam al-Sadiq on youthful guidance, and the vision of Imam Khamenei — particularly his letter addressed directly to the youth of the West.
As always, we do not call for nostalgia or idealisation. We call for tabyeen.
And tabyeen demands we look the future in the face.
Let us begin — where all clarification begins: with the Book of God.
Divine Attention to Youth in Revelation and History
The Quran does not ignore the youth — it honours them.
Throughout revelation, we find the clearest examples of divine trust being placed in the hearts of young people: youths who stood against empires, who resisted desires, who preserved their faith under siege. God does not belittle the young — He raises them as exemplars.
The Companions of the Cave (Ashaab al-Kahf)
In an age of political tyranny and idolatrous conformity, it was not the seasoned scholars who rose — but a group of believing youth who fled to the cave, placing their trust entirely in God:
إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى
“Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord — and We increased them in guidance.”
— Quran, Surah al-Kahf (the Chapter of the Cave) #18, Verse 13
These were not learned theologians or powerful generals. They were young men whose sincerity moved the heavens — and God made their story immortal.
Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham), Peace Be Upon Him
When the idols of Nimrod’s palace lay shattered, the elite cried out in anger. Who could have done this? The answer came from among them:
قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا فَتًى يَذْكُرُهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ
“They said: We heard a youth mention them — he is called Ibrahim (Abraham).”
— Quran, Surah al-Anbiya (the Chapter of the Prophets) #21, Verse 60
He was young — but he carried a divine clarity greater than the scholars and leaders of his time. His confrontation with the idols was not a child’s rebellion — it was tabyeen in its purest form.
Prophet Yusuf (Joseph), Peace Be Upon Him
Prophet Yusuf’s story is one of moral victory in youth. He faced seduction, betrayal, and injustice — yet preserved his taqwa:
قَالَ رَبِّ السِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِي إِلَيْهِ
“He said: My Lord, prison is dearer to me than what they call me to.”
— Quran, Surah Yusuf (the Chapter of (Prophet) Joseph) #12, Verse 33
While others fell, Prophet Yusuf’s clarity protected him. His heart, formed in youth, was anchored in trust — not temptation.
Sayyedah Maryam (Saint Mary), Peace Be Upon Her
Even as a child, Sayyedah Maryam was elevated through divine acceptance and devotion:
فَتَقَبَّلَهَا رَبُّهَا بِقَبُولٍ حَسَنٍ وَأَنبَتَهَا نَبَاتًا حَسَنًا
“So her Lord accepted her with a gracious acceptance, and made her grow in a goodly growth.”
— Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan (the Chapter of the Family of Imraan) #3, Verse 37
Her youth was not a barrier to spiritual greatness — it was the vessel through which God manifested purity.
The Pattern
The pattern is clear. In the Quran, youth is not a limitation — it is a divine opportunity. But it must be accompanied by faith, submission, and sincerity.
In each case:
The youth resisted societal norms.
They relied on God, not power.
Their tabyeen was action, not just speech.
If the Quran honours youth in this way, then what does it say of a community that sidelines its young, belittles their questions, or exposes them to ideological chaos without guidance?
And if God increased the Ashab al-Kahf in guidance — are we increasing our youth in confusion?
Let us now turn to the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) — for they, like the Quran, entrusted the youth with the mission of safeguarding and clarifying truth.
The Imam’s Gaze: Youth Through the Eyes of the Infallibles
The Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) did not treat youth as a passive demographic to be entertained or disciplined from afar. They saw them as the custodians of the future — capable of carrying the divine trust, if properly cultivated. Their words are filled with guidance on how youth must be formed, how they must be protected, and how they must be awakened.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him): The Moulding of Youth
إِنَّمَا قَلْبُ الْحَدَثِ كَالْأَرْضِ الْخَالِيَةِ، مَا أُلْقِيَ فِيهَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ قَبِلَتْهُ
“The heart of a youth is like uncultivated land — whatever is sown upon it, it accepts.”
—Nahjul Balagha6, Saying 109
This is not a poetic metaphor — it is a warning. Whatever is planted in the heart of a young person will take root. If truth and taqwa are sown, they will grow. But if confusion, hypocrisy, or materialism are sown — they too will flourish.
And he also said:
كَمَالُ الأَدَبِ لِلْمُرَاهِقِ كَالنَّقْشِ فِي الْحَجَرِ
“Perfecting the character of a youth is like engraving on stone.”
These words highlight the permanence of youthful formation. In other words, the ummah will become what its youth are taught to be.
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him): Teaching Before Corruption Reaches
بَادِرُوا أَحْدَاثَكُمْ بِالْحَدِيثِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَسْبِقَكُمْ إِلَيْهِمُ الْمُرْجِئَةُ
“Hasten to teach your youth the traditions (of the Ahl al-Bayt) before the Murji’ah9 reach them first.”
The Murji’ah12 were a sect known for detaching faith from action — promoting passivity, excuse-making, and spiritual compromise. The Imam’s instruction is timeless: teach the youth before false ideologies reach them.
In today’s world, that includes liberal secularism, atheistic materialism, ideological extremism, and algorithmic hedonism.
The youth will be formed — the only question is, by whom?
Imam Zayn al-Abedeen (peace be upon him): The Right of the Youth
In his Risalat al-Huquq13, the Treatise on Rights, the Imam describes the responsibilities of the elder toward the young:
وَأَمَّا حَقُّ مَنْ هُوَ أَصْغَرُ مِنْكَ فَالرَّحْمَةُ لَهُ فِي تَعْلِيمِهِ، وَالْعَفْوُ عَنْهُ فِي تَأْدِيبِهِ، وَالسَّتْرُ عَلَيْهِ فِي قَبِيحِ فِعْلِهِ
“The right of the one younger than you is that you show mercy to him in teaching, forgiveness in disciplining, and concealment regarding his ugly deeds.”
—Risalat al-Huquq14, Right 39
This is a divine model for raising youth:
With mercy, not harshness
With gentle correction, not humiliation
With discretion, not exposure
This is the soil in which loyalty to truth can grow.
Youth: The First Frontier of Clarification
The Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) are clear: youth are not a luxury to be enjoyed when the community is stable. They are the frontline in the war for clarification. And if the youth are left unformed — the ummah will become formless.
In the next section, we will examine how today’s ideological systems, from global soft war to domestic negligence, have targeted the youth directly — and why tabyeen now depends on reclaiming them.
A Generation Under Siege: Modern Attacks on Youth
The enemies of truth do not fear the elderly. They fear the youth.
Not because youth possess power — but because they possess potential. If that potential is clarified and connected to the divine axis, it becomes unstoppable. If it is left unguarded, it becomes a tool for taghut.
The Strategy of Taghut: Confuse, Entertain, Corrupt
Imam Khamenei has long warned of the systematic effort to mislead the youth — not just in the Muslim world, but globally.
In his famous letter to the youth of the West, he wrote:
“I don’t insist that you accept my reading of Islam… but don’t allow this dynamic and effective reality in today’s world to be presented to you through prejudices and vested interests.”
— Imam Khamenei, First Letter to the Youth in Europe and North America15
This appeal bypasses governments, scholars, and media empires — and speaks directly to young hearts. It invites them to seek clarity with sincerity, not through headlines or fear.
But what was implied in that letter applies equally to Muslim youth today.
They are surrounded by:
Distraction in the form of constant entertainment
Algorithmic conditioning that shapes their beliefs passively
False spirituality marketed as self-help, stripped of divine obedience
Internal contradictions — where religious leaders avoid truth, and culture replaces Quran
It is a curated fog — designed to overwhelm the seeker before they begin to search.
Quranic Warning: Truth Must Be Sought, Not Assumed
وَالْعَصْرِ
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِBy time!
Surely man is indeed in loss,
except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to the truth, and enjoin one another to patience.— Quran, Surah al-Asr (the Chapter of Time) #103, Verses 1-3
This short chapter outlines the formula for salvation — and each pillar is under attack.
Belief is mocked.
Righteous deeds are redefined.
Truth is made to appear subjective.
Patience is replaced with indulgence.
Youth raised in this storm are not merely inattentive — they are assaulted. Not by weapons, but by confusion.
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) warned:
مَا مِنْ إِمَامٍ فِي زَمَانِهِ إِلَّا وَعَلَى أَهْلِ زَمَانِهِ أَنْ يَعْرِفُوهُ
“There is no Imam in any era except that the people of that era are obliged to recognise him.”
But how can youth recognise the Imam — when they have not even been allowed to recognise themselves?
The Soft War Has Already Begun
Imam Khamenei has long warned of an undeclared war — one waged not with bombs, but with doubts; not with invasions, but with ideas. This “soft war” is targeted, strategic, and global. And it aims precisely where the ummah is weakest:
In the hearts of the young
In the pulpits that refuse to confront
In the silence of communities that have lowered their expectations
“What is the soft war? In the soft war, the enemy—without using military force—tries to achieve its goals by creating doubt in the hearts and minds of the people and by changing their calculations and thoughts.
In the soft war, the primary target is the youth. Why? Because the youth are the driving force of a country's movement. The youth are the main engine of a country's progress. They want to take this engine and this driving force out of the people’s hands. They want to destroy it. They want to disable it. This is the enemy's goal.”
— Imam Khamenei, Speech to University Students, August 19, 200918
This war does not demand disbelief. It simply lulls the heart into confusion — until belief never matures.
The Stratagems of Confusion: Miscalculation, Despair, and Pessimism
In a pivotal address, Imam Khamenei outlined three core tactics of the enemy:
“The enemy has three main stratagems: The first is to induce miscalculations in the minds of the officials or decision-makers... The second stratagem is to create despair. [To say,] ‘It is of no use! We have reached a dead end!’ ... The third stratagem is to make the people pessimistic towards the establishment and towards one another.”
—Imam Khamenei, Speech to the People of Qom, January 8, 202019
These tactics have global applicability — and they specifically target youth:
Miscalculation: Encouraging young minds to misjudge their own society — and to see only Western models as viable.
Despair: Cultivating a belief that efforts for reform or resistance are meaningless.
Pessimism: Undermining trust — in leadership, institutions, elders, and even the possibility of unity.
The Assault on Morals and Belief
In another speech, the Leader identified deeper cultural and ethical attacks:
“They try to achieve two main goals in the country: first, to make the people, especially the youth, lose their hope in the future… The second goal is to disrupt the people’s calculations regarding the realities of the country… They try to do this by spreading rumours, lies, and temptations. They try to promote hedonism, corruption, and sexual promiscuity among the youth.”
—Imam Khamenei, Speech to Students, May 22, 201920
These are not abstract observations — they are precise recognitions of the following strategies:
Destroying Hope: The foundation of all divine striving
Distorting Reality: Rewriting facts to disorient the soul
Spreading Disinformation: Using lies as the weapon of confusion
Promoting Hedonism: Normalising a life of desire, to suffocate a life of purpose
Cultural Infiltration: A Strategic Redirection of Youth
The Leader has called this project “cultural infiltration”:
"Cultural infiltration is a very serious issue... They spend a great deal of money and they have plans to change the mindset of our people, our youth, our men and our women. What does it mean to change their mindset? It means that they want to change their beliefs... They want to make the revolutionary youth into a passive, hopeless, and isolated individual."
"They try to achieve this by questioning the principles of the Revolution, by instilling a sense of inferiority in the Iranian people, and by promoting a Western lifestyle."
—Imam Khamenei, Speech to Commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), September 16, 201521
These aims can be summarised as:
Undermining Revolutionary Principles: Shaking the very foundations of belief and mission
Instilling Inferiority: Causing the youth to view themselves, their culture, and their religion as second-rate
Promoting a Western Lifestyle: One centred not on spirituality or resistance — but on materialism and individualism
Universal Guidance from the Guardian Jurist
While many of Imam Khamenei’s speeches are delivered in the specific context of the Islamic Republic of Iran, their relevance is not confined to its borders. His position is not merely political — it is theological and spiritual, rooted in the responsibilities of a faqih, marja, and guardian of the Islamic project in the era of occultation.
He is a jurist authorised to perform ijtihaad, a witness upon the people (shahid ala al-naas) in the absence of the infallible Imam — and his role as the Leader of the Islamic Revolution transcends geography because the Revolution itself is Quranic, global, and eschatological in vision.
هَٰذَا بَلَاغٌ لِّلنَّاسِ وَلِيُنذَرُوا بِهِ وَلِيَعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ
“This is a message to all people, so that they may be warned thereby, and so that they may know that He is One God.”
— Quran, Surah Ibrahim (the Chapter of (Prophet) Abraham) #14, Verse 52
The message of truth, when born from divine guidance and rooted in sincerity, is not restricted by the tongue it is spoken in, nor the soil it arises from.
Just as the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) spoke in Makkah and Madinah, yet his words now penetrate every continent, so too do the principles of truth, resistance, and youth-building apply to every believer who walks the earth.
The Imams of Ahl al-Bayt did not travel far beyond the Arabian Peninsula — and yet:
إِنَّا حُجَجُ اللَّهِ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ، وَأَمَنَاؤُهُ فِي بِلَادِهِ، وَدُعَاتُهُ إِلَى دِينِهِ
“We are the proofs of God over His creation, His trustees in His lands, and those who invite to His religion.”
—Nahjul Balagha22, Sermon 152
This saying of Imam Ali affirms that the Ahl al-Bayt are divine proofs over the entire earth, not only where they physically walked. So too, the extension of their truth through righteous scholars in the era of occultation cannot be geographically limited.
And the Prophet himself declared:
اِسْتَمِعُوا وَعُوا، مَنْ وَعَى فَلْيُبَلِّغْ مَنْ لَا يَعْلَمُ، فَرُبَّ مُبَلَّغٍ أَوْعَى مِنْ سَامِعٍ
“Listen and understand. Whoever understands must convey to the one who does not know. For indeed, it may be that the one to whom it is conveyed is more understanding than the one who heard it.”
This mandates that knowledge must travel, and affirms that its impact is not restricted to its place of origin.
Guidance, Not Geography
In Shia thought, when a believer cannot reach certainty (qat’, قَطْع) on religious matters by themselves, they are obligated to follow a qualified jurist — a marja— in a process known as taqleed (تَقلِيد, imitation)25.
But when a person listens carefully to guidance from the wali al-faqih (وَلِيُّ الفَقِيه, Guardian Jurist) and recognises that it speaks directly to the moral and cultural crises of the time — if it reaches their heart, and creates clarity and conviction — then that speech becomes something far greater than advice.
It becomes guidance (irshaad, إِرشَاد) and clarification (tabyeen, تَبْيِين) — a lantern in the night of confusion26.
Such insight, when it awakens a sense of certainty (qat’, قَطْع) or confident recognition (itminaan, اطمِئْنَان), becomes spiritually binding. The person who receives that clarity is no longer merely “listening to a speech” — they have encountered a hujjah (حُجَّة – proof or authoritative reason) upon their soul27.
This is why the words of Imam Khamenei on matters that affect the global Ummah — the identity of youth, the distortion of Islam, the soft war, the need for steadfastness — must not be seen as “Iran-specific commentary,” but as divinely oriented irshaad from one entrusted with guardianship28. Not every utterance is a formal ruling (hukm, حُكم), but it is illumination — and that light knows no borders.
Youth at the Edge of Tomorrow: Clarifying Their Role, Rescuing Their Future
Islam does not regard youth as a passive phase of life — it is a moment of sacred potential. It is the season of strength between two weaknesses, as the Qur’an puts it:
اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن ضَعْفٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ ضَعْفٍ قُوَّةً ثُمَّ جَعَلَ مِن بَعْدِ قُوَّةٍ ضَعْفًا وَشَيْبَةً
“It is God who created you in [a state of] weakness, then made after weakness strength, then made after strength weakness and grey hair.”
— Quran, Surah ar-Rum (the Chapter of the Romans) #30, Verse 54
Youth is that brief moment of “quwwah” — power — when the soul is most primed for both greatness and ruin. It is a trust. And the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) did not overlook this trust.
Imam Ali on the Nature of Youth
The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) famously said:
إِنَّمَا قَلْبُ الْحَدَثِ كَالْأَرْضِ الْخَالِيَةِ، مَا أُلْقِيَ فِيهَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ قَبِلَتْهُ
“The heart of a youth is like an empty land — whatever is sown in it is accepted.”
—Nahjul Balagha29, Letter 31
This profound insight identifies youth not merely as an audience — but as a field of formation. Plant corruption, and vice will sprout. But sow truth, and it will flourish beyond what hardened hearts can ever yield.
This is why Imam Ali would address letters to his son with the words:
وَجَدْتُكَ بَعْضِي بَلْ وَجَدْتُكَ كُلِّي حَتَّى كَأَنَّ شَيْئًا لَوْ أَصَابَكَ أَصَابَنِي
“I found you to be a part of me — rather, I found you to be all of me, such that if anything were to harm you, it would be as if it harmed me.”
—Nahjul Balagha30, Letter 31
Imam al-Sajjad and the Rights of the Young
In his monumental Risalat al-Huquq (Treatise of Rights), Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-Abedeen (peace be upon him) outlines a right rarely considered in modern society:
وَأَمَّا حَقُّ الصَّغِيرِ فَرَحْمَتُهُ فِي تَعْلِيمِهِ، وَالْعَفْوُ عَنْهُ، وَالسَّتْرُ عَلَيْهِ، وَالرِّفْقُ بِهِ، وَالْمَعُونَةُ لَهُ
“And the right of the young is that you show mercy in teaching him, forgive his errors, conceal his faults, be gentle with him, and help him.”
—Risalat al-Huquq31, Right #42
There is no harshness in this prescription. It is a framework of trust, tenderness, and transformative education. It is a reminder that shaping a generation requires forbearance and love, not only law and lectures.
Imam al-Sadiq on the Power of Early Faith
The sixth Imam (peace be upon him) was once asked about young people and the acceptance of truth. He replied:
مَا أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَى عَبْدٍ بِنِعْمَةٍ بَعْدَ الْإِسْلَامِ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ صَاحِبٌ صَالِحٌ
“God has not blessed a servant with any favour after Islam greater than having a righteous companion.”
Elsewhere, he stated:
عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْأَحْدَاثِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ أَسْرَعُ إِلَى كُلِّ خَيْرٍ
“Be concerned with the youth, for they are the quickest to every good.”
This attention to the formative years is echoed in his recommendation to teach the Quran and religious knowledge early, when the heart is still soft and receptive.
Prophetic Guidance and Quranic Witness
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was surrounded by youth. The Quran describes the people of the cave as:
إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَاهُمْ هُدًى
“Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.”
—Quran, Surah al-Kahf (the Chapter of the Cave) #18, Verse 13
Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) taught that the hearts of young believers are more receptive than those of the old, who may be set in their ways. The Prophet himself used to give tasks of leadership to the youth — from Usama ibn Zayd to Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) — in testimony to their readiness and trustworthiness.
When the Seeds Refuse to Grow: Reigniting the Desire for Truth
In the classical paradigm, it was assumed that the heart of the youth was fertile ground — that the moment divine truth was presented, it would naturally germinate, take root, and flourish. But in today’s world, the tragedy is not that the seed is weak — it is that the soil itself has been scorched.
The youth of today are not merely unaware of truth — many are no longer interested. The Quran is not rejected for being unclear, but for seeming irrelevant. The gatherings of mourning are not avoided because of disbelief in Husayn, but because of disbelief in meaning.
So the first step in the jihad of tabyeen is not to argue theology — it is to rekindle desire.
When Desire Dies: The First Target of the Soft War
Imam Khamenei has repeatedly warned that today’s battle is not of bullets and tanks — but of desires, confusion, and psychological warfare. It is a soft war, aimed not merely at corrupting youth, but at severing their very longing for truth.
It is a war to erase spiritual yearning, to disfigure fitrah (فِطْرَة – innate purity), and to replace love for God with addiction to self, entertainment, and escapism. The enemy’s ultimate goal is to raise a generation that no longer even wants to search — that is numb, passive, and spiritually dead.
The believer does not fear the youth who sins but still seeks — they fear the youth who no longer sees a reason to return.
The Quran describes such people:
وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنسِ ۖ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ
Indeed, We have created many of the jinn and humans for Hell. They have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle—rather, more astray. It is they who are truly heedless.
—Quran, Surah al-A’raaf (The Chapter of the Heights) #7, Verse 179
This is not merely a crisis of behaviour — it is a crisis of desire. And before we can heal, we must first revive the will to seek.
Kindling the Flame: Reawakening the Desire to Seek
A seed may lie dormant for years, unseen beneath the soil, not because it is dead — but because it has not felt rain.
So too is the condition of many of our youth. The spark of truth may not be extinguished within them, but buried beneath disappointment, contradiction, addiction, or simply the noise of modern life. The enemy’s greatest triumph is not to produce a generation of sinners — it is to produce a generation that feels no need to repent.
The revival of desire, then, is not an intellectual task — it is a spiritual one. The soul must be stirred, not lectured. The heart must be softened, not debated.
The Imams (peace be upon them) taught that truth must be accompanied by beauty, and proof must be presented with love. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
الْقُلُوبُ وَعَاءٌ فَخَيْرُهَا أَوْعَاهَا
“Hearts are vessels, and the best of them are those that hold the most.”
—Nahjul Balagha36, Saying #147
But a vessel cannot hold what it has not been prepared to receive. If we want youth to carry truth, we must first remove what fills them — pain, distraction, doubt — and show them something that deserves to be loved.
This is why the Quran speaks not only to reason, but to longing:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وُدًّا
“Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds — the All-Merciful shall create love for them.”
—Quran, Surah Maryam (The Chapter of Saint Mary), #19, Verse 96
Love is the gateway to change. If we want to awaken desire in our youth, we must reintroduce them to Islam not as a burden of rules, but as a path of beauty, majesty, and purpose. That requires a reformation not of theology — but of presentation.
The poetry of Dua Abu Hamza, the tears of Dua Kumayl, the defiance of Ziyarat Ashura — these are not tools of the intellect alone. They are divine gifts that speak to the shattered, the yearning, the confused.
Give the youth a reason to feel again, and the desire will return.
Understanding the Attack Vectors: How the Youth Are Targeted
The war on youth is not merely cultural — it is ontological37. It seeks to redefine identity, sever roots, and colonise the imagination. To defend the youth effectively, one must first understand how they are being targeted — and why.
Identity Fragmentation
The first target is the self. Youth are bombarded with competing definitions of who they are — racial, sexual, digital, algorithmic. The soul is no longer nurtured to ask “Who am I before God?” but instead “How do I appear before the world?”
اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ
“God is the Guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of darkness into light.”
—Quran, Surah al-Baqarah (The Chapter of the Cow) #2, Verse 257
When divine identity is erased, one becomes vulnerable to every form of ideological and emotional manipulation.
وَأَنْقَذَكُمْ بِطَاعَتِهِ مِنَ ٱلضَّلَٰلِ
“He saved you through obedience to Him from deviation.”
—Ziyarat al-Jamiah al-Kabirah38
Distraction Through Pleasure and Noise
In a soft war, sedation is more effective than suffering. The modern world entices the youth not with arguments, but with endless distraction — music, games, scrolling, spectacle.
وَكَمْ مِنْ ثَنَاءٍ جَمِيلٍ لَسْتُ أَهْلًا لَهُ نَشَرْتَهُ
“How many beautiful praises I do not deserve, You spread about me…”
— Dua Abu Hamza al-Thumali39
This shows how one can become addicted to public image, praise, and attention — often amplified through social media.
قَلْبُ الشَّابِّ كَالأَرْضِ الْخَالِيَةِ، مَا أُلْقِيَ فِيهَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ قَبِلَتْهُ
“The heart of a youth is like an empty plot of land — whatever is planted in it, it accepts.”
—Nahjul Balagha40, Letter 31
Corrupting the Concept of Freedom
The modern world defines freedom as the absence of boundaries. Islam defines it as liberation from anything other than God. This semantic theft is at the core of youth corruption.
أَفَرَءَيْتَ مَنِ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَـٰهَهُۥ هَوَىٰهُ
“Have you seen the one who takes his desires as his god?”
— Quran, Surah al-Jathiyah (The Chapter of Kneeling) #45, Verse 23
Imam as-Sadiq teaches us:
الحُرُّ حُرٌّ فِي جَمِيعِ أَحْوَالِهِ
“A free person is free in all his states.”
True freedom is not the absence of rules but the presence of purpose.
Breaking the Family and Community Structure
The assault on youth often begins with isolating them from their roots — mocking parents, tradition, and religion as outdated. The result is not liberation, but loneliness.
فَأَنْ تَعْلَمَ أَنَّهُ مِنْكَ وَمُضَافٌ إِلَيْكَ فِي عَاجِلِ الدُّنْيَا
“Know that your child is from you and attached to you in the immediate life of this world.”
—Risalat al-Huquq43, Section “The Right of Your Child”
Community is the scaffolding that allows youth to grow upright. When broken, the soul falls inward.
Shame and Despair as Tools of Control
Finally, once the youth are trapped in sin and addiction, they are told they are unworthy of return — that their fall is final. This despair is not from God.
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ
“Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves! Do not despair of the mercy of God.”
—Quran, Surah az-Zumar (The Chapter of the Throngs) #39, Verse 53
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) has taught us:
أَحَبُّ الأَعْمَالِ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى انْتِظَارُ الْفَرَجِ
“The most beloved of deeds to God is waiting for relief.”
When hope is revived, the chain of despair is broken — and the soul begins to rise again.
Counter-Strategies: Rekindling Fitrah and Building Inner Resilience
If the first casualty of the soft war is desire, then the first strategy of counter-resistance must be rekindling longing — the longing to know, to worship, to love God, to be loved by God, and to serve a cause greater than the self. This is not achieved through fear-based messaging or shallow rhetoric, but by awakening the fitrah (فِطْرَة – innate purity) that still lies buried beneath the noise.
Return to Meaning – Beyond Mere Ritual
Many youth are exposed to religious rituals from a young age — praying, fasting, Quranic recitation and more — but if these are taught as mechanical obligations rather than soul-awakening encounters, the heart remains asleep.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
الصَّلَاةُ قُرْبَانُ كُلِّ تَقِيٍّ
“Prayer is the means of nearness for every God-conscious person.”
—Nahjul Balagha46, Saying #113
The strategy should be to reframe rituals not as rules, but as tools — tools for transformation, for conversation with God, for inner healing.
For example:
After salat, hold short 5-minute reflections with youth on one line of the Quran they just recited — what it means for them today.
Recite Dua Abu Hamza in English, but pause every 10 lines to ask: “Have you ever felt this line personally?”.
Teach the Inner Language of Longing
Desire for God must be described with language that feels real — not distant. The youth need to know that their yearning is not strange; it is sacred.
After all Ziyarat Aal-e-Yaseen teaches:
الشَّوْقُ إِلَيْكَ لاَ يُطْفِئُهُ إِلَّا النَّظَرُ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ
“The yearning for You is not extinguished except by gazing upon Your Face.”
—Ziyarat Aal-e-Yaseen47
And the Quran clearly states:
وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِّلَّهِ
“But those who believe are more intense in their love for God.”
— Quran, Surah al-Baqarah (The Chapter of the Cow) #2, Verse 165
The strategy should be to share and engender the language of Ishq Ilahi — Divine love — through anecdotes of the Ahl al-Bayt, especially their night prayers, their whispered duas, and their sacrifices.
But don’t make it such that it is just stories. Rather, work in a way that these transformative lessons from Ahl al-Bayt are imbibed into the very soul.
Some possible examples:
A session titled “Why Did Imam Ali Cry at Night?” – exploring the emotional dimensions of his worship. Discuss, how it was that Imam Ali was able to lift the door of Khaybar.
Art, poetry, and spoken word performances around themes from Dua Kumayl, Ziyarat Ashura, or Dua Abu Hamza, but the key here is not to fixate on ensuring they are in Arabic. The purpose is to understand these profound words, have these words absorbed into the very soul, so that their transformative power can take effect.
Strengthen the Identity of Wilayah
Youth today are bombarded with false identities — influencer, rebel, consumer, aesthetic. The only identity that liberates is that of a servant under the shade of divine authority.
اللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْني مِن أَنصارِهِ وَأعْوانِهِ وَالذّابّينَ عَنْهُ
“O God, make me among his helpers, his aides, and those who defend him.”
— Dua al-Ahd48
The core strategy here should be to anchor youth identity in wilayah — not as a political doctrine alone, but as a personal, existential covenant. A true covenant with God, with Imam al-Mahdi, with the Wali al-Faqih and the Righteous Marjaiyyah.
Examples:
Youth circles that explore sayings of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) and their relevance today.
Further discuss how the return of Imam Mahdi can be hastened, what duties should be we be doing? Why is his return delayed?
Projects where youth produce short films, poetry, or digital art reflecting their allegiance to truth and justice, as well as their commitment to resistance against Satanic forces and ideas - be they socio-political or personal.
Create Environments That Feed the Soul
Islamic spaces often focus on knowledge transmission rather than spiritual cultivation. Youth need spaces where they can breathe — where silence, dhikr, service, beauty, and real friendship are present.
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
تَحَابُّوا فِينَا، تَزَاوَرُوا فِينَا، تَرَاحَمُوا فِينَا
“Love one another for Our sake, visit each other for Our sake, and have mercy on one another for Our sake.”
Examples of ways to cultivate this can be:
Create night majalis lit by candlelight, with poetry and dua - again in a language that the youth understand - there is no requirement for everything Islamic or righteous to be in a ‘foreign’ language.
Organise service projects where youth cook, clean, and serve for the sake of God, and out of love for Ahl al-Bayt.
Hold “Silent Nights” — no lectures, only Quran and dua, letting the hearts speak. Nights of reflection, thought and introspection.
Case Studies of Revival: From Kufa to Qom
Throughout history, the revival of youth has always marked the beginning of societal transformation.
It is not numbers that change the world, but the quality of a few young hearts illuminated by conviction. In every era, when darkness spread and confusion reigned, it was a handful of youth — guided, not by trends, but by truth — who re-lit the lanterns of guidance.
The Youth of Karbala: The Legacy of Ali al-Akbar and Qasim ibn al-Hasan
On the plains of Karbala stood not only seasoned warriors but pure-hearted youth. The Master of Martyrs did not shield them from martyrdom — he raised them for it.
Not because he desired their death — but because he trusted their clarity.
When Qasim ibn al-Hasan was asked how he viewed death. He replied:
أَحْلَى مِنَ العَسَلِ
“It is sweeter than honey.”
—Al-Khuwarizmi51, Maqtal al-Khuwarizmi52, Volume 1, Page 239
This was not the romanticism of youth, but the awakening of one whose desires were purified by wilayah.
مِّنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رِجَالٌ صَدَقُوا مَا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ
“Among the believers are men who were true to what they pledged to God.”
—Quran, Surah al-Ahzaab (The Chapter of the Confederates) #33, Verse 23
Teach youth the stories of young heroes in Islam — not as ancient legends, but as examples of what they too can become. Let them walk in the footsteps of Ali al-Akbar, whose voice reminded the companions of the Prophet himself.
Moreover, countless other martyrs have joined the Caravan of Love since Ashura — from Palestine to Iran, Lebanon to Yemen, Iraq and beyond.
Teach the youth about them. Among the most luminous are Shaheed Mohsen Hojaji, Ibrahim Hadi, and others.
Karbala is not just a city in Iraq, nor was Ashura simply an event in the first century of the Hijri calendar. Rather, as we are taught:
كُلُّ يَوْمٍ عَاشُورَاء، وَكُلُّ أَرْضٍ كَرْبَلَاء
“Every day is Ashura, and every land is Karbala.”
— Al-Qutayfi53, Al-Rasail al-Ahmadiyyah54, Volume 2, Page 273
— Al-Amin55, Ayan ash-Shia56, Volume 1, Page 620
Karbala and Ashura are not frozen in time — they are living realities, states of mind, and spiritual orientations that must be cultivated within ourselves and the generations to come.
The Students of Imam al-Sadiq: Youth as Carriers of a Thousand Narrations
At a time of political turbulence and repression, Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) chose not to retreat — but to educate, to clarify, and to cultivate a new generation of youth who would preserve the soul of Islam.
Among the thousands who studied under him were young men of remarkable insight and dedication. One of them was Hisham ibn al-Hakam, a young man in his twenties who became a giant in the world of Islamic theology and philosophy — defending the truth of the Imamate with logic, reason, and firm conviction.
The Imam would encourage his companions to write and document what they learned:
اُكْتُبُوا، فَإِنَّكُمْ لَا تَحْفَظُونَ حَتَّى تَكْتُبُوا
“Write down what you hear, for you will not preserve (knowledge) unless you write it.”
These youth were not students in name alone — they were protectors of knowledge, transmitters of the Prophetic legacy, and warriors in the intellectual battlefields of their time.
The story of Imam al-Sadiq and his students is not history — it is a blueprint. One that must be revived.
We must create opportunities for our youth today to engage meaningfully with the Quran and hadeeth — not simply to memorise, but to internalise, to question, to reflect.
Begin with Risalat al-Huquq, with the prayers of the Sahifah al-Sajjadiyyah, with the words of Sayyedah Zaynab and the sermons of Nahjul Balagha.
At the same time, there should be a strong focus on the teachings of the senior righteous scholars, such as Imam Khamenei, Imam Khomeini, Ayatullah Jawadi-Amoli, Shaykh Panahian, Ayatullah Misbah-Yazdi, and more.
Material should be presented and explained in English, and in a way that is too overwhelming academically; but using a style that engages, that appeals to the heart and soul, to the fitrah.
Let the seminar halls of our time be the coffee shops, the quiet rooms in masjids, the after-school sessions, the weekend intensives — whatever it takes to cultivate knowledge in young minds.
The Seminary of Qom: The Revival of Faith through Visionary Youth
In the modern era, the clearest case study of youth-led revival is the reawakening brought about by Imam Khomeini and the Islamic movement that emerged from Qom.
The revolution that shook the world was not the product of generals and armies — but of students, poets, seminarians, workers, and housewives — many under the age of thirty. These youth were not empty slogans — they were bearers of vision, rooted in Quranic belief and ready to sacrifice.
The Quran describes them best:
إِنَّهُمْ فِتْيَةٌ آمَنُوا بِرَبِّهِمْ وَزِدْنَـٰهُمْ هُدًى
“They were young men who believed in their Lord — and We increased them in guidance.”
—Quran, Surah al-Kahf (The Chapter of the Cave) #18, Verse 13
One of the most powerful tools of this modern revival has been media rooted in meaning. From the days of cassettes carrying the words of Imam Khomeini, to the Letter 4U campaign in recent years — the Islamic movement has always prioritised connection with youth through the language of sincerity and intellect.
Let the youth of today study this — not as politics, but as legacy.
Why did these young men and women rise?
What did they read?
What Quranic verses shaped them?
What role did mosques, seminaries, books, families, and teachers play?
Let us reawaken the spiritual, intellectual, and cultural movement that gave birth to such clarity.
Rebuilding Family Trust: The First Circle of Belonging
Before the youth ever seek belonging in a society, they seek it within the home. The family is the first circle of sanctuary, identity, and moral instruction. But in today’s world — saturated by ideological warfare, broken role models, and generational disconnect — this sanctuary has begun to fracture.
In many cases, the youth do not reject Islam outright. They reject the version of Islam they saw misrepresented at home: an Islam of control, contradiction, or coldness. When a parent disciplines with anger but forgets mercy, when rules are enforced without understanding, when the father recites duas but neglects his daughter’s tears — the disconnect begins.
The Quran urges:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا
“O you who believe! Shield yourselves and your families from a Fire…”
— Quran, Surah al-Tahrim (The Chapter of Prohibition) #66, Verse 6
But shielding does not mean imprisoning. Protection is not control — it is guidance, mercy, and presence.
Imam ʿAli (peace be upon him) said:
لَا تَجْبُرُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ عَلَى آدَابِكُمْ، فَإِنَّهُمْ مَخْلُوقُونَ لِزَمَانٍ غَيْرِ زَمَانِكُمْ
“Do not force your children to adopt your customs, for they have been created for a time other than your own.”
—Reyshahri59, Mizan al-Hikmah60, Volume 10, Page 711, Hadeeth 21391
This is not a call for relativism or the abandonment of values. It is a call for wise, prophetic parenting — for listening as well as teaching, for seeing the child as a trust, not a property.
Many youth today have questions they fear asking at home. They turn to the internet for answers because they fear the shame or fury of their own parents.
In such an environment, trust becomes the first casualty — and with it, religion often follows.
Rebuilding trust begins with humility.
The elder must not fear saying: “I was wrong.”
The mother must embrace her child with warmth before rebuke.
The father must sit and weep beside his son, not only lecture him from above.
Trust is not rebuilt through more rules — but through the return of rahmah (رَحمَة – mercy), of listening, of dua made at night for the child, not just discipline in the day.
Let every household revive the tradition of night conversation. Sit with your child not only to correct — but to listen, to understand, to love.
Let the youth see that Islam begins with the family that reflects divine mercy:
وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
“My Lord, have mercy on them, as they raised me when I was small.”
—Quran, Surah al-Isra (The Chapter of the Night Journey) #17, Verse 24
And when that trust returns — the youth will return too.
Spiritual Mentorship: The Lost Art of Companion-Based Guidance
In the Prophetic model, the youth were not abandoned to their own confusion, nor micromanaged into silence. They were accompanied — patiently, personally, and spiritually — by those more seasoned in knowledge and life.
Mentorship (tarbiyyah) in Islam was never limited to a classroom or a sermon. It was companionship: a lived example, a soul that guided not just with words but with presence.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) transformed youth like Ali, Jaʿfar, Ammar, and Zayd not by lectures alone, but by walking beside them — in hardship, prayer, and struggle.
In our age, this model is often lost.
Religious figures speak from a pulpit — distant, busy, and unapproachable.
Parents are overwhelmed.
Teachers are overburdened.
And the youth? They are left alone in a world of predators, screens, and false friends.
But without true mentorship, the youth either drift toward confusion or are captured by the well-funded systems of the soft war: influencers, entertainment, self-help gurus, or superficial spirituality.
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
عَلَى الشَّيْخِ الْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يُعَلِّمَ شَبَابَكُمْ عِلْمَكُمْ
“It is upon the elder Muslim to teach your youth what you know.”
The teacher must become a companion. The elder must become a witness. The religious guide must be someone the youth can walk with, not merely look up to from afar.
This form of mentorship is not about perfection — it is about sincerity, consistency, and empathy. A spiritual mentor listens more than he lectures. He knows when to speak, but more importantly, when to wait. He guides without breaking. He reflects the light of divine mercy without expecting worship.
The Quran says of the Prophet:
لَقَدْ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is your suffering; he is deeply concerned for you; and to the believers, he is most kind and merciful.”
— Quran, Surah at-Tawbah (The Chapter of Repentance) #9, Verse 128
This is the archetype of mentorship. The one who sees pain and cannot ignore it. The one who becomes a bridge between confusion and clarity. The one who — by his very way of being — reignites desire, guidance, and love for God.
If we wish to reclaim our youth, we must reclaim this model.
Restoring Reverence: Teaching the Youth to Love the Sacred
One of the most devastating casualties of the modern age is reverence — that sense of awe, humility, and sacred presence that once marked every encounter with the divine.
Where there is reverence, the soul softens. The tongue falls silent. The heart trembles. But when reverence dies, religion becomes performance, prayer becomes a chore, and the sanctities of Islam are reduced to slogans, spectacle, or mockery.
This is no accident. In the soft war, nothing is more dangerous than a youth who respects what is sacred. For such a youth is rooted — not in ego or trend — but in submission, in honour, and in the eternal.
The Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt taught reverence not just as etiquette, but as a path to proximity with God.
Imam al-Sajjad (peace be upon him) said:
وَأَمَّا حَقُّ مَنْ أَسَّسَكَ بِالْعِلْمِ فَالتَّعْظِيمُ لَهُ وَالتَّوْقِيرُ لَهُ وَالِاسْتِمَاعُ إِلَيْهِ وَالْإِعَانَةُ لَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ فِي مَا لَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْكَ
“The right of him who trains you through knowledge is magnifying him, respecting him, listening to him well, and assisting him for yourself and your own self, in that which you need from knowledge.”
—Risalat al-Huquq63, Right 7: The Right of the One Who Teaches You Knowledge
This principle extends to all manifestations of the sacred: the Quran, the mosque, the pulpit, religious gatherings, and the remembrance of Ahl al-Bayt. Reverence is not antiquated tradition — it is soul-defence.
But how do we teach this to a generation raised on sarcasm and spectacle?
Not by scolding them — but by modelling reverence ourselves.
Let the Quran be recited in our homes with care and beauty. Let the tears of mourning not be hidden. Let our voices tremble in prayer, our posture reflect awe, our speech carry modesty, and our gatherings honour decorum.
Let us teach the youth through our state, not just our sermons.
The Quran commands:
وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ
“And whoever honours the sacred symbols of God — indeed, it is from the piety of hearts.”
— Quran, Surah al-Hajj (The Chapter of the Pilgrimage) #22, Verse 32
This verse ties taqwa (God-consciousness) directly to reverence. To rebuild the ummah, we must rebuild reverence. And to rebuild reverence, we must first revere what we wish the youth to love.
In our assemblies, our schools, our masjids, and our families — restore sanctity. Speak the names of the Ahl al-Bayt with tears. Sit with the Quran as a companion, not a decoration. Treat the minbar as sacred trust, not a platform for performance.
The hearts of the youth, though wounded and distracted, are still yearning. But for that yearning to take root, the ground must once again become sacred.
Understanding the Attack Vectors: How the Youth Are Targeted
No war is won without understanding the strategy of the enemy. To protect and guide the youth, we must first understand how they are being targeted — not randomly, but with precision.
The soft war against the youth is an ideological, spiritual, and psychological campaign. It does not aim to convince them with arguments — it aims to disable them from caring at all. Its goal is not conversion, but corrosion: to erode their principles, dull their desires, break their families, and scatter their loyalties.
The Disintegration of Identity
The first attack is on identity. A young believer may ask: “Who am I?” — and before Islam can answer, a hundred false answers are shouted into his ears.
Through media, entertainment, and peer culture, youth are taught that their identity is not anchored in God, truth, family, or purpose — but in fleeting emotions, tribal hashtags, sexual labels, or political trends.
The result? A fragmented self. A youth who may bear a Muslim name, but no longer knows what it means to be Muslim.
The Quran warns:
وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنسَاهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
“And do not be like those who forgot God, so He made them forget themselves. They are the transgressors.”
— Quran, Surah al-Hashr (The Chapter of the Exile) #59, Verse 19
To forget God is to lose the self. And the one who loses the self becomes vulnerable to every lie, every desire, and every form of manipulation.
The Addiction to Distraction
The second attack is sensory overload. Today’s youth are immersed in digital noise — constant scrolling, flashing images, notifications, and superficial interaction. Their hearts are pulled in a thousand directions before they can even think.
This is not just a side effect — it is the strategy. A distracted heart cannot reflect. A scattered mind cannot engage with the Quran, cannot mourn for Imam Husayn, cannot yearn for truth.
The Imams taught that inner stillness is the key to awakening the soul.
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
مَا جَفَّتِ الدُّموعُ إِلَّا لِقَسْوَةِ الْقُلُوبِ، وَمَا قَسَتِ الْقُلُوبُ إِلَّا لِكَثْرَةِ الذُّنُوبِ
“Tears dry only because of hardness of hearts, and hearts harden only because of too many sins.”
Distraction is a form of sin — not always in content, but in effect. It numbs the heart, dulls the fitrah, and replaces reflection with reaction.
The Normalisation of Vice and Rebellion
The third attack is normalisation. What was once shameful is now trendy. What was once a private struggle is now a public performance. From music to film, fashion to humour, the sacred is mocked and the profane is celebrated.
Modesty is mocked. Piety is seen as backward. Hijab is painted as oppression. Masculinity is disfigured into violence or laziness. Femininity is turned into exhibitionism. Family is replaced by hookup culture. Prayer is ridiculed. Scholars are slandered. Religion is shown as irrelevant.
This is not just cultural drift — it is deliberate reprogramming.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
وَكَمْ مِنْ عَاقِلٍ أَسِيرٌ لِسُلْطَانِ هَوَاهُ
“How many intelligent people are enslaved by the power of their desires.”
—Nahjul Balagha66, Hikmah 211
And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) warned:
سَيَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ، يَكُونُ فِيهِ الْقَابِضُ عَلَى دِينِهِ كَالْقَابِضِ عَلَى الْجَمْرِ
“A time will come upon people when the one who clings to his religion will be like one holding onto hot coal.”
This is that time. The normalisation of sin is no accident — it is the battlefield of the age.
Building Shields: Strategies to Protect and Empower Youth
The purpose of clarification (tabyeen) is not simply to criticise — it is to cure. After identifying the attack vectors, we must now construct the shields: protective strategies rooted in revelation, reason, and resistance.
Reclaiming Identity Through Faith, History, and Purpose
The first strategy is to give the youth back their identity — not one manufactured by algorithms, but one forged in divine truth. This begins with:
Connecting them to Tawheed: Not as a theological theory, but as a living anchor that gives life meaning and order. Teach them that they are servants of God before anything else — not consumers, not followers, not content-creators.
Teaching their lineage of light: Many youth do not know who they are because they do not know whose legacy they carry. Let them know they are from the ummah of the Prophet, from the school of Imam Husayn, from the resistance of Sayyedah Zaynab, from the tears of Imam Sajjad, from the knowledge of Imam al-Sadiq, and from the waiting army of Imam al-Mahdi, may our souls be his ransom, and may God hasten his return.
Clarifying their mission: As the Prophet said:
كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ، وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْؤُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ
“Every one of you is a shepherd, and every one of you is responsible for their flock.”
The youth must be taught: You were not born to scroll. You were born to rise. You are responsible for yourself, your family, your society, and your future.
Cultivating Spiritual Stillness and Cognitive Clarity
The second shield is to restore silence and stillness to the youth’s inner world. No soul can receive truth when its attention is shattered.
Establish screen discipline: Introduce rhythms of silence. Call to times when phones are off, music is off, and the only voice is the voice of God — the Quran, the dua, the whisper in the heart.
Encourage retreats and muraqabah71: Even short, regular gatherings of worship, Quran recitation, and dhikr can nourish the soul.
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:أَحْيُوا أَمْرَنَا، رَحِمَ اللَّهُ مَنْ أَحْيَا أَمْرَنَا
“Revive our cause — may God have mercy on the one who revives our cause.”
Let the youth know: inner clarity begins with inner quiet.
Strengthening Family, Brotherhood, and Community Bonds
The third strategy is to repair the relationships that ground a young person. No one can resist the world alone.
Family circles: Encourage families to pray together, eat together, and share wisdom. Even small acts — reciting one verse of Quran together a day — can restore trust.
Youth brotherhoods and sisterhoods: Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:
أَكْثِرْ إِخْوَانَ الصِّدْقِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ عُدَّةٌ عِنْدَ الرَّخَاءِ، وَجُنَّةٌ عِنْدَ الْبَلَاءِ
“Increase your truthful brothers — they are your provision in times of ease, and your shield in times of tribulation.”
—Nahjul Balagha74, Hikmah 11
The youth must find their tribe — one rooted in sincerity and sincerity alone.Spaces of sincerity: Centres must be rebuilt as havens, not just halls. The youth must want to come — not be dragged there. They must feel seen, heard, and inspired — not judged, excluded, or bored.
Embedding Role Models and Living Examples
Abstract lectures do not inspire — living examples do.
Tell the stories of the martyrs: From Ali al-Akbar and Qasim ibn al-Hasan to Mohsen Hojaji and Ibrahim Hadi — teach the youth that Islam is not a theory, but a living cause that births courage and sacrifice.
Highlight modern righteous figures: Showcase those who rose from ordinary beginnings to extraordinary service — through media, short clips, books, and presentations.
Invite authentic speakers: Youth can tell when a speaker is sincere or not. Invite those who speak from the heart, not from notes. Those who know the Quran and their own pain. Let them feel the fire of truth again.
Training for the Jihad of Clarification
The final shield is empowerment. The youth must not just be protected — they must be armed with insight.
Teach them critical thinking: Not just what to believe, but why. Teach them how to spot propaganda, how to ask questions, how to verify sources.
Introduce them to the books of the Ahl al-Bayt: Not in inaccessible Arabic, but with reflection and meaning. Teach them the voice of Ziyarat Ashura, the longing of Dua Kumayl, the clarity of Sahifa Sajjadiyyah, and the plea of Dua al-Nudbah.
Challenge them to build: Let them make films, websites, posts, and content that speaks the truth. Help them see: you are not just targets — you are defenders of this cause.
Conclusion
From Clarification to Transformation
Clarification (tabyeen) is not a lecture. It is a lifeline.
When confusion swallows the horizon and falsehood walks clothed in piety, tabyeen becomes the bridge between survival and salvation. It is not the domain of scholars alone, but the duty of every soul that still believes in truth — and still trembles before God.
Throughout this session, we have explored:
The critical role of youth in the spiritual and ideological battlefield.
The attack vectors used to destabilise and corrupt their fitrah.
The teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) that empower and guide young hearts.
The stories of youth who rose as beacons in the darkest of nights — from Karbala to Qom, from the 7th century to the 21st.
And the practical, structured strategies to protect, purify, and unleash their potential.
This is not theory. This is obligation.
Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
كُونُوا لَنَا زَيْنًا، وَلَا تَكُونُوا عَلَيْنَا شَيْنًا
“Be an adornment to us, and not a disgrace upon us.”
The ummah that forgets its youth has forgotten its future. But the ummah that raises youth upon the Quran, dua, wilayah, and sincerity — that ummah will never perish.
Just as Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her) stood in Kufa and reminded the people of their betrayal, we too must remind ourselves. If we allow the youth to be lost — either to indulgence or to ignorance — then it is we who have failed the covenant of Karbala.
But if we rise to clarify, to teach, to struggle and to accompany them in love and insight — then we too will be counted among the Ansar (helpers) of Imam Husayn.
And this is not the end of our journey. In the next session — we will explore the role of believing women and elite ladies in the jihad of clarification: from Sayyedah Fatimah az-Zahra to Sayyedah Zaynab, from Umm al-Baneen to contemporary women who stood firm for truth.
Now, before we end, let us turn our hearts once more to the whisper of the broken… a Supplication-Eulogy drawn from Ziyarat, Dua, and the cry of Sayyedah Zaynab in Kufa.
Supplication-Eulogy #13: “O Awaited of the East and West…”
Third Night of Arbaeen - “O Awaited of the East and West…”
In Your Name, O God — the One who sees the tear before it falls,
And knows the sigh before it is breathed.
The Lord of the East and the West,
Of the Black Banner and the White Turban,
Of Karbala and of Gaza, of Qom and of Najaf, of London and Lagos,
Of every heart that still waits… and still believes.O God…
We were not there in Karbala.
We did not hear the cry:
“Is there anyone to help us?”
We did not hold the hands of the thirsty.
We did not stand before the spears.
We did not weep with Zaynab as she watched the tents burn.But, O Lord, we heard her words in Kufa.
And we trembled.We heard her say:
“O people of Kufa! Do you weep? By God, your tears will never dry…”
And we knew…
We are the people of Kufa.
Not by sword — but by silence.
Not by betrayal — but by hesitation.
Not by action — but by absence.O God…
We are ashamed before the broken ribs of Fatimah.
Ashamed before the severed arms of Abbas.
Ashamed before the bloodied cradle of Ali al-Asghar.
Ashamed before the uncovered head of Sajjad in chains.Forgive us…
Forgive us for the youth we lost to screens, to shame, to sin.
Forgive us for not shielding them with the sword of tabyeen.
Forgive us for raising children who know every celebrity
—but do not know Husayn.Forgive us for betraying the trust of Your Imam.
O God, You said:
“And We made from among them Imams who guided by Our command — because they were patient…”
— Qur’an, Surah al-Sajdah (The Chapter of Prostration) #32, Verse 24Make us patient, O Lord.
Make us truthful.
Make us worthy of his glance…O our Master, O son of Zahra, O Mahdi…
We see your pain in the eyes of Gaza’s children.
We see your hand raised behind the stones of the youth in Rafah.
We see your spirit in the martyrs of Nablus, and in the mothers who bury their sons without tears — because their tears are dry.We see your command in the voice of our Leader, Sayyid Ali Khamenei — may our souls be his ransom —
The one who speaks with your truth, and carries your banner in your absence.O Mahdi…
Every day, a new name is added to the Caravan of Husayn.
Every day, another soul ascends —
From Tehran to Tyre, from Basra to Bethlehem, from Qom to Quds.And we…
We are still waiting.
Still begging.
Still yearning to be counted among them.O God… Let our death be in Your path.
Let our youth be like Qasim, like Akbar, like Hojaji, like the martyrs of the Resistance.
Let our hearts never harden. Let our tears never stop.
Let our pulpits never be silent. Let our swords never rust.
Let our loyalty never waver.And when he comes…
When the Awaited rises…
When the sun rises in the West…
Then let it not be that he finds us among the deniers,
Or the silent,
Or the distracted.Let him find us ready.
Let him find us broken — but sincere.
Let him find us trembling — but loyal.
Let him find us among the lovers…
Among the mourners…
Among the soldiers of the Last Stand.O our Lord, hasten his reappearance.
And write us among his companions.
Amen, amen, O Lord of the worlds.
Amen, amen, O Most Merciful of the Merciful
And from Him alone is all ability and He has authority over all things.
Adapted from Ziyarat Arbaeen. The original from Ziyarat Arbaeen is in the singular form, I have taken the liberty of pluralising it:
The original Arabic and English translation is as follows:
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
اَلسَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ سَيِّدِ الْأَوْصِيَاءِ
أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَمِينُ اللَّهِ وَابْنُ أَمِينِهِ
عِشْتَ سَعِيداً وَمَضَيْتَ حَمِيداً وَمُتَّ فَقِيداً مَظْلُوماً شَهِيْداً
وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ مُنْجِزٌ مَا وَعَدَكَ
وَمُهْلِكٌ مَنْ خَذَلَكَ وَمُعَذِّبٌ مَنْ قَتَلَكَ
وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ وَفَيْتَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ
وَجَاهَدْتَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ حَتَّى أَتَاكَ الْيَقِينُ
فَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَكَ وَظَلَمَكَ
وَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ أُمَّةً سَمِعَتْ بِذَلِكَ فَرَضِيَتْ بِهِ
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَشْهَدُكَ أَنِّي وَلِيٌّ لِمَنْ وَلَاكَ
وَعَدُوٌّ لِمَنْ عَادَاكَ
بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِPeace be upon you, O son of the Messenger of God.
Peace be upon you, O son of the Master of the Successors.I bear witness that you are the trustee of God and the son of His trustee.
You lived a blessed life, departed praiseworthy, and died a martyr, deprived and wronged.
And I bear witness that God will fulfil what He promised you,
and will destroy those who abandoned you, and punish those who killed you.
And I bear witness that you fulfilled the covenant of God,
and strove in His way until certainty (death) came to you.So may God’s mercy be away from those who killed you and wronged you,
and God’s mercy be away from the nation that heard of this and was pleased with it.O God, I make You my witness that I am a friend to those who befriend him (Husayn),
and an enemy to those who are hostile to him.
May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O son of the Messenger of God.
I have made the following changes to the Arabic so as to pluralise:
أَشْهَدُ (ashhadu) - "I bear witness" (singular, first person)
Changed to نَشْهَدُ (nashhadu) - "We bear witness" (plural, first person). This is a change in the verb conjugation.
إِنِّي (inni) - "Indeed I" or "I am" (the ya at the end indicates "my" or "I")
Changed to إِنَّا (inna) - "Indeed we" or "We are" (the na at the end indicates "our" or "we").
وَلِيٌّ لِمَنْ وَلَاكَ (waliyyun li-man walaaka) - "a friend to those who befriend you" (singular noun "friend")
Changed to أَوْلِيَاءُ لِمَنْ وَلَاكَ (awliyaa'u li-man walaaka) - "friends to those who befriend you" (plural noun "friends").
وَعَدُوٌّ لِمَنْ عَادَاكَ (wa aduwwun li-man aadaaka) - "and an enemy to those who are hostile to you" (singular noun "enemy")
Changed to وَأَعْدَاءُ لِمَنْ عَادَاكَ (wa a’adaa’u li-man 'aadaaka) - "and enemies to those who are hostile to you" (plural noun "enemies").
بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَأُمِّي (bi-abi anta wa ummi) - "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you" (literally "with my father and my mother, you")
Changed to بِآبَائِنَا وَأُمَّهَاتِنَا (bi-aabaa'inaa wa ummahaatinaa) - "May our fathers and our mothers be sacrificed for you."
أَبِي (abi) "my father" (singular possessive) became آبَائِنَا (aabaa'inaa) "our fathers" (plural noun + plural possessive pronoun).
أُمِّي (ummi) "my mother" (singular possessive) became أُمَّهَاتِنَا (ummahaatinaa) "our mothers" (plural noun + plural possessive pronoun).
Nahjul Balagha (Arabic: نهج البلاغة, "The Peak of Eloquence") is a renowned collection of sermons, letters, and sayings attributed to Imam Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad and the first Imam of the Muslims.
The work is celebrated for its literary excellence, depth of thought, and spiritual, ethical, and political insights. Nahjul Balagha was compiled by Sharif al-Radi (al-Sharif al-Radi, full name: Abu al-Hasan Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Musawi al-Sharif al-Radi), a distinguished Shia scholar, theologian, and poet who lived from 359–406 AH (970–1015 CE).
Sharif al-Radi selected and organised these texts from various sources, aiming to showcase the eloquence and wisdom of Imam Ali. The book has had a profound influence on Arabic literature, Islamic philosophy, and Shia thought, and remains a central text for both religious and literary study
Abu al-Fath Abd al-Wahid al-Tamimi al-Amidi, an 11th-century (5th century AH) scholar, is revered for his meticulous compilation of Ghurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim. His dedication to preserving and organising Imam Ali's wisdom has made this collection an invaluable source of guidance and inspiration for generations of Shia Muslims, reflecting his commitment to disseminating the teachings of Ahl al-Bayt. (d. late 5th century AH/late 11th century CE).
Ghurar al-Hikam wa Durar al-Kalim (Exalted Aphorisms and Pearls of Speech), attributed to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, is a comprehensive collection of his sayings on ethics, morality, and spirituality, offering profound guidance for Shia Muslims. This work serves as a vital resource for understanding Imam Ali's teachings on virtuous living and the pursuit of divine closeness. (Compiled circa 40 AH/661 CE).
The Risalat al-Huquq (The Treatise of Rights) of Imam Zayn al-Abedeen stands as a profound testament to the ethical and moral framework of Shia Islam. Penned by the Imam, this seminal work meticulously outlines a comprehensive system of rights and obligations, serving as a guide for believers seeking to navigate their relationships with God, themselves, and the wider community. It illuminates the intricate web of responsibilities incumbent upon every Shia, from the rights of the Creator to the rights of one's own body, family, leaders, and even those outside the faith. By delving into the Risalat al-Huquq, we, as Shia Muslims, are reminded of the profound importance of upholding justice, compassion, and righteousness in all aspects of our lives, thereby drawing closer to God and embodying the true spirit of the Ahl al-Bayt.
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The Murji’ah were an early Islamic sect known for their doctrine of postponing judgment on the faith of Muslims who committed major sins, insisting that only God can determine a person’s true belief. They argued that as long as someone professed faith, their actions—even grave sins—did not expel them from Islam. This stance was in stark contrast to groups like the Kharijites, who declared sinners to be unbelievers, and it often led the Murji’ah to adopt a position of political quietism, discouraging opposition to unjust rulers.
From a Shia perspective, the Murji’ah are often criticised for their leniency towards tyrannical authorities and for downplaying the importance of righteous action and loyalty to the Ahl al-Bayt. Shia teachings emphasise that true faith is inseparable from good deeds and adherence to the guidance of the Prophet’s family, whereas the Murji’ah’s separation of faith from action is seen as a dangerous innovation that undermines the moral and spiritual responsibilities of believers.
Shaykh al-Kulayni (c. 864–941 CE / 250–329 AH), whose full name is Abu Jaʿfar Muhammad ibn Yaqub al-Kulayni al-Razi, was a leading Shia scholar and the compiler of al-Kafi, the most important and comprehensive hadeeth collection in Shia Islam.
Born near Rey in Iran around 864 CE (250 AH), he lived during the Minor Occultation of the twelfth Imam (874–941 CE / 260–329 AH) and is believed to have had contact with the Imam’s deputies.
Shaykh Al-Kulayni traveled extensively to collect authentic narrations, eventually settling in Baghdad, a major center of Islamic scholarship.
His work, al-Kafi, contains over 16,000 traditions and is divided into sections on theology, law, and miscellaneous topics, forming one of the "Four Books" central to Shia hadeeth literature.
Renowned for his meticulous scholarship and piety, Shaykh al-Kulayni’s legacy remains foundational in Shia studies, and he is buried in Baghdad, where he died in 941 CE (329 AH).
Al-Kafi is a prominent Shia hadeeth collection compiled by Shaykh al-Kulayni (see Note 1) in the first half of the 10th century CE (early 4th century AH, approximately 300–329 AH / 912–941 CE). It is divided into three sections:
Usul al-Kafi (theology, ethics),
Furu' al-Kafi (legal issues), and
Rawdat al-Kafi (miscellaneous traditions)
Containing between 15,000 and 16,199 narrations and is considered one of the most important of the Four Books of Shia Islam
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In January 2015, following the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris and the subsequent rise of Islamophobia, Imam Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, and Leader of the Islamic Revolution, penned an open letter addressed directly to the youth of the Western world. This letter, famously referred to as "Letter4U" or "First Letter to the Youth of the West," was a significant and unconventional diplomatic gesture. Its primary aim was to encourage Western youth to critically examine the prevailing narratives about Islam and Muslims, urging them to seek knowledge about Islam from its original sources rather than relying on biased media portrayals or political agendas. He invited them to engage in direct, unbiased inquiry into the Quran and the life of the Prophet Muhammad, emphasising the true, peaceful nature of Islam and distinguishing it from extremist interpretations. The letter sought to foster understanding, bridge cultural divides, and counter the spread of Islamophobia by appealing directly to the intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness of a younger generation. The full letter can be found here.
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On August 19, 2009, Imam Khamenei delivered a powerful address to University Students on the nature of the soft war, and its primary target. The full speech can be found here.
On January 8, 2020, Imam Khamenei delivered a speech to the people of the city of Qom. The full speech can be found here.
On May 22, 2019, Imam Khamenei delivered a speech to the students. The full speech can be found here.
On September 16, 2015, Imam Khamenei delivered a speech to the commanders of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC). The full text of the speech can be found here.
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Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi (1037 AH / 1627 CE - 1110 or 1111 AH / 1698 or 1699 CE), a highly influential Shia scholar of the Safavid era, is best known for compiling Bihar al-Anwar, a monumental encyclopedia of Shia hadeeth, history, and theology that remains a crucial resource for Shia scholarship; he served as Shaykh al-Islam, promoting Shia Islam and translating Arabic texts into Persian, thereby strengthening Shia identity, though his views and actions, particularly regarding Sufism, have been subject to debate.
Bihar al-Anwar (Seas of Light) is a comprehensive collection of hadeeths (sayings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad and the Imams) compiled by the prominent Shia scholar Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi.
This extensive work covers a wide range of topics, including theology, ethics, jurisprudence, history, and Quranic exegesis, aiming to provide a complete reference for Shia Muslims.
Allamah Majlisi began compiling the Bihar al-Anwar in 1070 AH (1659-1660 CE) and completed it in 1106 AH (1694-1695 CE), drawing from numerous sources and serving as a significant contribution to Shia Islamic scholarship.
Taqleed (تَقلِيد – Imitation) and the Role of the Marja: When a mukallaf (accountable believer) cannot reach personal certainty, they are obligated to follow a qualified jurist through taqleed. The legitimacy of this is based on rational necessity (referring to experts) and riwayaat (narrations). Key references: Sayyid Yazdi’s al-Urwat al-Wuthqa, section on taqleed, and Shaykh al-Ansari’s al-Rasa’il.
Irshaad and Tabyeen (إِرشَاد وَ تَبْيِين – Guidance and Clarification): Not every speech from the wali al-faqih is a binding ruling (hukm), but it may constitute spiritual instruction (irshaad) and clarification (tabyeen). If this leads to qat’ or strong itminaan, it becomes a hujjah. See discussions in Sayyid al-Khui’s Mu’jam al-Usul and lectures from Shaheed al-Sadr on epistemic authority.
Hujjiyyat al-Qaṭʿ (حُجِّيَّةُ القَطْع – The Authoritativeness of Certainty): In Shia usul al-fiqh, certainty (qat’) is binding (hujjah) and forms the basis of responsibility (taklif). See Shaykh al-Ansari, Fara’id al-Usul (رسائل), Volume 1, under qat’ wa hujjiyyah. The one who attains certainty, even through non-formal channels, is obliged to act according to it.
Wilayat al-Faqih (وِلَايَةُ الفَقِيه – Guardianship of the Jurist): This concept affirms that, in the absence of the infallible Imam, a qualified jurist may assume limited or absolute authority (wilayah al-ammah or wilayah al-mutlaqah) in guiding society. Foundations are laid out in Imam Khomeini’s al-Hukumah al-Islamiyyah and taught in advanced dars al-kharij sessions at the hawzah of Qom.
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Ontological: Pertaining to ontology, the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of being, existence, and reality. In Shia Islamic thought, ontological discussions often address the fundamental reality of God (Wajib al-Wujud), the contingent nature of creation, and the metaphysical relationship between the Creator and the created. Such discussions also explore the spiritual realities of the Imams as perfect manifestations of divine attributes, emphasising how all existence ultimately derives from and relates to the absolute being of God.
Ziyarat al-Jamia al-Kabirah stands as a profound testament to the exalted station of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), the blessed household of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). Recited by Shia Muslims worldwide, this ziyarah, attributed to Imam Ali al-Hadi, serves as a comprehensive declaration of faith and devotion. It eloquently articulates the unique virtues, divine knowledge, and pivotal role of the Imams in guiding humanity and safeguarding the true essence of Islam. Through its eloquent verses, believers reaffirm their allegiance to the Ahl al-Bayt, seeking their intercession and striving to emulate their noble example in all aspects of life, recognising them as the divinely appointed leaders and the inheritors of the Prophet's legacy.
Dua Abu Hamza al-Thumali is one of the most profound and spiritually rich supplications in the Shia tradition, attributed to Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-Abedeen (peace be upon him) and transmitted by his close companion Abu Hamza al-Thumali. Traditionally recited during the pre-dawn hours of the holy month of Ramadan, this duʿāʾ is renowned for its eloquent expression of humility, repentance, and hope in God’s mercy. It guides the believer through themes of self-reflection, acknowledgment of human shortcomings, and the boundless compassion of the Divine, making it a cherished part of nightly worship for generations of Shia Muslims. The text of Dua Abu Hamza is preserved in classical sources such as Shaykh al-Tusi’s Misbah al-Mutahajjid, and continues to inspire hearts with its intimate tone and deep spiritual insight.
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Ziyarat Aal-e-Yaseen is a significant prayer in Shia Islam, deeply connected to Imam Mahdi, the prophesied redeemer. Considered a Hadeeth Qudsi (see Note 7), a direct communication from God, this Ziyarat is found in important texts like Mafatih al-Jinaan.
It equates the term "Aal-e-Yaseen" with "Aal-e-Muhammad," emphasising its importance and connection to the Prophet's family.
Reciting this Ziyarat is not only a way to pay respects to Imam al-Mahdi but also a means of affirming core Islamic beliefs and seeking relief from oppression, making it a central practice for many Shia Muslims.
Dua al-Ahd, a cornerstone of Shia Islamic practice, is a daily supplication recited after Fajr (dawn prayer) to renew one's pledge of allegiance to Imam al-Mahdi, the awaited saviour in Shia theology. The term "Ahd" signifies a covenant or pledge, and this dua encapsulates the believer's commitment to support the Imam in his divinely ordained mission to establish justice and eradicate oppression from the world. Reciting Dua al-Ahd is believed to strengthen the spiritual bond between the individual and the Imam, fostering a sense of anticipation for his reappearance and inspiring believers to embody the virtues of piety, righteousness, and unwavering dedication to his cause. It serves as a constant reminder of the believer's responsibility to actively work towards moral and social reform, preparing themselves to be worthy soldiers in the Imam's army when he emerges to usher in an era of peace and justice. The dua includes powerful affirmations of loyalty, sacrifice, and obedience to the Imam's commands, reflecting a deep yearning for his presence and a fervent desire to be among his devoted followers.
Shaykh al-Hurr al-Ameli (1033–1104 AH/1624–1693 CE) was a towering Imami scholar and traditionist, best known for his monumental work Wasail al-Shia, a comprehensive compilation of Shia hadeeths on jurisprudence. Born in Jabal Amel (modern-day Lebanon), he later migrated to Iran, where he became a prominent figure in the Safavid scholarly circles. His Wasail systematically organises over 35,000 narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt into fiqh chapters, serving as an indispensable reference for Shia jurists. A devout follower of the Imams, he also authored works on theology, rijaal (hadeeth narrators), and pilgrimage rituals, embodying the scholarly tradition of Twelver Shi’ism. His legacy endures as a bridge between early Shia hadeeth literature and later Usuli scholarship.
Wasail al-Shia (وسائل الشيعة), compiled by Shaykh al-Hurr al-Ameli, is one of the most authoritative and comprehensive collections of Shia hadeeths on Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). Officially titled Tafsil Wasail al-Shia ila Tahsil Masail al-Sharia, this monumental work meticulously organises over 35,000 narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt into thematic chapters, covering all aspects of religious practice—from purification and prayer to social and economic rulings. Unlike earlier hadeeth collections, Wasā’il serves as a systematic fiqh manual, drawing primarily from the Kutub al-Arba’a (the Four Books of Shia hadeeth) while incorporating additional chains and commentaries. Its unparalleled structure and reliability have made it a cornerstone of Shia scholarship, widely relied upon by jurists (fuqaha) and students of Islamic law. The work also includes the author’s critical notes on hadeeth authenticity, reflecting the rigour of Imami scholarship. To this day, it remains an essential reference for deriving legal rulings and understanding the teachings of the Prophet and the Imams.
Muwaffaq ibn Ahmad al-Khuwarizmi (d. 568 AH / 1172 CE) was a distinguished Sunni scholar, historian, and preacher whose works hold significant value in both Sunni and Shia traditions, particularly for his detailed accounts of the events of Karbala. Born in Khwarazm, he is best known for his magnum opus, Maqtal al-Husayn, a comprehensive narrative of the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) and the tragedy of Ashura. Al-Khuwarizmi’s meticulous documentation and eloquent style have made his writings a respected source among Shia scholars and communities, who frequently reference his accounts in commemorations and scholarly works. His contributions have played a vital role in preserving the historical memory of Karbala and fostering inter-sectarian understanding through his balanced and empathetic approach to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
Muwaffaq ibn Ahmad al-Khuwarizmi Maqtal al-Husayn stands as a pivotal historical work, meticulously documenting the life and martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him) and the tragic events of Karbala. Composed by a Sunni scholar, this Maqtal is highly regarded within Shia scholarship for its comprehensive narrative, detailed accounts, and the profound respect it demonstrates for the Ahl al-Bayt. Al-Khuwarizmi diligently compiled narrations from various sources, presenting a vivid and often heart-wrenching portrayal of the suffering endured by the Imam and his companions. Its inclusion of specific dialogues, such as Qasim ibn al-Hasan's famous reply "sweeter than honey," underscores its rich historical and spiritual value, making it an indispensable reference for understanding the tragedy of Ashura and its enduring significance in Islamic history.
Sayyid Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Qutayfi was a notable Shia scholar and jurist active around the 7th century AH (13th century CE). He is best known for compiling Al-Rasail al-Ahmadiyyah, a respected collection of scholarly treatises and legal opinions addressing various theological, jurisprudential, and doctrinal issues within Shia Islam. Al-Qutayfi’s work reflects a deep engagement with the intellectual debates of his time and demonstrates his commitment to clarifying and defending Shia beliefs. Al-Rasail al-Ahmadiyyah is valued among Shia scholars for its methodical approach and its contribution to the development of Shia thought, serving as a useful reference for students and researchers interested in the evolution of Shia jurisprudence and theology during that period.
Al-Rasail al-Ahmadiyyah is a significant collection of scholarly treatises compiled by Sayyid Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Qutayfi, a prominent Shia jurist of the 7th century AH (13th century CE). This work gathers a range of legal, theological, and doctrinal discussions that reflect the intellectual concerns and debates of its era within Shia Islam. The treatises address various issues in jurisprudence and belief, often providing detailed arguments and clarifications in defence of Shia positions. Al-Rasail al-Ahmadiyyah is valued for its systematic approach and scholarly rigour, making it an important reference for researchers and students interested in the development of Shia thought and the scholarly traditions of the medieval Islamic world.
Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin al-Amili (d. 1371 AH/1952 CE) was a prominent Shia scholar, jurist, and historian of the 20th century, known for his significant contributions to Islamic scholarship and social reform in Lebanon. He is best known as the author of Ayaan al-Shia, a comprehensive biographical encyclopedia of notable Shia figures throughout history, covering scholars, poets, and other influential individuals. Al-Amin's Ayaan al-Shia is highly regarded for its detailed and meticulously researched entries, providing valuable insights into the intellectual, cultural, and religious history of the Shia community, and remains a crucial reference work for researchers and scholars in the field of Shia studies.
Ayaan al-Shia is a comprehensive biographical encyclopedia of prominent Shia figures throughout history, authored by Sayyid Muhsin al-Amin al-Amili. This multi-volume work meticulously documents the lives, contributions, and legacies of notable Shia scholars, poets, theologians, and other influential individuals, providing detailed accounts of their biographies, works, and intellectual achievements. Ayaan al-Shia serves as an invaluable resource for researchers and scholars interested in the intellectual, cultural, and religious history of the Shia community, offering a rich and detailed tapestry of the lives and accomplishments of its most significant personalities.
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Ayatollah Muhammad Reyshahri (محمد ریشهری), born in 1946 CE (1365 AH) and passing away in 2022 CE (1443 AH), was a prominent Iranian Shia scholar, jurist, and statesman. Renowned for his deep scholarship and commitment to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), Reyshahri played a significant role in the Islamic Republic of Iran, serving as the country’s first Minister of Intelligence and later as the custodian of the holy shrine of Abdul Azim al-Hasani in Rey. He is perhaps best known in the scholarly world for compiling the encyclopaedic work Mizan al-Hikmah (ميزان الحكمة), a comprehensive collection of hadeeths and wise sayings from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, which has become a valuable resource for Shia scholars and laypeople alike. Reyshahri’s contributions to Islamic thought, education, and governance have left a lasting legacy within the Shia community.
Mizan al-Hikmah (ميزان الحكمة), or "The Scale of Wisdom," is an monumental encyclopaedic work compiled by the esteemed Shia scholar Ayatollah Muhammad Reyshahri. This multi-volume collection serves as an invaluable compendium of hadeeths, traditions, and wise sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and the infallible Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Organised thematically, Mizan al-Hikmah covers a vast array of topics, from theology and ethics to social conduct and practical life, making it an accessible and comprehensive reference for both scholars and the general public seeking guidance from Islamic teachings. Its meticulous compilation and broad scope have established it as a cornerstone in contemporary Shia libraries, facilitating deeper engagement with the rich heritage of prophetic and Imamate wisdom.
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Mirza Husayn al-Nuri al-Tabarsi (d. 1320 AH/1902 CE), commonly known as al-Muhaddith al-Nuri, was a highly influential Shia scholar and muhaddith (hadeeth transmitter) of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is best known for his monumental work, Mustadrak al-Wasa'il wa Mustanbit al-Masa'il, which serves as a supplement to the famous hadeeth collection Wasa'il al-Shia by al-Hurr al-Amili. Al-Nuri's Mustadrak includes thousands of additional hadeeths that were not present in the original Wasa'il, making it an indispensable resource for Shia scholars seeking a more comprehensive compilation of hadeeth literature, despite some controversies surrounding certain narrations included in his work.
Mustadrak al-Wasa'il wa Mustanbit al-Masa'il is a comprehensive Shia hadeeth collection compiled by Mirza Husayn al-Nuri al-Tabarsi as a supplement to Wasa'il al-Shia by Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Hurr al-Amili. Intended to complement the earlier work, Mustadrak al-Wasa'il includes a vast number of hadeeths that were not included in Wasa'il al-Shia, aiming to provide a more exhaustive compilation of Shia hadeeth literature. While highly valued for its extensive content, the Mustadrak has also faced some criticism regarding the authenticity and reliability of certain narrations contained within it, making it a subject of ongoing scholarly evaluation and scrutiny within Shia academic circles.
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Muraqabah, or spiritual vigilance, occupies a central place in the ethical and mystical teachings of Shia Islam. Rooted in the Quranic call to self-awareness and God-consciousness, this practice has been emphasised by both classical and contemporary Shia scholars as a foundational step in the journey toward nearness to God. Classical works such as "Jami al-Sa’adat" by Mulla Mahdi Naraqi and "Mi’raj al-Sa’adah" by Mulla Ahmad Naraqi discuss muraqabah as the constant monitoring of one’s intentions, thoughts, and actions, always with the awareness that God is present and observing. This notion is echoed in the words of Imam Ali, who said, “He who keeps watch over his soul will be safe from destruction.”
In the modern era, leading Shia authorities have continued to stress the transformative power of muraqabah.
Imam Khomeini, in his "Forty Hadeeth," describes muraqabah as an essential discipline for purifying the heart and attaining sincerity in worship, urging believers to be ever-mindful of God’s presence in every moment.
Allamah Tabatabai, renowned for his spiritual insight, regarded muraqabah as a means to break the chains of heedlessness and cultivate true self-knowledge.
Ayatullah Bahjat, known for his deep spirituality, frequently advised his students to practice muraqabah as a way to guard against sin and strengthen their relationship with God.
Similarly, Imam Khamenei has highlighted the importance of self-vigilance, noting that muraqabah leads to greater self-control, humility, and spiritual growth. The benefits of this practice are manifold: it fosters sincerity, curbs the ego, and brings tranquility to the heart, ultimately guiding the believer toward the lofty station of nearness to God.
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