[15] Tabyeen (Clarification) - The Ink, the Poem, the Witness

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 اللَّهِ

Peace 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 fifteenth 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 fifth— and final part of the second series on Tabyeen.

As with our other series and 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; all of which 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:

Tabyeen (Clarification) - Index

Video of the Majlis (Sermon/Lecture)

Audio of the Majlis (Sermon/Lecture)

Recap

In the Footsteps of Sayyedah Zaynab

In the fourteenth session of this jihad of clarification, we turned our gaze toward a luminous yet often misunderstood pillar of divine resistance — Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her). We did not approach her merely as a bereaved sister, nor only as the captive woman of Karbala. We approached her — as she revealed herself in the court of Yazid — as a hujjah, a clarifier, a preserver of divine wilayah, and a living extension of Husayn’s mission beyond the battlefield.

The session sought to reclaim her legacy not only from cultural sentimentalism, but from centuries of patriarchal distortion. We located her within the Quranic lineage of women entrusted with divine missions: from Sayyedah Maryam (peace be upon her), the mother of the Messiah, who was chosen above all women; to Sayyedah Asiyah, who defied Pharaoh in his own palace; to the unnamed mother of Musa, inspired by revelation; to the believing women of early Islam who bore witness to truth despite the cost.

In this constellation, Sayyedah Zaynab stood as the post-Ashura embodiment of this divine feminine strength — not merely complementary to Imam Husayn, but integral to the completion and clarification of his sacrifice.

We examined how her clarification — her tabyeen — took form not in polemics but in piercing words spoken in the epicentres of distortion. In Kufa and Damascus, she overturned the narrative architecture of the oppressors with truth. Her voice, forged in the fire of grief and certainty, did not waver when she uttered the immortal words:

“I saw nothing but beauty.”

This was not poetic denial — it was theological resistance. It was wilayah speaking through a woman who had seen the blood of her sons and brothers flow like rivers — yet saw in it the justice of God.

The discourse then turned to the qualities that made this tabyeen possible. We explored the spiritual foundations of Sayyedah Zaynab’s mission: her proximity to the Ahl al-Bayt, her knowledge (ma‘rifah), her patience (sabr), and her unshakeable steadfastness (istiqamah). These were not accidental traits but cultivated stations of the soul — a soul shaped by wilayah, refined by divine trials, and entrusted with the most sensitive portion of the Husayni mission: to carry the truth through chains, humiliation, and hostile audiences, without allowing it to be distorted.

We then positioned Sayyedah Zaynab not just as a figure of the past, but as a living standard for our present. In a time when women are both objectified and marginalised — when slogans of ‘freedom’ mask new forms of enslavement — her example breaks the binaries. She was neither veiled into silence nor unveiled into vulgarity.

She was the speech of Imam Husayn made manifest, the veil of sanctity turned into a banner of defiance. She was the guardian of the message — not in hiding, but in confrontation.

The session also reasserted that tabyeen is not a male enterprise — it is a divine duty.

Sayyedah Zaynab was not an anomaly; she was a prototype.

The Ahl al-Bayt trained her, trusted her, and through her proved that womanhood in Islam, when rooted in divine purpose, becomes a vessel of revelation, not merely reception.

The words of Imam Khomeini, Shaheed Beheshti, and Shaheed Mutahhari affirmed this, reclaiming the role of women as theological, moral, and political agents — not mere spectators to the struggle for truth.

The session closed with the supplication-eulogy titled “Zaynab Is Our Witness” — a whispered call from the plains of Karbala to the silence of Gaza, from the sanctity of the shrine to the numbness of our screens. It asked:

Do we walk like Sayyedah Zaynab walked?
Do we carry the burden of her chains?
Or have we become content with tears that excuse inaction?

In this haunting prayer, Sayyedah Zaynab was not only remembered — she was invoked. She was not only eulogised — she was called upon as a witness to our betrayal or our awakening.

Thus, part fourteen was not a biography — it was a mirror.

A mirror to reflect the weight of our responsibilities in an age where truth is veiled by spectacle, and where the pulpit, like the court of Yazid, is often used to sanctify oppression.

It was a call to rise — not just in grief, but in clarity.

Not just in love, but in allegiance.

Not just in mourning, but in tabyeen.

Tabyeen (Clarification) - The Ink, the Poem, the Witness

The Quran, the Ink, and the Witness

From the first moment of revelation to the last echo of divine discourse, the Quran is a Book of inked words and eternal meanings. It is recitation (tilawah) and it is inscription (kitabah). It is heard by the ears of the humble and written by the pens of the purified. It is not just a book to be recited — it is a witness.

God describes the Quran as a “shahid” — a witness over the destinies of men:

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا

Thus We have made you a middle nation that you may be witnesses to the people, and that the Messenger may be a witness to you.

— Quran, Surah al-Baqarah (the Chapter of the Cow) #2, Verse 143

and more specifically Imam as-Sadiq teaches:

عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (ع) قَالَ
إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ شَافِعٌ مُشَفَّعٌ وَمَاحِلٌ مُصَدَّقٌ، فَمَنْ جَعَلَهُ أَمَامَهُ قَادَهُ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ، وَمَنْ جَعَلَهُ خَلْفَهُ سَاقَهُ إِلَى النَّارِ

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: “The Quran is a witness, an intercessor whose intercession is accepted, and a prosecutor whose case is accepted. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; and whoever puts it behind him, it will drive him to the Fire.”

— Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 599, Hadeeth 2

Furthermore, the Quran is a light, that guides:

وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ رُوحًا مِّنْ أَمْرِنَا ۚ مَا كُنتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتَابُ وَلَا الْإِيمَانُ وَلَٰكِن جَعَلْنَاهُ نُورًا نَّهْدِي بِهِ مَن نَّشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا ۚ

“And thus We have revealed to you a Spirit of Our command. You did not know what the Book was, nor the faith. But We made it a light by which We guide whomever We wish of Our servants.”

— Quran, Surah al-Shura (The Chapter of the Consultation) #42, Verse 52

However, the Quran is not merely a guide — it is a recording witness, a source of truth, and a scale by which all claims are weighed. It testifies on behalf of those who lived by it, and against those who betrayed it.

وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا

“And the Messenger will say, ‘O my Lord! Indeed my people have taken this Quran as [a thing] neglected.’”

— Quran, Surah al-Furqan (the Chapter of the Criterion) #25, Verse 30

This verse reveals a divine complaint — not by a man, but by the Messenger of God himself. The people did not burn the Quran. They did not mock it openly. But they abandoned it: they left its meanings unpondered, its justice unimplemented, and its clarifications unspoken.

The Quran speaks. It records. It stands in the Divine Court — and it bears witness.

The Inked Word is Not Passive

It is easy to imagine the Quran as only a text — mute, still, confined to calligraphy or mushaf. But in the hadeeth of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), the Quran is active, present, speaking, and alive:

عَنِ ٱلصَّادِقِ (ع): إِنَّ ٱلْقُرْآنَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ، وَإِنَّهُ يَجْرِي كَمَا يَجْرِي ٱلْلَّيْلُ وَٱلنَّهَارُ، وَكَمَا تَجْرِي ٱلشَّمْسُ وَٱلْقَمَرُ، وَيَجْرِي عَلَىٰ آخِرِنَا كَمَا يَجْرِي عَلَىٰ أَوَّلِنَا

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: “The Quran is alive, it does not die. It flows as night and day flow. It flows as the sun and moon flow. It applies to our last [generation] as it applied to our first.”

— Shaykh al-Saduq², Ilal al-Sharai’³, Volume 1, Page 135, Hadeeth #1

Every verse carries within it the spirit of divine guidance, not frozen in time, but renewed in every age. This living quality gives the Quran its role as witness, not merely to what happened — but to what should have happened. It exposes negligence. It affirms sincerity. It judges in silence.

The Witness Needs a Scribe

If the Quran is the ultimate witness — then those who write, recite, interpret, or carry its message become scribes of the witness. Their ink is not neutral. Their silence is not without consequence.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:

مَا أَخَذَ اللهُ عَلَى الجُهَّالِ أَنْ يَتَعَلَّمُوا، حَتّى أَخَذَ عَلَى العُلَمَاءِ أَنْ يُعَلِّمُوا

“God did not take a covenant from the ignorant to learn, until He took a covenant from the learned to teach.”

— Nahjul Balagha⁴, Saying #478

The same covenant applies to those who write poetry, who compose lamentations, who publish words in the name of Islam.

They do not simply reflect — they amplify.

They do not merely mourn — they transmit testimony.

The Quran is the Standard of Truth and the First of Witnesses

In the cosmology of Islam, everything will bear witness on the Day of Judgement: the limbs, the angels, the books, the records, the messengers. But the first and greatest of these witnesses is the Quran itself.

وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَّكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ ۖ وَسَوْفَ تُسْأَلُونَ

“Indeed, it is a reminder for you and for your people — and soon you will be questioned.”

— Quran, Surah az-Zukhruf (The Chapter of the Ornaments) #43, Verse 44

The one who forgets the Quran, or abandons its message, is not simply guilty of neglect. He is found wanting when the Quran is called to the witness stand.

The First Thing God Created: The Pen

The Quran opens with an oath that trembles through the fabric of revelation:

ن ۚ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ

“Nun. By the Pen and what they inscribe!”

— Quran, Surah al-Qalam (The Chapter of the Pen) #68, Verse 1

This is not merely a symbolic verse. It is a declaration. God swears by the Pen — not a sword, not a throne, not even the Kabah — but the Pen.

Why?

Because truth must be preserved, and injustice must be recorded. The Pen is the custodian of meaning. Without it, revelation would not be recited, law would not be preserved, and martyrdoms would be forgotten.

The Primordial Pen – First of God’s Creations

In the hadeeth of the Prophet and the Imams (peace be upon them), it is narrated that the first thing God ever created was the Pen. Before the universe, before angels, before time — there was the instrument of recording.

أَوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ الْقَلَمُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: اكْتُبْ، فَقَالَ: مَا أَكْتُبُ؟ قَالَ: اكْتُبِ الْقَدَرَ وَمَا كَائِنٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

“The first thing God created was the Pen. He said to it: ‘Write.’ It replied: ‘What shall I write?’ He said: ‘Write the decree and all that shall be until the Day of Resurrection.’”

— Shaykh al-Saduq⁵, Kitab al-Tawheed⁶, Chapter 55: “Bab al-Qalam” (the Chapter of the Pen), Hadeeth #4

This Pen is not an earthly object. It is the metaphysical beginning — the instrument of Divine Will made visible. It is the Pen of pre-eternal decree (qadar), the register of creation, the script of destiny.

The Aql (Intellect) and the Qalam (Pen) – A Parallel

Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) draws a deep connection between the Pen (qalam) and the Intellect (aql):

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ الْعَقْلُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَقْبِلْ، فَأَقْبَلَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: أَدْبِرْ، فَأَدْبَرَ، فَقَالَ: وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلَالِي، مَا خَلَقْتُ خَلْقًا أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْكَ، وَلَا أَكْمَلْتُكَ إِلَّا فِيمَنْ أُحِبُّ

“Indeed, the first thing God created was the intellect. He said to it: ‘Come forward,’ and it came forward. Then He said: ‘Withdraw,’ and it withdrew. He said: ‘By My Glory and Majesty, I have not created anything more beloved to Me than you. And I shall complete you only in those whom I love.’”

— Al-Kulayni⁷, Al-Kafi⁸, Volume 1, Book of Intellect and Ignorance, Hadeeth #1

Some narrations say the Pen was first; others say the Intellect was first. The scholars reconcile this not as a contradiction, but as a harmony:

The Qalam is the outward inscription of the Aql.

That which is known is written.

That which is written is preserved.

The Divine Command to Write – A Duty of Transmission

The first verses of revelation instruct the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):

اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ
الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ

“Recite, and your Lord is the Most Generous — the One who taught by the Pen.”

— Quran, Surah al-Alaq (The Chapter of the Clot) #96, Verses 3–4

The act of reading (qiraa'ah) and the act of writing (kitabah) are not separate in Islam. Revelation begins with the command to recite and is immediately followed by reference to the Pen — linking orality and literacy, spirit and form, message and medium.

The Weight of the Scribe

He who writes for truth, for remembrance, for clarity, holds a rank in Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said:

مَنْ كَتَبَ عِلْمًا فِي الْإِسْلَامِ لَمْ يَزَلْ يَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ مَا بَقِيَ ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ

“Whoever writes knowledge in Islam, the angels shall continue to seek forgiveness for him so long as that writing remains.”

— Shaykh al-Saduq⁹, Thawaab al-A‘maal¹⁰, Page 81, Hadeeth #1

This is the weight of ink: it can earn a person angelic intercession, or divine rebuke. For the scribe who records falsehood, distorts religion, or beautifies sin, his pen becomes a witness against him.

The Weight of a Word in Divine Record

In the sight of men, a word may seem light — a fleeting sound, a line of ink, a momentary verse. But in the sight of God, every word is weighed.

The Quran presents this truth with startling clarity:

مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ

“He does not utter a single word without a ready observer beside him.”

— Quran, Surah Qaf (The Chapter of Qaf) #50, Verse 18

The scribal angels do not wait for actions — they record speech. The kalimah (word) carries moral weight.

A lie is not just a distortion of fact — it is an ink-stain on the soul.

A word of truth is not just a sound — it is a seed in the divine soil.

The Word as Deed – Not Just Sound

Islam does not treat words as immaterial. The Quran directly links speech to moral accountability — a reality often forgotten in a world drowning in slogans, songs, and spectacle.

مَّا يَلْفِظُ مِن قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ

“He does not utter a single word without a ready observer beside him.”

— Quran, Surah Qaf (The Chapter of Qaf) #50, Verse 18

Even the simplest utterance — sincere or sarcastic, whispered or broadcast — is recorded. These words are not echoes. They are inscriptions.

And on the Day of Judgement, they will carry weight:

فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ
فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ

“As for him whose scales are heavy [with good], he shall be in a pleasing life.”

— Quran, Surah al-Qariah (the Chapter of the Striking Calamity) #101, Verses 6–7

The Scale Weighs Meaning, Not Mass

Allamah Tabatabai and other exegetes in the Shia tradition explain that the mizaan (scale) in the Quran is not merely symbolic nor based on physical mass.

It is a true scale that weighs the moral gravity of actions, intentions, and words — measuring their nearness or distance from divine justice.

الميزان في القرآن هو مظهر من مظاهر العدالة الإلهية، ويزن الأعمال بمدى صدقها وقربها من الله، لا بمظاهرها الخارجية فقط.

“The scale in the Quran is a manifestation of divine justice, which weighs deeds by the truth they contain and their nearness to God, not merely by their outward form.”

— Summarised¹¹ from the method of Allamah Tabatabai¹² in al-Mizan¹³

Thus, every spoken word, every inscribed verse, every recited line, is not only preserved — it is weighed.

Words That Rise or Destroy

The Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) warned explicitly of the power of the tongue and the weight of words in the scale of the hereafter:

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (ع): إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ يُضْحِكُ بِهَا الْقَوْمَ، فَيَهْوِي بِهَا أَبْعَدَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
“Indeed a person may utter a single word that makes people laugh — and because of it he plunges farther (in punishment) than the distance between the earth and the sky.”

— Al-Kulayni¹⁴, Al-Kafi¹⁵, Volume 2, Book of Faith and Disbelief, Hadeeth #53

And also:

عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (ع) قَالَ: إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ يُرْفَعُ بِهَا فِي الْجَنَّةِ دَرَجَاتٍ، وَ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ فَيَهْوِي بِهَا فِي النَّارِ سَبْعِينَ خَرِيفاً

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
“Indeed, a person may utter a word by which he is raised in Paradise many ranks, and a person may utter a word by which he falls into the Fire for seventy years.”

— Al-Kulayni¹⁶, Al-Kafi¹⁷, Volume 2, Book of Faith and Disbelief, Hadeeth #54

The word is thus an action, and often a more permanent one than a fleeting deed. Words shape public opinion, incite rebellion, spread falsehood, or heal broken hearts — and for each function, they are weighed.

The Poet and the Witness

Every artist, reciter, or writer who invokes the name of God or the Ahl al-Bayt must weigh his words with awe.

The Quran warns:

وَقِفُوهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُم مَّسْـُٔولُونَ

“Halt them — for indeed, they will be questioned.”

— Quran, Surah as-Saffat (The Chapter of the Ranks) #37, Verse 24

The question will not only be “what did you write?” — but “why did you write it?”, “what did it awaken in the people?”, and “did it carry the trust of clarification (tabyeen) — or betray it?”

The Danger of Misused Words – and the Responsibility of the Poet

The one who writes, recites, or chants for an audience bears a heavier burden than one who merely speaks privately. The Ahl al-Bayt warned us of the sins of the tongue and the pen:

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (ع): إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْكَلِمَةِ يُضْحِكُ بِهَا الْقَوْمَ، فَيَهْوِي بِهَا أَبْعَدَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
“Indeed a person may utter a single word that makes people laugh — and because of it he plunges farther (in punishment) than the distance between the earth and the sky.”

— Al-Kulayni¹⁸, Al-Kafi¹⁹, Volume 2, Book of Faith and Disbelief, Hadeeth #53

Every humorous line, every poetic metaphor, every artistic phrase must be measured.

What truth does it convey?

What ideology does it embed?

What moral does it plant in the mind?

Imam Husayn and Sayyedah Zaynab, Words that Destroyed Tyranny

One of the most powerful illustrations of the weight of a word comes from Karbala. On the day of Ashura, Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) did not just fight — he spoke.

إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَكُمْ دِينٌ، وَكُنْتُمْ لَا تَخَافُونَ الْمَعَادَ، فَكُونُوا أَحْرَارًا فِي دُنْيَاكُمْ

“If you have no religion, and do not fear the Hereafter, then at least be free in your world.”

— Shaykh al-Mufid²⁰, Al-Irshad²¹, Volume 2, Page 102

This was not just a rhetorical gesture. It was a word that echoes through centuries, shaming every tyrant who sells his soul, and inspiring every heart still capable of honour.

When Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her) stood in Yazid’s court, her words carried more weight than swords:

فَكِدْ كَيْدَكَ، وَاسْعَ سَعْيَكَ، وَنَاصِبْ جَهْدَكَ، فَوَاللهِ لَا تَمْحُو ذِكْرَنَا

“So scheme your schemes, exert your efforts, and do your worst — by God, you shall never erase our remembrance.”

— Al-Tabarsi²², Al-Ihtijaj²³, Volume 2, Page 307

These are not merely historical quotes. They are divine inscriptions in the ink of resistance. They prove that a word spoken with truth can outlive an empire.

The Word as Witness and Weight

What we write, what we share, what we chant — these are not empty expressions. They are deposited into the Divine Registry. And on the Day when nothing remains but the soul and its record, the pen will speak louder than the tongue ever did.

As God says:

يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ ‎

“The Day their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them for what they used to do.”

— Quran, Surah al-Nur (The Chapter of the Light) #24, Verse 24

And the poet, the artist, the reciter, the mourner — will be asked: what did your words serve? Whom did your pen glorify?

Call to Clarify

O you who hold a pen, a mic, a verse — know that you do not create in a vacuum.

The first thing God created was the Pen — and He commanded it to write. The first command to the Prophet was “Read.” Together, they show that divine guidance is both recorded and recited. That ink still flows through history — bearing witness to truth and falsehood, sincerity and deception.

The Quran is a witness. It speaks not only to the people of the past, but to the negligence of today. It is not merely to be recited — it is to be clarified, defended, and carried.

The word is a deed. It is preserved, weighed, and questioned. Even a jest can drag a soul into Hell; even a line of poetry can raise one to divine proximity. The scale does not weigh form — it weighs meaning, intention, and impact.

So clarify.

Speak only what you are willing to see placed on the scale of judgement. Write only what you are prepared to answer for before the One who never forgets. Let your ink weep when it must — but never lie. Let your silence be from humility — never cowardice.

And if your pen must rise, let it rise like Sayyedah Zaynab in the tyrant’s court — fearless, principled, and radiant with divine trust.

وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَازِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا

“And We shall set up the scales of justice on the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be wronged in the least.”

— Quran, Surah al-Anbiya (The Chapter of the Prophets) #21, Verse 47

Write only what you are willing to answer for — before the One who taught by the Pen.

The Power of the Poem: A Universal Tradition

Poetry in Islam is not ornamental—it is foundational. From the earliest days of the revelation, the Quran positioned itself as a divine discourse that transcended the art of human speech, especially poetry. And yet, it did not abolish poetry. Rather, it redefined it. It reoriented the purpose of language: from self-glorification to divine remembrance, from entertainment to truth-telling.

The Quran: Between Revelation and Poetry

The disbelievers of Quraysh often accused the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) of being a poet. They did this not to honour him—but to reduce him.

In pre-Islamic Arabia, poetry was revered as the highest form of expression, but also as a space of hyperbole, romanticism, tribal boasting, and idle entertainment. By accusing him of being a poet, they sought to undermine the authority of revelation, implying that it was merely another powerful form of verse.

But the Quran rebuked this charge clearly:

وَمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ الشِّعْرَ وَمَا يَنبَغِي لَهُ ۚ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ وَقُرْآنٌ مُّبِينٌ

“And We did not teach him poetry, nor does it befit him. It is nothing but a reminder and a clear Quran.”

— Quran, Surah Yaseen (the Chapter of Yaseen) #36, Verse 69

This verse does not denigrate poetry itself—but distinguishes between divine revelation and human art. The Prophet was not sent to compete with poets. He was sent to realign language with truth. The Quran, in its linguistic miracle, silenced the poets—not by erasing their tradition, but by purifying it.

The Poets Who Deviate—And Those Who Bear Witness

The Quran continues its commentary on poets in Surah al-Shu’ara (The Chapter of the Poets), first criticising the majority, but then exempting a righteous minority:

وَالشُّعَرَاءُ يَتَّبِعُهُمُ الْغَاوُونَ
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّهُمْ فِي كُلِّ وَادٍ يَهِيمُونَ
وَأَنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ مَا لَا يَفْعَلُونَ

“And the poets—the deviant ones follow them. Have you not seen that they roam aimlessly in every valley, and that they say what they do not do?”

— Quran, Surah al-Shu’ara (the Chapter of the Poets) #26, Verses 224–226

But the next verse makes an exception:

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَانتَصَرُوا مِن بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا ۗ وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنقَلَبٍ يَنقَلِبُونَ

“Except those who believe, do righteous deeds, remember God much, and defend [the truth] after they were wronged. And those who wronged will know the outcome they shall meet.”

— Quran, Surah al-Shu’ara (the Chapter of the Poets) #26, Verse 227

Thus, the Quran lays out four conditions for poetic legitimacy:

1. Faith (Iman)

2. Righteous action

3. Constant remembrance of God

4. Defending the truth after oppression

This is not condemnation—it is curation. The Quran is not anti-poetry. It is anti-deception.

The Ahl al-Bayt and the Sanctification of Poetry

No school preserved, sanctified, and weaponised poetry more than the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). For them, poetry was a means of mourning, of resistance, and of tabyeen—clarification.

The sixth Imam, Ja’far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him), stated:

مَا قَالَ فِينَا قَائِلٌ بَيْتَ شِعْرٍ إِلَّا وَبَنَى اللَّهُ لَهُ بِيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ

“Whoever recites a single verse of poetry about us, God builds for him a house in Paradise.”

— Shaykh al-Saduq²⁴, Amali²⁵, Majlis 23, Hadeeth #8

And Imam al-Ridha (peace be upon him) declared:

مَن تَذَكَّرَ مُصَابَنَا، وَبَكَى لِمَا ارْتُكِبَ مِنَّا، كَانَ مَعَنَا فِي دَرَجَتِنَا يَومَ القِيَامَةِ

“Whoever remembers our tragedy and weeps for what was done to us, shall be with us on our level on the Day of Resurrection.”

— Shaykh al-Tusi²⁶, Amali²⁷, Majlis 1, Hadeeth #16

These ahadeeth did not merely permit poetry—they sanctified it as ibadah (worship) when it flowed from love, remembrance, and struggle.

The poet, in this model, becomes a mujahid of the tongue and the pen.

Poets of Resistance in Islamic History

From Kumayt al-Asadi to De’bel al-Khuzai, the lineage of Shia resistance poets stretches back to the Umayyad era. These were not court poets seeking favour—but defiant witnesses safeguarding the truth of Karbala.

Kumayt, whose “al-Hashimiyyat” remains one of the most revered Shia poetic compilations, praised the Ahl al-Bayt even at risk of execution. When asked why he risked death, he replied:

أَمُوتُ وَلَا أَرَى مِثْلَكُم يُسَبُّونَ فِي الْمَنَابِرِ

“I would rather die than see people like you being insulted from the pulpits.”

— Kumayt al-Asadi²⁸, The Diwan²⁹, Section Al-Hashimiyyat³⁰

And when De’bel recited his elegy before Imam al-Ridha (peace be upon him):

أَرى فيئَهُم في غيرِهِم مُتَقَسِّماً
وأيديَهُم من فَيئِهِم صُفِّدَت صَفدا

"I see their share (of rights and wealth) divided among others,
while their own hands are shackled from what is rightfully theirs."

— Ibn Shahrashub³¹, Manaqib Aal Abi Talib³², Volume 4, Page 368

the Imam wept and prayed for him, saying:

لَا تَزَالُ مَسْدُودًا عَلَيْكَ أَبْوَابُ الرَّحْمَةِ، مَا دُمْتَ تُدَافِعُ عَنَّا

“May the doors of mercy always remain open for you, so long as you continue to defend us.”

— Al-Kafami³³, Al-Misbah³⁴, Page 552

These men were not entertainers. They were clarifiers of history, lovers of truth, and soldiers in the army of words.

Call to Clarify: Reclaiming the Sacred Art

Let the ummah today remember: not every poem is poetry, and not every poet is a clarifier. In an age of idle lyrics and self-obsessed verse, we are in dire need of poetry that serves the Truth.

Let those with the gift of language return to the path of the righteous poets:

• Let the poem carry the burden of Imam Husayn.

• Let the verse echo the voice of Sayyedah Zaynab.

• Let the rhyme be a sword against distortion.

And let the gatherings of mourning once again become gatherings of witnessing—where the ink and the tear walk hand in hand.

“O God, make our tongues proclaimers of truth, our pens witnesses for Your wilayah, and our poetry arrows in the chests of Your enemies.”

The Global Tongue of Lament

In every age, when justice was trampled, and blood flowed unseen by the world, the broken turned to poetry. Not the poetry of aesthetics or abstraction — but the kind that emerges from the wound: raw, defiant, drenched in grief. Whether sung, whispered, or wept — lament has always been the global tongue of the oppressed.

The Quran affirms the legitimacy of grief, not as weakness but as sacred expression. Consider the grief of Prophet Yaqub (Jacob), who lost his beloved son Yusuf:

وَابْيَضَّتْ عَيْنَاهُ مِنَ الْحُزْنِ فَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ

“His eyes turned white with grief, for he suppressed his sorrow.”

— Quran, Surah Yusuf (the Chapter of (Prophet) Joseph) #12, Verse 84

And what was the cry of the Prophets and the Imams in the face of tyranny, if not divine lament?

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) declared:

البُكَاءُ عَلَى الْمَظْلُومِ نُصْرَةٌ لَهُ

“Weeping for the oppressed is a form of support for them.”

— Al-Majlisi³⁵, Bihar al-Anwar³⁶, Volume 44, Page 284

It is in this light that Sayyedah Zaynab’s voice — “I saw nothing but beauty” — becomes not only a theological statement, but a revolutionary poem in the court of tyranny.

From Karbala to Chile: Lamentation as Resistance

Across continents and civilisations, we see the emergence of mourning verse as a form of protest:

Palestine

Mahmoud Darwish, exiled and wounded, transformed loss into poetry:

“We suffer from an incurable malady: hope.”

— Darwish, “A State of Siege”

Latin America

In the wake of dictatorship and exile, poets like Pablo Neruda wrote elegies for the disappeared:

“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”

— Neruda, “The Spring”

Black America

The enslaved sang spirituals that wept for justice:

“Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen / Nobody knows but Jesus…”

Pre-Islamic Arabia

The poet al-Khansa wept for her brother Sakhr in verses that pierced generations.

Later, she accepted Islam after meeting Prophet Muhammad, she became devout, and gave her four sons as martyrs in the Battle of Qadisiyyah³⁷. On hearing of their martyrdom she declared:

الحمد لله الذي شرفني باستشهادهم، وأرجو من ربي أن يجمعني بهم في مستقر رحمته

“Praise be to God who honoured me with their martyrdom. I hope my Lord will unite me with them in the abode of His mercy.”

— Ibn Abd Rabbih³⁸, Al-Iqd al-Fareed³⁹, Volume 5, Page 127

Karbala

And in Karbala, the most enduring epic of grief, the marthiyyah, nohe, and ziyarat became a divine inheritance — not just for Shia, but for the world.

As Imam Khamenei states:

شعر آیینی، حافظ حقیقت‌هاست و می‌تواند وجدان‌ها را بیدار کند.

“Religious poetry preserves truths and has the power to awaken consciences.”

— Imam Khamenei, Meeting with Poets, 13 April 2005

The Clarifying Power of Sacred Grief

This poetry is not merely therapeutic — it is clarifying. It tells the world what the history books try to forget.

It speaks when the news channels are silent.

It cries out:

• That the child in Gaza is not collateral — but a martyr.

• That the scream of Sayyedah Zaynab was not despair — but defiance.

• That the tear of Imam Sajjad was not surrender — but testimony.

Imam Khomeini once said:

این گریه‌ها، این عزاداری‌ها، این نوحه‌خوانی‌ها و سینه‌زنی‌ها، رمز بقای مکتب ماست.

“These tears, these mourning ceremonies, these elegies and chest-beating rituals — they are the secret of our doctrine’s survival.”

— Imam Khomeini⁴⁰, Sahifeh-ye Imam⁴¹, Volume 16, Page 178

And indeed, what clearer tabyeen can there be than forcing the world to face the wound it tries to ignore — and declaring: this pain will not be erased?

The Poem Is a Witness

Every poetic lament becomes a witness — a martyr without blood. It testifies to what was done, what was silenced, what was denied.

As Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah once stated:

القصيدةُ الحسينية لا تبكي فقط، بل تُحاكم، وتُدين، وتُعبّئ.

“The Husayni poem does not merely weep — it indicts, it convicts, and it mobilises.”

— Widely attributed to Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, Speech on Ashura, 2010⁴²

It is for this reason that tyrants fear poets. That Yazid silenced the voice of the Prophet, not just through killing, but through distortion. That colonialists burned books and banned elegies. And that today, algorithms suppress the sound of Gaza’s children while amplifying the voices of their killers.

But the lament continues — in whispers, in marches, in rhythmic defiance.

Call to Clarify: Revive the Tongue of Lament

1. Revive the tradition of sacred lament — in every language and form. Write lamentations (nohe’s). Write elegies for Palestine, Kashmir, Yemen, and Sudan. Let the poetry of Imam Husayn become the global tongue of protest.

2. Host poetry circles and cultural nights that connect historical mourning with present resistance. Let the voice of Sayyedah Zaynab be heard beside the voice of the mothers of Gaza.

3. Use media and AI tools not to replace the soul, but to amplify the voices of those who still have one. Teach youth that writing is jihad — and that tears are their ink.

4. Translate and disseminate the words of scholars who have defended sacred lament: Shaheed Mutahhari, Shaheed Beheshti, Imam Khomeini, Sayyed Nasrallah, Imam Khomeini, Ayatullah Jawadi-Amoli, and others. Reconnect art with wilayah.

5. Bear witness through beauty — and never let the world forget.

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

“Do not think those who were slain in the path of God are dead. Rather, they are alive, receiving provision from their Lord.”

— Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imran (The Family of Imran) #3, Verse 169

The martyrs live — and the poem is their voice.

Ziyarah: The Poem of Presence

Ziyarah is not simply travel. It is testimony. When we approach the shrines of the Prophet and the Imams — or even recite their visitation from afar — we are not tourists of holiness.

We are walking into a poem that has not ended.

A lament still unfolding.

A pledge still echoing.

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يا أبا عبدِ اللهِ، وَعَلَى الأرْواحِ الّتي حَلَّتْ بِفِنائِكَ، عَلَيْكُمْ مِنِّي جَميعاً سَلامُ اللهِ أبَداً ما بَقِيتُ وَبَقِيَ اللّيْلُ وَالنَّهارُ…

“Peace be upon you, O Aba Abdillah, and upon the souls that gathered around your courtyard. Upon you, from me, is the peace of God — for as long as I remain, and as long as night and day endure…”

— Ziyarat Ashura

This is not prose. It is poetic oath — a lifelong pledge, ritually repeated and existentially renewed.

Ziyarah Is Quranic

The Quran invites the believer not only to remember the righteous but to seek their company:

وَكُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ

“And be with the truthful.”

— Quran, Surah al-Tawbah (the Chapter of the Repentance) #9, Verse 119

And it affirms that the righteous are not truly dead:

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا ۚ بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

“Do not think those who were slain in the path of God are dead. Rather, they are alive, receiving provision from their Lord.”

— Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imran (The Family of Imran) #3, Verse 169

Thus, to greet Imam Husayn is to greet the living. And to walk to Karbala — or recite his name with presence — is to enter the circle of truth.

The Rhythmic Theology of Ziyarah

Ziyarah texts are carefully crafted: they rhyme, they repeat, they crescendo.

They invoke the divine and denounce the tyrant.

They mourn and they mobilise. In this sense, ziyarah is poetry — but not for beauty alone.

It is poetry that testifies.

إِنِّي سِلْمٌ لِمَنْ سالَمَكُمْ وَحَرْبٌ لِمَنْ حارَبَكُمْ

“I am at peace with those at peace with you, and at war with those who are at war with you.”

— Ziyarat Ashura

This is not metaphor. It is allegiance in the form of a verse.

Ziyarah as Defiance

When Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her) stood in Yazid’s court, she offered the greatest ziyarah of all — a presence that exposed falsehood without raising a weapon.

Her sermon was structured like poetry: rhythm, repetition, rhetorical crescendo.

Imam Khamenei affirms:

زیارت، تنها یادآوری نیست؛ بلکه بازسازی هویتِ ایمانی و سیاسی است.

“Ziyarah is not merely remembrance; it is the reconstruction of faith and identity.”

— Widely attributed to Imam Khamenei, Speech on Arbaeen Pilgrimage, 2020

And Ayatullah Beheshti once said:

هر قدمی به سوی کربلا، یک گام در راه حقیقت است.

“Every step toward Karbala is a stride upon the path of truth.”

— Shaheed Beheshti, Collected Sayings, Tehran University Archives⁴³

From Distance, With Presence

Even when distant, the ziyarah still brings us near. Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:

مَنْ زارَ الحُسَيْنَ عارِفًا بِحَقِّهِ، كانَ كَمَنْ زارَ اللهَ فِي عَرْشِهِ

“Whoever visits Husayn, recognising his right, it is as though he has visited God upon His Throne.”

— Ibn Qulawayh⁴⁴, Kamil al-Ziyarat⁴⁵, Page 149, Hadeeth #220

Thus, ziyarah is not about geography.

It is about recognition, intention, and poetic clarity.

Call to Clarify: Recite the Poem of Presence

1. Revive the ziyarah as a daily act, not just a ritual for special occasions. Encourage youth to memorise and internalise its language — until it becomes part of their moral grammar.

2. Translate ziyarah texts into poetry in local languages while preserving their theological depth. The soul of tabyeen must speak in every tongue. This has already been started with Ziyarat Ashura as the Communion of Ashura, and Ziyarat Arbaeen as the Communion of Arbaeen into English, but not as direct literal translations; rather they are poetic and interpretive and inspirational translations.

3. Design cultural spaces where ziyarah can be recited with reflection, art, and tears — not as performance, but as presence.

4. Integrate ziyarah into resistance media: spoken word, digital art, drams, movies and documentaries that reclaim the poem of presence in a world that numbs and forgets.

5. Stand, even when distant. Recite ziyarah in prisons, in exile, in mourning, and in joy. Let every whisper of “Peace be upon you, O Aba Abdillah…” become a blow against silence.

Nasheed, Nohe, and Music: Between Ritual and Revolution

Sound is not a passive phenomenon in Islamic thought. It stirs hearts, incites emotions, shapes memory, and commands the soul. From the recitation of Quran to the chants of a protest march, from the sorrowful rhythms of a nohe (lamentation) to the battle cries of nasheed (anthem), sound is a force. And like all forces, it can heal or harm, illuminate or distort.

The Quran reminds us of the subtle power of the human voice:

وَاغْضُضْ مِن صَوْتِكَ ۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ الْأَصْوَاتِ لَصَوْتُ الْحَمِيرِ

“And lower your voice; indeed, the most repugnant of voices is the braying of donkeys.”

— Quran, Surah Luqman (The Chapter of Luqman) #31, Verse 19

This is not merely about etiquette. It is about recognising that voice — like ink — is not neutral. It has a spiritual effect. It has weight.

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:

الغِنَاءُ يُنْبِتُ النِّفَاقَ فِي الْقَلْبِ كَمَا يُنْبِتُ الْمَاءُ الزَّرْعَ

“Singing (ghina) causes hypocrisy to grow in the heart, just as water causes crops to grow.”

— Al-Kulayni⁴⁶, Al-Kafi⁴⁷, Volume 6, Page 431, Hadeeth #7

This hadeeth is not a condemnation of all melody, but of ghina — a term with technical juristic meaning. Not every tune is unlawful. But every tune is morally charged.

Clarifying the Rulings: Ghina, Lahw, and Lahn

Islamic jurists across the centuries have wrestled with the boundaries of music, melody, and emotion. The key terms used in Shi‘i jurisprudence are:

• Ghina (الغناء) – prohibited singing that is vain, frivolous, or associated with gatherings of sin.

• Lahw (اللَّهْو) – diversion or idle amusement that distracts from remembrance of God.

• Lahn (اللَّحن) – melody or rhythm, which can be neutral or praiseworthy depending on context.

According to Imam Khamenei:

هر صدایی که حالت طرب و سبک‌سری ایجاد کند و مناسب مجالس لهو و فساد باشد، حرام است؛ حتی اگر محتوا خوب باشد.

“Any sound that produces an atmosphere of frivolity or is suited to gatherings of vice is forbidden — even if its content is good.”

— Imam Khamenei, Istifta’at Section on Music

Ayatullah Sistani similarly writes:

إذا كان الغناء أو الموسيقى مناسباً لمجالس اللهو والفسق، فلا يجوز سماعه ولا الاشتغال به.

“If singing or music is suited to gatherings of amusement and sin, it is not permissible to listen to it or engage with it.”

— Ayatullah Sistani, Ajwibat al-Istifta’at, Section on Music & Singing

This distinction matters. Not all melody is forbidden. What matters is the effect, context, and cultural association.

Just as a vessel of glass can hold pure water or deadly poison, music is a medium — not a substance. It can carry the remembrance of God or the call to heedlessness.

Its moral character depends on what it contains, how it is delivered, and what it awakens in the listener.

Melody itself is not evil.

But in the wrong hands, it becomes a tool of distortion. In the right hands, it becomes a stairway to divine presence.

Nasheed and Nohe: Sound with Soul

In the Islamic tradition — and especially within the Shia paradigm — certain sound forms have always been sanctified:

• Nasheed (نشيد) – chants or odes with noble themes, historically used to prepare hearts for battle or spiritual upliftment.

• Nohe (نوحه) – rhythmic elegies that express sorrow for the Ahl al-Bayt, especially the martyrs of Karbala.

• Latmiyyah / Lamentation – chest-beating accompanied by chants of mourning, rooted in the grief of Sayyedah Zaynab and Imam al-Sajjad.

These are not mere performances. They are forms of ibadah (worship), emotional tafsir, and cultural tabyeen.

Imam Khomeini described the significance of these acts:

این نوحه‌ها، این ناله‌ها، این سینه‌زنی‌ها، کشور ما را حفظ کرده است.

“These elegies, these cries, these chest-beatings — they are what have preserved our country.”

— Imam Khomeini⁴⁸, Sahifeh-ye Imam⁴⁹, Volume 16, Page 179

They are not music in the secular sense — they are structured grief turned into spiritual power.

Between Consolation and Confusion: The Psychological Dimension

There is a danger, however, in crossing the line from soulful rhythm to seductive entertainment. Many modern nohe borrow from pop or Bollywood structures — with high production, auto-tuned vocals, and emotional crescendos that induce trance rather than tafakkur (reflection).

As Ayatullah Misbah Yazdi warned:

اگر نوحه‌ها شبیه موسیقی مطرب شوند، انسان به جای تفکر در مصیبت، دچار انحراف احساسی می‌شود.

“If nohes become like entertaining music, a person, instead of reflecting on the tragedy, experiences emotional deviation”

— Ayatullah Misbah-Yazdi⁵⁰, Marefat-e Dini⁵¹, Volume 3, Page 118

This is not an attack on aesthetics — it is a defence of sincerity.

The sound must match the sorrow. The beat must serve the blood. The tear must lead to clarification — not confusion.

Case Studies: Where Sound Became Clarification

• In Iraq, during Saddam’s brutal crackdown, underground nohes preserved the resistance of the hawza. At a time when the shrines were surrounded and the pulpits silenced, voices like Basim al-Karbala’i became lifelines of faith and defiance — echoing the spirit of Karbala through cassettes smuggled into homes. While in recent years his work has entered more commercial terrain, it cannot be denied that in those days, his voice carried the hopes of a shackled ummah.

• In Bahrain, during the 2011 uprising and its aftermath, nohes shifted from abstract sorrow to sharp protest — blending mourning with mobilisation. The majlis became a space not only of grief, but of strategy — where elegy became resistance, and rhythm became reminder.

• In the diaspora, efforts to craft meaningful nohes in English have multiplied. Groups such as Pure Stream, Haidari Voices, and 313 Nasheed have sought to bridge authenticity and accessibility. Some succeed in transmitting both pain and purpose — others fall into the trap of mimicry, adopting borrowed forms and phrases without spiritual resonance.

• Worthy of special mention is the pioneering work of The Dawn, a British Muslim group from the 1990s who produced the first fully English-language nohe, Shaheed of Karbala, and the first English-language nasheed, The Purest Soul. These were not translations — they were native poetic creations, written in organic British English, rooted in the cultural idiom of the West but carrying the theological weight of the East.

Call to Clarify: Let Your Voice Be a Witness

1. Educate youth on the rulings — not to suppress their voice, but to purify it. Explain the difference between soul and spectacle.

2. Train poets, composers, and reciters to study fiqh, history, and psychology — so their art becomes tabyeen, not distortion.

3. Compose new nohes and nasheeds for the forgotten: Gaza, Nigeria, Yemen, Afghanistan. Let the tears of Karbala flow across centuries and continents.

4. Build online platforms where verified, spiritually sound nohes, nasheed and more can be accessed — free from ads, distortion, or triviality. One such recently launched platform is Shia Sounds.

5. Lead by example: recite with humility, with haiba (awe, reverence, dignity and respect), with clarity. Let the sound shake thrones — not just move crowds.

The Witness: Sayyedah Zaynab and Imam Sajjad

When the dust of Karbala settled, it was not over. The bodies lay still, but the mission lived on — in the voice of Sayyedah Zaynab and the silence of Imam Sajjad.

In the aftermath of the massacre, two figures carried the divine banner of tabyeen: they did not merely survive the catastrophe — they clarified its meaning to the world.

Imam Husayn (peace be upon him) had bled truth into the soil. But it was Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her) who spoke that truth aloud, and Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) who preserved it in his prayers, tears, and teachings.

Their roles were not incidental — they were divinely appointed witnesses, as the Quran describes:

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا

“And thus We made you a middle nation, that you may be witnesses over mankind, and that the Messenger may be a witness over you.”

— Quran, Surah al-Baqarah (the Chapter of the Cow) #2, Verse 143

Sayyedah Zaynab and Imam Sajjad were the witness-bearing pair — like Prophet Musa and Harun, like Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail — testifying to God’s justice in the face of tyranny.

Sayyedah Zaynab: The Sermon that Shook Empires

Dragged in chains, veiled in grief, and surrounded by the heads of her family, Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her) entered Yazid’s court not as a captive, but as a living proof against falsehood. Her sermon, preserved in al-Ihtijaj⁵² and Luhuf⁵³, was the voice of wilayah defying the throne of corruption.

She declared:

فَكِدْ كَيْدَكَ، وَاسْعَ سَعْيَكَ، وَنَاصِبْ جَهْدَكَ، فَوَاللهِ لَا تَمْحُو ذِكْرَنَا، وَلَا تُميتُ وَحْيَنَا

“So scheme your schemes, strive your striving, and exhaust your efforts — for by God, you shall never erase our remembrance, nor shall you cause the revelation to die.”

— Al-Tabrasi⁵⁴, Al-Ihtijaj⁵⁵, Volume 2, Page 307

With a single speech, she:

• Exposed Yazid’s mockery and lineage of disbelief.

• Reframed the events of Karbala as divine beauty: “ما رأيتُ إلا جميلاً — I saw nothing but beauty.”

• Affirmed that the message of Imam Husayn would outlive the empire that martyred him.

Her voice pierced history, echoing the words of Sayyedah Maryam before her people, and Sayyedah Asiyah before Pharaoh. It was a moment when a woman became the tongue of divine protest.

Imam Sajjad: The Silent Earthquake

While Sayyedah Zaynab thundered from the pulpit, Imam Zayn al-Abedeen (peace be upon him) brought down empires through worship, patience, and strategic silence. His words were rare — but each one was a dagger against distortion.

In the court of Ibn Ziyad, when threatened with death, he replied:

بِالْقَتْلِ تُهَدِّدُنِي؟ أَمَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الْقَتْلَ لَنَا عَادَةٌ وَكَرَامَتُنَا مِنَ اللَّهِ الشَّهَادَةُ؟

“Do you threaten me with death? Do you not know that killing us is our custom, and that martyrdom is our honour from God?”

— Al-Tabrasi⁵⁶, Al-Ihtijaj⁵⁷, Volume 2, Page 122

And in Damascus, when Yazid mockingly allowed him to speak, the Imam delivered a sermon of pure light — introducing himself, his lineage, and the crimes committed by the Umayyads. He concluded by asking:

أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ! مَنْ عَرَفَنِي، فَقَدْ عَرَفَنِي، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْنِي فَأَنَا أُعَرِّفُهُ بِنَسَبِي

“O people! Whoever knows me, knows me. And whoever does not, let me introduce myself by my lineage…”

— Al-Majlisi⁵⁸, Bihar al-Anwar⁵⁹, Volume 45, Page 135

What followed was a genealogical refutation of Yazid’s legitimacy — a reminder that while Yazid sat on a throne, the real authority lay with the family of the Prophet.

Witnessing as a Divine Task

The Quran constantly speaks of shuhada (martyrs)— not just those martyred in battle, but those who bear witness to the truth. The role of witness is a spiritual trust. Sayyedah Zaynab and Imam Sajjad embodied this trust in three ways:

1. Clarifying the distortion of events – unmasking Yazid’s propaganda.

2. Preserving the memory of Karbala – through sermons, dua’s, and historical consciousness.

3. Guiding future generations – their words were not just rebuttals; they were templates for resistance.

This is why we recite Ziyarat Nahiya al-Muqaddasah — because it carries the spirit of their witness:

فَلَئِنْ أَخَّرَتْنِي الدُّهُورُ، وَعَاقَنِي عَنْ نَصْرِكَ الْمَقْدُورُ، وَلَمْ أَكُنْ لِمَنْ حَارَبَكَ مُحَارِباً، وَلِمَنْ نَصَبَ لَكَ الْعَدَاوَةَ مُنَاصِباً، فَلَأَنْدُبَنَّكَ صَبَاحاً وَمَسَاءً، وَلَأَبْكِيَنَّ عَلَيْكَ بَدَلَ الدُّمُوعِ دَماً.

“Though fate delayed me and circumstances prevented me from fighting for you, I shall mourn you morning and evening, and weep tears of blood in place of tears.”

— Ziyarat Nahiyah al-Muqaddasah⁶⁰

This ziyarah is itself a model of witness — an act of tabyeen from the unseen Imam, who reminds us that remembrance is a form of participation, and grief can be testimony.

Call to Clarify: Become a Witness

To witness is not merely to see — it is to speak, to record, to refuse to forget. Every believer today is offered this role:

• Speak when truth is hidden.

• Weep when injustice is normalised.

• Create, write, recite — so that the light of Husayn does not dim.

In a world where Yazid wears many masks — where tyranny speaks the language of freedom and injustice disguises itself in piety — we must become like Sayyedah Zaynab and Imam Sajjad: silent when silence is divine, and thunderous when speech becomes wajib.

O God,
Let me be a witness —
Not of bloodshed,
But of meaning.
Not of trauma,
But of truth.
Let my pen become the echo of Sayyedah Zaynab,
And my prayer the tear of Imam Sajjad.
So that when history repeats,
Your proof will not be absent.

The Age of Artificial Sound: Poetry in the Age of Machines

We live in an age where a poem can be composed without a poet, a nohe can be recited without a mourner, and even grief can be simulated with synthetic tears. But as the lines blur between human and machine, we must ask with clarity and courage: Who speaks? And who feels?

This is not merely a question of aesthetics or innovation. It is a question of truth, of moral weight, of divine accountability. In Islam, sound is not sacred by default—sincerity is. And the spoken word carries meaning only when anchored in the soul.

The Divine Weight of a Word

Speech in the Quran is a trust. The believer is not merely encouraged to speak truth, but to be rooted in it:

يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ

“God makes firm those who believe with the firm word in the life of this world and in the Hereafter…”

— Quran, Surah Ibrahim (the Chapter of (Prophet) Abraham) #14, Verse 27

This “firm word” (al-qawl al-thabit) is not merely articulate—it is alive. It emerges from a soul that trembles before God and bears witness to truth.

Can a machine, no matter how articulate, bear such witness?

The voice of Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her) in the court of Yazid was not scripted or digitised. It was a trembling, defiant flame of wilayah lit from Karbala. The lament of Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) was not an audio file—it was a whisper of broken ribs and enduring hope. These are not sounds to be simulated. They are legacies to be honoured.

The Soul of the Voice

Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) taught:

إِنَّ الْقَلْبَ إِذَا خَلَا مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَظْلَمَ

“Indeed, the heart, when devoid of the remembrance of God, becomes dark.”

— Al-Kulayni, Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 502, Section “On the Remembrance of God”, Hadeeth #2

A synthetic heart cannot remember God. A digital mouth cannot tremble. It is remembrance (dhikr) that gives light to speech, not rhythm. In our sacred tradition, the power of words lies not in tone, but in truth.

Imam Khamenei on AI – Master It, Do Not Be Mastered

Faced with the meteoric rise of artificial intelligence, Imam Khamenei has offered believers a clear directive: do not merely consume this technology—understand it, master it, and shape it with your values.

امروز هوش مصنوعی با یک شتاب حیرت‌دهنـده‌ای [دارد پیش می‌رود]… در مسئله‌ی هوش مصنوعی، بهره‌بردار بودن امتیاز نیست؛ این فناوری لایه‌های عمیقی دارد که باید بر آن لایه‌ها مسلّط شد؛ آن لایه‌ها دست دیگران است.

“Today, artificial intelligence is progressing at an astonishing speed… In the matter of AI, merely being a user is no advantage. This technology has deep layers that must be mastered—and those layers are currently in the hands of others.”

— Imam Khamenei, Address to the 14th Government, 6 Shahrivar 1403 / 27 August 2024

This is not a rejection of innovation—it is a call to clarify its purpose and direction. The Imam’s words urge us not to become echo chambers of others’ values, but active shapers of technological frontiers with akhlaq, hikmah, and wilayah.

The Ethics of Imitation

To simulate the voice of a shaheed, the lament of a mother in Gaza, or the nohe of an oppressed believer—is not a neutral act. It is to risk turning sacred grief into empty spectacle.

مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ

“Whoever imitates a people is [considered] one of them.”

— al-Sijistani⁶¹, Sunan Abi Dawud⁶², Book 34, The Book of Dress, Hadeeth #4031
— Al-Kulayni⁶³, Al-Kafi⁶⁴, Volume 2, Page 375, Chapter “On Whoever Imitates the Enemies of God”

What then of those who digitally imitate the voices of divine witness, while being disconnected from their spirit?

Clarifying the Role of AI

Artificial Intelligence can be a powerful tool—but it must never become the witness. The Quran declares:

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ

“And thus We made you a middle nation, that you may be witnesses over mankind…”

— Quran, Surah al-Baqarah (the Chapter of the Cow) #2, Verse 143

Witnessing is a human duty. It is a moral posture, not a mechanical function. If technology is to serve Islam, it must do so in submission—not substitution.

Call to Clarify: Leveraging AI Without Losing the Soul

O clarifier of truth—

If you must use machines, then use them in wilayah of your conscience.

Let your voice be amplified, not replaced. Let AI serve your sincerity, not obscure it. Let no digital echo ever speak on behalf of a soul that has not suffered, prayed, or wept.

Heed the guidance of your Imam. Learn the layers. Master the tools. But never forget the source of real meaning: the trembling heart before God.

Because only the heart that feels, has the right to speak.

Memory, Meaning, and Machine-Made Mourning

In a world where algorithms can imitate lament, and neural networks can compose eulogies, the line between remembrance and performance begins to fray. What happens when mourning is no longer an act of the soul — but a service delivered by an app?

Digital platforms now recommend pre-recorded duas for grief, auto-generate poetry based on keywords like Karbala, loss, or martyrdom, and even create synthetic voices that can recite nohes in the tone of famous reciters. Yet the question remains:

Is this remembrance, or is it simulation?

In Islamic tradition, dhikr — remembrance — is not simply a repetition of sacred names. It is the intentional rekindling of meaning through presence. When Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her) wept beside the body of her brother, it was not performative.

It was not for content.

It was not for virality.

It was witness.

It was covenant.

The Algorithm’s Blind Spot

Artificial intelligence learns patterns — it does not feel pain. It detects structure — but cannot taste sincerity. It can reproduce the tone of a weeping voice without ever knowing what it means to bury a child, or to tremble before God.

The Quran makes a profound distinction between knowing and remembering:

وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنسَاهُمْ أَنفُسَهُمْ

“And do not be like those who forgot God, so He made them forget themselves…”

— Quran, Surah al-Hashr (the Chapter of the Exile) #59, Verse 19

To forget God is not just to lose contact with the Divine — it is to lose touch with who you are.

Mourning without memory is not mourning.

Artificial sorrow, detached from presence and submission, risks becoming spiritual self-forgetting.

The Ritual of Remembering

In our mourning rituals — from majalis to nohe, from latmiyyah to ziyarah — the act of remembrance is not therapeutic theatre.

It is ibadah (worship), wilayah (loyalty), and tabyeen (clarification).

This is why Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:

كُلُّ نَفَسٍ مِنْ أَنْفَاسِكُمْ مَعَذَّبٌ لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ فِي ذِكْرِ أَمْرِنَا

“Every breath you take in remembering our affair is counted as a good deed for you.”

— Al-Ameli⁶⁵, Wasail al-Shia⁶⁶, Volume 14, Page 502

This type of remembrance cannot be outsourced. It is the breath of love and allegiance. It cannot be uploaded. It must be lived.

The Threat of Confusion

When machine-generated mourning becomes widespread, two grave dangers emerge:

1. The Confusion of Authenticity:

   Youth may no longer distinguish between real tears and synthetic sobs. A deeply moving nohe might not come from a poet or a believer — but from a machine fine-tuned on hashtags and sentiment analysis.

2. The Dilution of Intent:

   The act of lament — a sacred form of clarifying truth — risks becoming just another mood in a content feed. Mourning becomes performative. Remembrance becomes background noise.

We are not Luddites⁶⁷. We are clarifiers. And in our jihad of tabyeen, we must distinguish between what honours memory, and what hijacks it.

Call to Clarify: Protecting the Soul of Mourning

O servant of Husayn —

Your tears are not data. Your grief is not an algorithm. Your mourning is not content. It is covenant.

If you use AI, let it serve remembrance, not replace it. Use it to organise your archives, not erase your memory. Use it to share ziyarah, not simulate sincerity.

Let no machine mourn on your behalf.

Because only a heart that remembers, can truly cry.

And only a soul that weeps with meaning, can clarify the truth.

The Ethics of Voice and Silence

In the era of artificial sound, the question is no longer just who speaks, but who has the right to speak? And perhaps more critically: who must remain silent?

As deepfake technology grows more precise, we now stand at a precipice where sacred voices can be imitated, sermons re-engineered, and nohes recited by synthetic clones of beloved reciters — all without their consent, or even after their death.

What begins as an act of admiration can easily slip into spiritual trespass.

The Right to Voice

In Islamic tradition, voice is not public property — it is a trust. The human voice is sanctified by its association with intention, piety, and truth. To use someone’s voice — especially to imitate it in sacred settings — is to walk the line between benefit and betrayal.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:

المرءُ مخبوءٌ تحت لسانه

“A person is hidden beneath his tongue.”

— Nahjul Balagha⁶⁸, Hikmah #138

To clone a person’s voice is to expose what was hidden. To do so without their permission — or against their legacy — is to commit a theft of niyyah (intention).

When Silence is Sunnah

In this technological storm, it is not only speech that must be ethical — silence, too, must be clarified. There is a Sunnah in silence. A wisdom in restraint. Just because we can replicate, does not mean we should.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said - from Sunni sources:

مَنْ صَمَتَ نَجَا

“Whoever remains silent is saved.”

— Al-Tirmidhi⁶⁹, Sunan⁷⁰, Hadeeth #2501

And from Shia sources:

السَّلامَةُ فِي الصَّمْتِ

“Safety lies in silence.”

— Nahjul Balagha⁷¹, Hikmah #144

In a time where machines can fill every gap with speech, our act of not simulating a martyr’s lament, not faking the sob of a mother, not generating a sermon in the tone of a dead scholar — may itself be a form of wilayah and wafa (loyalty).

Imam Khamenei on the Sanctity of Influence

Imam Khamenei has warned against allowing powerful tools to become tools of deception. On many occasions, he has reminded the ummah that the tools of modernity must remain truth-aligned:

در کار فرهنگی، مهمترین چیز صداقت است. اگر صداقت نباشد، همه‌چیز به ضد خود تبدیل می‌شود.

“In cultural work, the most important thing is sincerity. Without sincerity, everything becomes its opposite.”

— Attributed to Imam Khamenei, Cultural Strategy Meeting, 25 July 2010⁷²

This warning applies acutely to voice synthesis and generative media. Sincerity is the scale. Without it, aid becomes abuse, and clarification becomes confusion.

Call to Clarify: Guarding the Sacred Right to Speak

O you who mourn and recite —

In this new battlefield of voices, do not become a thief of trust.

Do not use a martyr’s voice without his permission.

Do not generate a lament without its weight.

Use the tongue of truth, not the code of deception.

Let silence be your teacher when the tools in your hands feel too powerful.

And remember — not every voice that is heard has spoken.

And not every silence is empty.

Case Studies: When Ink, Poem, and Witness Changed the World

History is not changed by slogans alone. It is shaped by voices — trembling, defiant, enduring — that carried truth through the storm.

Some wrote it.

Some sang it.

Some lived it, chained and bleeding.

But all of them clarified.

All of them bore witness.

This is their echo.

Ink – When the Pen Became the Sword

The oppressors feared no weapon more than the pen held by a believer with yaqin (certainty/conviction).

William Tyndale – Ink Against the Empire

William Tyndale translated the Bible into English in the 16th century, defying the Church-State monopoly that kept scripture hidden behind Latin.

His pen ignited a reformation.

For this act of truth-telling, he was strangled and burned.

“I defy the Pope and all his laws. If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scripture than thou dost.”

— Tyndale, cited in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Page 207

His ink shattered the illusion that access to divine truth must be mediated by power. It was a tabyeen written in blood.

Sayyed Qutb – Milestones from the Gallows

In the cold cells of Nasser’s Egypt, Sayyid Qutb wrote Ma’alim fī al-Tariq (Milestones on the Path) — a manifesto of Islamic revival and a scathing indictment of jahili (ignorant, decadent) modernity.

معركة الإسلام مع الجاهلية قائمة لم تنته بعد، ولن تنتهي حتى يرفع الله سبحانه وتعالى هذا الدين ويظهره على الدين كله

“The battle between Islam and jahiliyyah (ignorance) is ongoing and has not ended, and will not end until God raises this religion and makes it prevail over all others.”

— Sayyed Qutb, Ma’alim fī al-Tariq, Page 20

Though controversial in its interpretations, Qutb’s ink became a rallying point for Muslims worldwide confronting despotism and cultural decay.

Sayyedah Amina Bint al-Huda al-Sadr –The Pen of Dignity in Iraq

Under the shadow of Saddam’s tyranny, Sayyedah Bint al-Huda used stories, essays, and sermons to awaken the Islamic conscience of Iraqi women. As editor of al-Adwa, she wrote fiction that combined moral insight with revolutionary courage.

ليست المرأة المسلمة جارية، بل إنسانة حرة لها رسالة

“The Muslim woman is not a concubine — she is a free human being with a divine mission.”

— Bint al-Huda (Sayyedah Amina al-Sadr), Editorial in al-Adwa, 1979

She and her brother Ayatullah Sayyed Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr were martyred together in 1980 — both executed for their pens.

Kartini – The Daughter of Java and the Letters of Awakening

Living under Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia, Raden Adjeng Kartini used her letters to challenge - with dignity - Western narratives of Muslim backwardness and to demand women’s education rooted in honour, not imitation.

“Habis gelap, terbitlah terang.”

“After darkness, comes light.”

— Letters of a Javanese Princess, translated by Agnes Symmers, 1920

Her writing clarified that reform did not mean imitation — it meant revival.

Her ink became the seed of Islamic awakening in Southeast Asia.

Ali Shariati – The Sociologist of Ashura

Ali Shariati fused Quranic thought with revolutionary fire. His pen reframed Karbala not as tragedy, but resistance:

كل يوم عاشورا، كل أرض كربلاء

“Every day is Ashura, every land is Karbala.”

— Shariati, Majmoueh Asar, Volume 17

Shariati taught that ink is not passive. It must disturb false comforts, awaken the slumbering, and clarify that every tyrant wears the face of Yazid.

Jalal Al-e Ahmad – Westoxification and the Cultural War

In his seminal work Gharbzadegi (Westoxification), Al-e Ahmad described colonial influence not as just military — but spiritual disease.

غرب‌زدگی یعنی فلج‌شدنِ روح ما

“Westoxification means the paralysis of our spirit.”

— Al-e Ahmad, Gharbzadegi

He warned that language, culture, and ink were not neutral. Whoever controls narrative, controls destiny.

Poem – When Rhythm Became Revolution

Where ink carved the message, poem breathed life into it. Poetry has always been the soul of the ummah — the language of longing, the rhythm of revolt.

From the chains of prison to the soil of Karbala, resistance has always sung.

Bobby Sands – The Poet in the Prison Cell

During his hunger strike against British occupation in Northern Ireland, Bobby Sands wrote poems on toilet paper and smuggled them out of Maze Prison.

His words awakened a sleeping world.

“Let our revenge be the laughter of our children.”

— Bobby Sands, Writings from Prison

He died after 66 days without food — but his poem became the voice of a nation.

Faiz Ahmad Faiz – The Sorrow of the Oppressed, Set to Verse

A master of Urdu resistance poetry, Faiz wrote with sorrowed sabr and unwavering truth. His work was banned, his pen surveilled, yet his poems became the anthem of revolution from Lahore to Beirut.

لازم ہے کہ ہم بھی دیکھیں گے

“Surely, we too shall witness…”

— Faiz, Dast-e-Saba

His verses live on in every land where oppression still walks.

Shaheed Murtadha Mutahhari – The Philosopher of the Poetic Word

Though known as a scholar, Shaheed Mutahhari’s writing carried the cadence of the Quran and the passion of poetry. In Insan va Sarnevesht (Man and Destiny), he made poetry out of moral clarity:

اگر ملّت‌ها بیدار شوند، هیچ قدرتی نمی‌تواند جلوی آن‌ها را بگیرد

“If nations awaken, no power can stop them.”

— Shaheed Mutahhari, Insan va Sarnevesht

He showed that the line between ideology (aqidah) and emotion was never meant to be severed.

Haj Sadegh Ahangaran – The Voice of the Sacred Defence

In the trenches of the Iran–Iraq war, Ahangaran’s nohe were not performances — they were clarifications.

His chants wept for the martyrs, rallied the troops, and summoned God’s name in the language of blood and rhythm.

ای لشکر صاحب‌زمان آماده باش آماده باش

“O army of the Master of Time, be ready, be ready!”

— Ahangaran, Battlefield nohe, circa 1983

He clarified that poetry can be a weapon — so long as it bleeds with truth.

Mohammad Hussein Kuwaitipour – The Martyr-Poet

Before falling on the battlefield, Kuwaitipour composed verse that united ishq and istiqamah — divine love and defiance.

His famous line still lives on:

نمی‌خواهم ز دنیا جز شهادت

“I ask of this world nothing but martyrdom.”

— Kuwaitipour, Personal diary, circa 1986

His poems were not metaphors. They were premonitions.

Hamid Zamani – The Anthem of Quranic Resistance

Zamani’s music blends Quranic metaphors with revolutionary defiance. His voice became the soundtrack of the youth who sought clarity and conviction.

ما اهل کوفه نیستیم علی تنها بماند

“We are not the people of Kufa that Ali should be left alone.”

— Hamid Zamani, We Are Not the People of Kufa, 2014

Through rhythm, he reminded a generation that wilayah is not just a slogan — it is a vow.

Shaykh Husayn al-Akraf – The Cry of the Gulf

From Bahrain, Shaykh al-Akraf’s nohe exposed injustice and rekindled faith.

His lament for the oppressed Shia of Arabia thundered across digital airwaves:

مظلومين، مظلومين، احنا في الدنيا مظلومين

“Oppressed, oppressed — we are the oppressed of this world.”

— Shaykh Husayn al-Akraf, Noha recording, 2007

His voice gave clarity to the pain they tried to silence.

Firqat al-Isra – The Minstrels of Wilayah and Defiance

A Lebanese youth collective grounded in Quranic symbolism and revolutionary identity, Firqat al-Isra fuses poetic nasheed with digital clarity, confronting Zionism, cultural imperialism, and spiritual apathy through performance and production.

Their nasheed “Death to Israel” (الموت لإسرائيل) is not a chant of hatred — it is a cry of witness, rooted in Quranic justice and the legacy of Karbala.

قد أذنَ الله لنا… أن نهتفَ: الموتُ لإسرائيل!

“God has permitted us… to cry out: Death to Israel!”

— Firqat al-Isra, Nasheed: الموت لإسرائيل (Death to Israel)

In this track, the performers shift between lament and resistance, invoking Quranic verses of divine permission for defence and declaring their loyalty to the oppressed — from Palestine to Yemen.

The nasheed fuses melody with clarity, reminding the ummah that poetry is not entertainment — it is a form of tabyeen.

كلماتُنا سيوف، أصواتُنا جهاد

“Our words are swords, our voices are jihad.”

— Firqat al-Isra

This is not incitement — it is inheritance. From Labbayka Ya Zaynab to al-Mawt li Isra’il, they carry the poetic banner of wilayah, truth, and refusal to remain silent.

Firqat al-Wilayah – The Anthemists of Dignity and Defiance

Formed in the crucible of resistance in Lebanon, Firqat al-Wilayah channels Quranic imagery and poetic form into nasheed that clarifies the ideological battlefront.

In the aftermath of the brutal Zionist aggression on Lebanon in 2006 — which reduced the Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh to rubble — they released the iconic track:

لبنان أكبر من هيك

“Lebanon is greater than this.”

— Firqat al-Wilayah, Nasheed: Lubnaan Akbar min Hayk, 2006

This nasheed was not a cry of despair — it was an affirmation that Lebanon’s identity, faith, and resistance could not be flattened by bombs. Through rhythmic chant and Quranic references, they declared that Dahiyeh may fall — but the soul of wilayah will rise.

نبقى معك، يا نصر الله… حتى يُعلَنَ النصرُ النهائي

“We remain with you, O Nasrallah… until final victory is declared.”

— Firqat al-Wilayah

Their voice — like their lyrics — became a living poem written across the ruins, reminding the ummah that resistance is not only armed — it is also sung.

Witness – When the Truth Walked and Spoke

If ink preserves, and poem stirs — it is witness that risks.

Witness stands where silence is easier.

It walks where others flee.

It speaks, even when the world will punish it for doing so.

The Quran honours this act:

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهَادَةً عِندَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ

“And who is more unjust than one who conceals testimony he has from God?”

— Quran, Surah al-Baqarah (the Chapter of the Cow) #2, Verse 140

To conceal truth is injustice.

To declare it — even in the court of tyrants — is wilayah.

Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her) – The Voice of Karbala

Chained, unveiled, dragged from court to court — Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her) did not flinch. In Yazid’s palace in Damascus, she stood not as a grieving sister, but as a proof of God.

Her sermon clarified history for all eternity.

فَكِدْ كَيْدَكَ، وَاسْعَ سَعْيَكَ، وَنَاصِبْ جَهْدَكَ، فَوَاللَّهِ لَا تَمْحُو ذِكْرَنَا

“So plot your schemes, exert your efforts, and stretch your hostility. By God, you shall never erase our remembrance.”

— Al-Tabarsi⁷³, Al-Ihtijaaj⁷⁴, Volume 2, Page 307

Her words were not just resistance. They were tabyeen — divine clarification in the language of fire.

Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-Abedeen (peace be upon him) – The Witness in Chains

He witnessed Karbala with his own eyes. His chains were the punctuation to every injustice.

Yet he did not merely survive — he clarified.

In the court of Yazid, when asked who he was, he replied:

أَنَا ابْنُ مَنْ قُتِلَ صَبْرًا، وَكَفَى بِذَلِكَ فَخْرًا

“I am the son of the one slain in patience — and that is honour enough.”

— Al-Tabarsi⁷⁵, Al-Ihtijaaj⁷⁶, Volume 2, Page 291

Later, his Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah became a whispered revolution — one that clarified worship, justice, and resistance through dua.

Ammar ibn Yasir (peace be upon him) – The First Witness of the Ummah

A student of the Prophet, a soldier of Imam Ali, and a living embodiment of clarity under fire — Ammar’s death at the hands of Muawiyyah’s army became a divine sign.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) had said:

تَقْتُلُ عَمَّارًا الفِئَةُ البَاغِيَةُ

“Ammar will be killed by the rebellious faction.”

— Al-Bukhari⁷⁷, Sahih al-Bukhari⁷⁸, Hadeeth #447
— Al-Majlisi⁷⁹, Bihar al-Anwar⁸⁰, Volume 32, Page 307
— Al-Kulayni⁸¹, Al-Kafi⁸², Volume 8, Page 206

His death was not just a martyrdom — it was tabyeen with blood.

His silence spoke louder than banners.

Imam Khomeini – The Clarifier of a Century

His sermons shook palaces. His pen revived religion. His tears purified politics.

Imam Khomeini did not merely oppose tyranny — he clarified what Islam truly means.

ما تکلیف‌گراییم، نه نتیجه‌گرای

“We are duty-bound, not result-driven.”

— Imam Khomeini, Sahifeh-ye Imam, Volume 18, Page 207

His life was the synthesis of ink, poem, and witness. He stood — and the world shook.

Shaheed Beheshti – The Philosopher of Islamic Justice

A jurist, scholar, and architect of Iran’s post-revolution judiciary, Ayatullah Dr. Sayyed Muhammad Husayn Beheshti embodied ethical clarity.

When accused and defamed, he replied not with vengeance — but with God-consciousness.

بگذار همه فحش بدهند، ما کار خودمان را می‌کنیم

“Let them all curse us — we will continue our work.”

— Shaheed Beheshti, Collected Works, Beheshti Foundation, 1982

His assassination in 1981, alongside 72 others, became a defining moment in the jihad of clarification.

Ayatullah Sayyed Muhammad Husayn Fadhlullah – The Marja Who Refused Silence

A jurist, thinker, and spiritual father to the oppressed in Lebanon and beyond, Ayatullah Fadhlullah stood at the crossroads of modernity and faith, clarifying Islam through pulpits, publications, and principled defiance.

He rejected sectarianism, criticised both Eastern and Western hegemonies, and voiced solidarity with the oppressed — especially the people of Palestine, Iraq, and Yemen.

لا يجوز للمسلم أن يكون حياديًا تجاه قضايا أمّته… الصمتُ خيانةٌ للمستضعفين

“A Muslim cannot be neutral toward the issues of his ummah… Silence is betrayal of the oppressed.”

— Ayatullah Fadhlullah, Minbar al-Ma’rifah, Beirut, 2001

His Friday sermons and media outreach became a model for spiritual leadership rooted in action. Until his death in 2010, he embodied witness through reason, mercy, and clarity.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah – The Voice They Tried to Silence

Until his martyrdom in September 2024 — killed in a massive Israeli-backed bombing campaign that levelled parts of Dahiyeh in Beirut — Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was not merely a resistance leader.

He was a global witness: a clarifier of truth from Gaza to Lebanon, from Syria to Yemen.

He stood not with slogans, but with strategic truth rooted in Quranic insight and the pain of the oppressed.

It was his words that made tyrants tremble — and it was for those words that he was killed.

نحن قوم لا يُهزم فينا الحسين

“We are a people in whom Husayn is never defeated.”

— Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Speech, Victory Rally, Dahiyeh, September 2006

But he did not only cry for the Levant.

He wept for Yemen — where a Western-backed siege choked children in silence. He declared:

كل ما يجري في اليمن من قتل وتجويع وتشريد هو مسؤولية أمريكا وأتباعها

“Everything happening in Yemen — the killing, the starvation, the displacement — is the responsibility of America and its followers.”

— Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Speech, Ashura Address, 2022

Sayyed Hassan’s voice was Husayni in content and Zaynabi in courage. His martyrdom was not a silencing — it was a global echo of tabyeen that will not fade.

Call to Clarify: You Are the Link They Died For

O servant of truth, you who write, speak, cry, or remain steadfast — you are not disconnected. You are the continuation.

They clarified for their time.

Now it is your time.

Your silence will serve someone — will it serve the oppressor, or the oppressed?

Write like Tyndale.

Sing like Ahangaran.

Stand like Zaynab.

Because clarity is not inherited — it is earned.

And you, O mourner, O student, O witness,

You are the ink, the poem, and the voice they hoped would survive.

Censorship and the Culture of Forgetting

In every age, the enemies of truth have not only feared the message — they have feared the memory.

When the truth cannot be defeated, it is hidden.

When the martyr cannot be defamed, he is forgotten.

And when the pen cannot be broken, it is drowned in noise.

We now live in an age where censorship has evolved. No longer confined to blunt instruments — such as burning books, banning speakers, or assassinating witnesses — it now works through algorithms, filters, media framing, and emotional anaesthesia.

What it cannot ban, it buries.

We call this the Culture of Forgetting.

It is more effective than brute force, because it leaves no corpse — only silence.

The Many Faces of Censorship

Censorship today is not only political — it is psychological, cultural, even spiritual.

• Algorithmic Suppression: Resistance voices are labelled “extremist,” shadow-banned, demonetised. Even martyrdom becomes a “violation of community guidelines.”

• Narrative Control: When a Yemeni child starves, it’s a “regional conflict.” When Palestinians resist, it’s “militancy.” When Shia tears fall in Muharram, they’re exoticised, politicised, or omitted entirely.

• Memory Obstruction: Historic crimes — like the siege of Karbala, or the genocide in Gaza — are relativised or reframed to dilute outrage.

• Internal Censorship: Hearts become numb. Distractions multiply. Entertainment replaces reflection. Language itself is stripped of clarity.

This is not just silencing — it is confusion.

As Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said:

مَنْ أَحْيَا قَلْبَهُ، أَبْصَرَ الْحَقَّ

“Whoever revives his heart, sees the truth.”

— Al-Amidi⁸³, Ghurar al-Hikam⁸⁴, Hadeeth #9636

If the heart dies, truth disappears — even if it is right in front of us.

The Quranic Command to Remember

The Quran places dhikr (remembrance) at the centre of spiritual and historical survival.

وَذَكِّرْهُم بِأَيَّامِ اللَّهِ

“Remind them of the Days of God.”

— Quran, Surah Ibrahim (the Chapter of (Prophet) Abraham) #14, Verse 5

Those who forget the Days of God — the moments when truth clashed with tyranny — become soft, vulnerable, and susceptible to manipulation.

Just as Pharaoh rewrote the past to maintain his throne, the tyrants of today erase, distort, and distract to break the chain of remembrance.

Ziyarat Ashura, Ziyarat Arbaeen, Du’a Nudbah, and the mourning rituals of Shia Islam are not merely devotional — they are defiant memory in the face of organised forgetting.

The Battle for Memory is the Battle for Meaning

To remember is to resist. That is why:

• Imam Zayn al-Abedeen (peace be upon him) wept for twenty years after Karbala — not as grief alone, but as resistance through remembrance.

• Sayyedah Zaynab (peace be upon her) said:

فَوَاللَّهِ لَا تَمْحُو ذِكْرَنَا

“By God, you shall never erase our remembrance.”

— Al-Tabarsi⁸⁵, Al-Ihtijaaj⁸⁶, Volume 2, Page 307

In a world trying to turn truth into spectacle and sacrifice into trivia, our memory becomes a form of jihad.

As Imam Khamenei warned:

هر ملتی که تاریخش را فراموش کند، مجبور می‌شود آن را تکرار کند

“Any nation that forgets its history will be forced to repeat it.”

— Paraphrased from Imam Khamenei⁸⁷

Call to Clarify: Revive What They Try to Erase

O witness of Husayn —

If they try to delete your voice, write it again.

If they bury your memory, exhume it with clarity.

If they silence the martyrs, let your life speak for them.

• Archive the forgotten.

• Speak what others fear to name.

• Turn your art, your prayer, your code, your silence — into remembrance.

Because to remember Husayn is to confront every Yazid.

And to clarify truth is to become a living link in the chain of divine memory.

Conclusion

You Are the Ink, the Poem, the Witness

You who have reached this point —

You who have walked through ink spilled in prison,

Poems whispered in bunkers,

And voices raised before tyrants —

Know this: you are not reading history.

You are inheriting it.

We are not recounting the past to mourn it.

We are clarifying it, so that you will never again walk into confusion alone.

You Are the Ink

If the Quran descended today, it would be revealed again in the ink of the oppressed, the pen of the exile, the scratch of the child denied school, the bloodied notebook in a Gaza hospital.

ن ۚ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ

“Nun. By the Pen and what they write.”

— Quran, Surah al-Qalam (the Chapter of the Pen) #68, Verse 1

That oath — was not to ink alone. It was to those who write what must be written.

And so the ink is now yours.

You Are the Poem

If Husayn is the truth, then every verse that mourns him, praises him, defends him — becomes a sword.

Your voice may tremble.

Your words may rhyme.

But if they clarify — they are poem.

And if they clarify for God — they are witness.

Let the rhythm of your sorrow become the cadence of your resistance.

Let your lament — like Faiz, Ahangaran, or the poets of Arbaeen — refuse to forget.

Because you, too, were born into a battlefield.

And your silence will be read.

You Are the Witness

Sayyedah Zaynab stood before Yazid without an army, without a weapon, without even her veil.

But she clarified.

Imam Sajjad, frail and chained, still clarified.

Imam Khomeini, exiled and surrounded, still clarified.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, until his final breath, clarified.

Beheshti, Shariati, Fadhlullah, Mutahhari — all clarified until it cost them everything.

And you?

You have their voice.

Their blood.

Their mission.

Not because you are them — but because they planted you.

Final Call to Clarify: Let Them Never Say We Were Silent

O child of Karbala,

O mourner of Gaza,

O poet of Wilayah,

O whisperer beneath the digital throne —

They will try to erase you.

They will rename your pain.

They will pixelate your wounds, and monetise your memory.

Do not let them.

• Write what must be remembered.

• Weep what must not be forgotten.

• Stand where others are crushed.

• Speak even if no one hears — for God hears.

Because the day will come — when Sayyedah Zaynab’s voice is heard again.

And when it is, it will not be through minarets or missiles alone.

It will be through your clarity.

Tabyeen is not a project.

It is a trust.

And now, O soul of ink, poem, and witness —

That trust is yours.

Supplication-Eulogy: #15: “Until the Sun Rises in the West”

Fifth Night of Arbaeen - “Until the Sun Rises in the West”

In Your Name, O You Who never forgets a tear shed in secret,
Who preserved every whisper of Zaynab, every sigh of Sajjad,
Who heard the children cry in Karbala,
And hears them still — in Rafah, in Sa’ada, in Fallujah, in Sanaa, in Quds.

O Light that does not flicker,
O Truth that does not age,
We stand at the end of this chain —
A chain of ink, of poem, of witness —
And we do not wish to break it.

O Husayn…

You called out “Is there anyone to help me?”,
and your call still echoes — not in the desert —
but in our devices, our voices, our hearts.

We were not there at Naynawa.
But we are here now.

And we say — not as slogan, but as pledge:
“We are with you, O Husayn!”

A ready pledge of aid for you.

Let the angels record this as not a recitation —
But a recruitment.

O Zaynab…

We heard you.
In Kufa. In Sham.
Before the tyrant. In chains.
You did not tremble — and so we must not flinch.

You said:
“By God, you shall never erase our remembrance.”

So here we are —
Writing, reciting, crying, coding, creating.
So that the remembrance of Husayn will never be drowned in distraction.

You are the mother of tabyeen —
And we are the inheritors of your voice.

O Mahdi…

O the One in occultation, but not in absence.
O Imam of the broken-hearted,
O Proof of God upon the Earth —
We have read the Ziyarah.
We have walked Arbaeen.
We have wept our hearts dry.

But is it enough?

Do our feet walk, while our hands remain idle?
Do our tongues curse Yazid, but remain silent before modern Pharaohs?

We call upon you — not to hasten —
But to count us among those who are hastening.

We call upon your Lord, as you taught us in Duʿa an-Nudbah:

“Where is the one who shall avenge the blood of the one slain in Karbala?”

We are not waiting for you to rise —
We are preparing the ground on which you will walk.

O God…

We do not ask to be poets.
We do not ask to be preachers.
We ask only this:
“Make us among the believers who aid him and await his appearance.”

Make us among the 313 —
The ones who will not excuse themselves with cowardice, caution, or comfort.

And I will never, ever sit still.

We do not ask for fame.
We ask for footsteps in your army.

We do not ask for safety.
We ask for sincerity.

We do not ask for escape.
We ask for quds —
Not just the land, but the sanctity of Your justice, in every land.

O Awaited One…

We are not of the silent.
We are not of the forgetful.
We are not of the neutral.

We are the remnants of Zaynab.
The children of the chain.
The readers of Dua.
The screamers of truth.

Let us be those who prepare your banner,
Build your battleground,
Defend your Quran,
And weep for your loneliness — until your name is no longer whispered, but declared.

So let the sun rise in the West.
Let Makkah and Madinah be liberated.
Let Quds return to its rightful people.
Let Gaza dance in your light.
Let us pray behind you,
With Jesus, son of Mary — in the final congregation.
And let the earth rejoice that truth was not erased.

Because the witness remains.
And we are not of the silent.
And we are preparing.
Not for your coming —
But for our accountability when you arrive.

Amen, O Lord Sustainer of the Universes.
Amen, O Most Merciful of the Merciful.

And from Him alone is all ability and He has authority over all things.

1. 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 اللَّهِ

Peace 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).

2. Shaykh Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Musa ibn Babawayh al-Qummi, commonly known as Shaykh as-Saduq (c. 923-991 CE / c. 310-381 AH), was a highly esteemed Shia Islamic scholar of the 10th century. He was a leading figure in the Qum school of tradition, known for its emphasis on hadeeth and jurisprudence. Shaykh as-Saduq authored numerous books on various aspects of Islamic knowledge, with his most famous work being Man La Yahdharuhu al-Faqih, one of The Four Books of Shia hadeeth. His scholarship and dedication to preserving and disseminating the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and the Imams have left an enduring legacy in Shia Islam, making him a central figure in the development of Shia jurisprudence and theology.

3. Ilal al-Sharai’, authored by the eminent Imami scholar Shaykh al-Saduq (d. 381 AH/991 CE), occupies a distinguished place within the corpus of Twelver Shia hadeeth literature. This work is particularly notable for its systematic exploration of the underlying causes (ilal) and wisdoms (asbaab) behind various Islamic laws, rituals, and theological concepts, as transmitted from the Prophet Muhammad and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Through a careful compilation of narrations, Shaykh al-Saduq seeks to elucidate not only the practical aspects of religious observance but also the rational and spiritual dimensions that inform them. Ilal al-Sharai’, thus serves as a critical resource for scholars and students aiming to understand the intellectual foundations of Shia jurisprudence and theology, and it continues to be referenced in both traditional seminaries (hawza) and contemporary academic studies of Shiism.

4. 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

5. See Note 2.

6. Kitab al-Tawheed by Shaykh al-Saduq (d. 381 AH / 991 CE) is one of the foundational texts of Shia theology, dedicated to the exposition and clarification of the doctrine of divine unity (tawheed) as taught by the Prophet Muhammad (d. 11 AH / 632 CE) and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Through a comprehensive collection of narrations, Shaykh al-Saduq addresses complex theological questions concerning the nature and attributes of God, the meaning of monotheism, and the rejection of anthropomorphism and polytheism. The book systematically presents the authentic teachings of the Imams, offering both rational and scriptural arguments that have shaped Shia understanding of tawheed for centuries. Kitab al-Tawheed remains an essential reference for scholars, students, and all those seeking a deeper appreciation of the core tenets of Shia faith, and it continues to be studied in seminaries and academic circles alike.

7. 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).

8. 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

9. See Note 2.

10. Thawaab al-A‘maal by Shaykh al-Saduq (d. 381 AH / 991 CE) is a cherished work within the Shia tradition, focusing on the immense spiritual rewards and merits associated with various acts of worship, good deeds, and ethical conduct as taught by the Prophet Muhammad and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Through a rich collection of narrations, Shaykh al-Saduq inspires believers to pursue virtuous actions by highlighting the blessings and divine recompense promised for everything from prayer and charity to kindness and the pursuit of knowledge. This book not only serves as a source of motivation for personal spiritual growth, but also as a reminder of the profound mercy and generosity of God. Thawaab al-A‘maal continues to be widely read and referenced in Shia communities, encouraging the faithful to embody the teachings of Islam in their daily lives.

11. Allamah Sayyid Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai, Al-Mizan: An Exegesis of the Quran, Volume 14, commentary on Q 21:47.

12. Allamah Sayyed Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai, widely known as Allamah Tabatabai, was a towering figure in 20th-century Shia Islamic scholarship, renowned for his profound philosophical insights and his monumental commentary on the Quran, Tafsir al-Mizan. Born in Tabriz, Iran, he dedicated his life to the study and teaching of Islamic philosophy, mysticism, and Quranic exegesis, bridging traditional Islamic thought with modern intellectual currents. His Tafsir al-Mizan is celebrated for its comprehensive approach, interpreting the Quran through the Quran itself, and for its insightful discussions on social, philosophical, and spiritual themes, leaving an enduring legacy on Shia intellectual and spiritual life.

13. Tafsir al-Mizan is a monumental and influential Shia exegesis of the Quran authored by Allamah Sayyed Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai. Distinguished by its method of interpreting the Quran through the Quran itself (Quran bil-Quran), it offers a comprehensive and cohesive understanding of the sacred text. Beyond linguistic and historical analysis, al-Mizan delves into the philosophical, social, and spiritual dimensions of the verses, providing profound insights into Islamic theology, ethics, and metaphysics. Its unique approach and depth of analysis have made it a cornerstone of contemporary Shia scholarship, widely studied and respected for its intellectual rigour and spiritual wisdom.

14. See Note 7.

15. See Note 8.

16. See Note 7.

17. See Note 8.

18. See Note 7.

19. See Note 8.

20. Shaykh al-Mufid, Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Nu'man al-Baghdadi (336 AH/948 CE – 413 AH/1022 CE), was a prominent Shia theologian and jurist of the Buyid era. Born in the vicinity of Baghdad, he became a leading figure in the development of Shia thought, known for his expertise in kalam (Islamic scholastic theology) and fiqh (jurisprudence). Al-Mufid was a prolific writer, contributing significantly to the systematisation of Shia doctrine and law, and he trained numerous influential scholars, including Shaykh al-Tusi. His works, such as Kitab al-Irshad and al-Muqni'ah, remain central texts in Shia seminaries, solidifying his legacy as one of the most important and authoritative voices in Shia Islam.

21. Al-Irshad is one of the most celebrated works of Shaykh al-Mufid, serving as a foundational text in Shia scholarship. Written in the early 11th century CE, Al-Irshad provides detailed biographies of the twelve Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, highlighting their spiritual virtues, historical roles, and the unique circumstances of their lives and martyrdoms. The book is valued not only for its historical narratives but also for its theological insights, as Shaykh al-Mufid draws upon both rational argument and transmitted reports to defend the doctrine of Imamah. Al-Irshad has been widely studied and referenced by later Shia scholars, and it continues to be a key source for understanding the lives and significance of the Imams within Twelver Shia Islam.

22. Abu Mansur Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib al-Tabarsi was a Shia scholar who lived around the 6th century AH (12th century CE). He is best known as the author of Al-Ihtijaaj, a significant collection of debates and arguments involving the Prophet Muhammad and the Imams.

It is important to distinguish him from the more famous al-Tabarsi, the author of the Majma al-Bayaan commentary on the Quran, as they are two different scholars from the same family.

Details about his life are scarce, but his work Al-Ihtijaaj indicates that he was deeply invested in documenting and preserving the intellectual and theological heritage of Shia Islam. His book remains a valuable resource for understanding Shia beliefs and the historical context of early Islamic debates.

23. Al-Ihtijaaj, authored by al-Tabarsi, is a prominent Shia Islamic book that serves as a compilation of debates, dialogues, and arguments featuring the Prophet Muhammad and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt.

Titled "The Argument Against the People of Disputation," it meticulously documents theological and doctrinal discussions, many of which are unique to this text. This collection includes both public debates and private correspondences, offering valuable insights into the intellectual defence of the Imamate and the historical context of early Islamic debates.

Notably, Al-Ihtijaaj is also recognised for containing the text of Ziyarat Aal-e-Yaseen, attributed to Imam al-Mahdi, further solidifying its significance in Shia scholarship.

24. See Note 2.

25. Al-Amali (The Dictations) of Shaykh as-Saduq is a collection of hadeeths and historical narrations that were dictated by Shaykh as-Saduq to his students during various sessions. These sessions, held in different locations and time periods, covered a wide range of topics including theology, ethics, jurisprudence, and history. Al-Amali provides valuable insights into the teachings and beliefs of Shia Islam, reflecting Shaykh as-Saduq's deep knowledge and commitment to preserving the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad and the Imams. The book is highly regarded for its authenticity and serves as an important source for scholars and researchers interested in Shia Islamic thought. It offers a glimpse into the scholarly atmosphere of the time and the methods of transmitting knowledge in the Shia tradition.

26. Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Tusi, or Shaykh al-Tusi (995 CE/385 AH – 1067 CE/460 AH), was a highly influential Shia scholar born in Tus, Iran, who migrated to Baghdad in 1018 CE/408 AH to study under prominent scholars like Shaykh al-Mufid and Sayyid al-Murtada.

Eventually becoming the leading Shia authority after the latter's death in 1044 CE/436 AH; he authored foundational works in Shia hadeeth and jurisprudence, including Al-Tahdhib, Al-Istibsar, and Al-Nihaya; following persecution in Baghdad in 1055 CE/447 AH, he established the Hawza of Najaf, which remains a major center of Shia learning, solidifying his lasting legacy.

27. Shaykh al-Tusi's Amali (Dictations) is a revered collection of narrations and traditions, distinct from the Amali compiled by Shaykh al-Saduq, despite sharing the same title. This significant work by the esteemed Shaykh al-Tusi, a towering figure in Shia scholarship, comprises hadeeths and teachings that he dictated to his students during his scholarly sessions. It serves as a vital source for understanding various aspects of Islamic jurisprudence, ethics, history, and the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), offering profound insights and guidance for the Shia community.

28. Kumayt ibn Zayd al-Asadi (60–126 AH / 680–743 CE) stands as one of the most celebrated poets of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and a courageous voice of loyalty and devotion in the Umayyad era. His most renowned work, al-Hashimiyyat, forms a central part of his Diwan and is a collection of eloquent odes passionately defending and praising the Prophet’s family, denouncing their oppressors, and expressing the pain of their followers. Kumayt’s poetry not only immortalised the virtues and rights of the Ahl al-Bayt but also inspired generations of Shia to remain steadfast in their love and allegiance. His verses, recited in gatherings and commemorations to this day, are a testament to his unwavering faith, deep knowledge, and willingness to endure hardship for the sake of truth and justice.

29. The Diwan of Kumayt ibn Zayd al-Asadi (60–126 AH / 680–743 CE) is a treasured collection of Arabic poetry that reflects the poet’s profound devotion to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and his courageous stance against injustice during the Umayyad period. The most famous section of his Diwan is the al-Hashimiyyat, a series of passionate odes in praise of the Prophet’s family, which have become a cornerstone of Shia literary and devotional heritage. Beyond the Hashimiyyat, Kumayt’s Diwan includes poems on various themes such as ethics, social justice, and the trials faced by the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt. His eloquent verses, marked by sincerity and depth, continue to resonate with Shia communities, serving as both a source of inspiration and a historical record of steadfastness in faith and loyalty.

30. Al-Hashimiyyat is the magnum opus of Kumayt ibn Zayd al-Asadi (60–126 AH / 680–743 CE), a collection of powerful and poignant odes that stand as a monumental testament to his unwavering love and defence of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Composed during a period of intense persecution and suppression of the Prophet's family, these poems courageously articulate their rightful claim to leadership, expose the injustices perpetrated against them, and lament the tragedies they endured, particularly the events of Karbala. Al-Hashimiyyat is not merely a work of literature; it is a vibrant historical and theological document that has profoundly shaped Shia identity, inspiring resilience, fostering devotion, and preserving the narrative of the Ahl al-Bayt's struggle for truth and justice throughout history.

31. Ibn Shahrashub al-Mazandarani (d. 588 AH / 1192 CE) is regarded as one of the foremost Shia scholars and traditionists of the sixth century AH, renowned for his encyclopaedic knowledge and deep devotion to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). His magnum opus, Manaqib Aal Abi Talib, stands as a monumental work in the field of hadeeth and history, meticulously documenting the virtues, merits, and lives of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and his noble progeny. Ibn Shahrashub’s scholarship is characterised by rigorous sourcing, eloquent narration, and a commitment to preserving the authentic legacy of the Imams, making his works an indispensable resource for Shia scholars and seekers of knowledge throughout the centuries.

32. Manaqib Aal Abi Talib is the magisterial work of Ibn Shahrashub al-Mazandarani (d. 588 AH / 1192 CE), and is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive and authoritative sources on the virtues and merits of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), Imam Ali (peace be upon him), Sayyedah Fatimah az-Zahra (peace be upon her), and the rest of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). This multi-volume masterpiece meticulously compiles narrations, historical accounts, and poetic tributes, offering profound insight into the spiritual, ethical, and social excellence of the Prophet’s family. Revered by generations of Shia scholars, Manaqib Aal Abi Talib remains an indispensable reference for anyone seeking to understand the unique status and enduring legacy of the Ahl al-Bayt in Islamic history and thought.

33. Al-Kafami, whose full name is Ibrahim ibn Ali al-Kafami (d. 905 AH / 1499 CE), was a distinguished Shia scholar, jurist, and devotional writer renowned for his deep piety and literary contributions to Islamic spirituality. Hailing from Jabal Amel in present-day Lebanon, Al-Kafami authored several influential works, the most famous of which is al-Misbah (also known as Misbah Al-Kafami), a comprehensive manual of supplications, prayers, and devotional practices cherished by Shia communities worldwide. His writings reflect a profound reverence for the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and a commitment to nurturing the spiritual lives of believers, making Al-Kafami’s legacy enduring and his works a staple in the libraries and daily practices of Shia Muslims.

34. Al-Misbah (also known as Misbah al-Kafami) is the renowned devotional compendium authored by the eminent Shia scholar Ibrahim ibn Ali al-Kafami (d. 905 AH / 1499 CE). This treasured work gathers a wide array of supplications, prayers, and acts of worship for various occasions throughout the Islamic calendar, drawing from the teachings and traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Al-Misbah has long served as a spiritual guide for Shia Muslims, offering both the words and the etiquette of prayer, and is frequently referenced in later works of supplication and ziyarat. Its enduring popularity attests to its depth, authenticity, and the profound impact it has had on the devotional life of the Shia community.

35. 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.

36. 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.

37. The Battle of Qadisiyyah, fought in 636 CE (15 AH), stands as a pivotal event in early Islamic history and holds particular significance for Shia Muslims. While often celebrated in Sunni narratives as a decisive victory that led to the fall of the Sassanian Empire and the expansion of Islam into Persia, Shia perspectives tend to reflect on the immense loss of life, the complex political motivations behind the conflict, and the profound consequences for the Muslim community. For many Shia, Qadisiyyah is remembered with a sense of sorrow and contemplation, as it marked not only a shift in regional power but also set the stage for future divisions within Islam. The battle serves as a reminder of the early trials faced by the Muslim ummah and the enduring importance of justice, leadership, and unity in the face of adversity.

38. Ibn Abd Rabbih (ابن عبد ربه), whose full name was Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Rabbih al-Andalusi, was a renowned Andalusian scholar, poet, and historian born in 246 AH (860 CE) and passed away in 328 AH (940 CE). He is best known for his encyclopaedic work al-Iqd al-Fareed (“The Unique Necklace”), which compiles a vast array of Arabic poetry, proverbs, and historical anecdotes, including accounts of early Islamic figures and events. While Ibn Abd Rabbih was not a Shia scholar, his work is frequently referenced in both Sunni and Shia circles for its rich literary and historical content, and it remains a valuable resource for understanding the intellectual and cultural heritage of the Islamic world during the 3rd and 4th centuries AH (9th–10th centuries CE).

39. Al-Iqd al-Fareed (العقد الفريد), composed by Ibn Abd Rabbih (d. 328 AH / 940 CE), is one of the most celebrated anthologies of Arabic literature from the Islamic Golden Age. Compiled in al-Andalus during the 4th century AH (10th century CE), this encyclopaedic work is organised into twenty-five “jewels” (books), each gathering poetry, proverbs, historical narratives, and moral lessons from pre-Islamic and Islamic sources. Although Ibn Abd Rabbih was not affiliated with the Shia tradition, al-Iqd al-Fareed is valued by scholars of all schools for its preservation of early Islamic history, including accounts of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) and other prominent figures. The work’s literary richness and breadth make it an indispensable reference for anyone studying the intellectual and cultural heritage of the Islamic world.

40. Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah al-Musawi al-Khomeini (1902–1989) was a preeminent Shia scholar, jurist, and the founding leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Born in Khomein, Iran, he rose to prominence as a marjaʿ (source of emulation) and a vocal critic of injustice and tyranny. Khomeini’s leadership culminated in the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the Pahlavi monarchy and established a new system of governance based on Islamic principles. Revered for his deep piety, scholarship, and unwavering commitment to the cause of the oppressed, Khomeini inspired millions within Iran and throughout the Muslim world. He passed away on June 3, 1989, in Tehran, and his funeral was attended by millions, reflecting the profound impact he had on his nation and the global Shia community. His legacy endures as a symbol of resistance, spiritual leadership, and the pursuit of justice.

41. Sahifeh-ye Imam (صحیفه امام) is a comprehensive collection of speeches, messages, letters, decrees, and religious rulings by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, spanning the decades of his leadership and revolutionary activity. Compiled in 22 volumes, this monumental work offers invaluable insight into Imam Khomeini’s thoughts on theology, politics, society, and spirituality, reflecting his vision for an Islamic society rooted in justice and moral integrity. Sahifeh-ye Imam serves not only as a historical record of the Islamic Revolution and its aftermath but also as a guiding reference for scholars, students, and all those seeking to understand the intellectual and spiritual foundations of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Through its pages, readers encounter the depth of Imam Khomeini’s wisdom, his unwavering commitment to the oppressed, and his enduring influence on contemporary Shia thought.

42. This statement is widely circulated online and attributed to Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's Ashura Speech in 2010. However, direct verification from official transcripts or reputable journalistic sources was not found during research.

43. This statement is widely cited in Islamic revolutionary discourse and memorial literature but lacks a definitive primary source. Similar themes appear in Ayatullah Shaheed Beheshti’s lectures on Karbala’s ideological significance.

44. Abul Qasim Ja‘far ibn Muhammad ibn Qulawayh al-Qummi (d. c. 978 CE / 368 AH) was a distinguished Shia traditionist and jurist of the 10th century. Born in Qom, a renowned centre of Shia learning, Ibn Qulawayh studied under some of the most eminent scholars of his era, including his father and the celebrated Shaykh al-Kulayni. He travelled extensively, particularly to Iraq, in pursuit of hadeeth and religious knowledge. Ibn Qulawayh is best known for his seminal work, Kamil al-Ziyarat, a foundational collection of traditions concerning the merits and etiquettes of visiting the graves of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), the Imams, and especially Imam Husayn (peace be upon him). His meticulous scholarship and piety earned him great respect among later Shia scholars, and his works continue to be referenced in both devotional and academic contexts.

45. Kamil al-Ziyarat (The Complete Book of Pilgrimages) is a monumental work compiled by the esteemed Shia scholar Abul Qasim Ja‘far ibn Muhammad ibn Qulawayh al-Qummi (d. c. 978 CE / 368 AH). This revered text stands as one of the earliest and most authoritative collections of traditions (hadeeth) specifically dedicated to the virtues and practices of Ziyarah (pilgrimage), particularly to the holy shrines of the Ahl al-Bayt. Organised systematically, the book meticulously records narrations from the Imams concerning the spiritual rewards, etiquettes, and significance of visiting the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), Imam Ali, Sayyedah Fatimah, and the other infallible Imams, with a special emphasis on the pilgrimage to Imam Husayn's shrine in Karbala. Kamil al-Ziyarat is highly regarded by Shia jurists and traditionists for its rigorous methodology and the reliability of its narrators, making it an indispensable source for understanding the profound spiritual and communal importance of Ziyarah in Shia Islam.

46. See Note 7.

47. See Note 8.

48. See Note 39.

49. See Note 40.

50. Ayatullah Mohammad-Taqi Misbah-Yazdi (محمدتقی مصباح یزدی), born in 1935 CE (1354 AH) in Yazd, Iran, was a prominent Shia scholar, philosopher, and political theorist. He played a significant role in the Islamic Republic’s intellectual and religious landscape, teaching at the Qom Seminary for decades and authoring numerous influential works on Islamic philosophy, ethics, and theology. Ayatullah Misbah-Yazdi was widely recognised for his close association with the Islamic Revolution and his support for the concept of wilayat al-faqih (Guardianship of the Jurist). He passed away on January 1, 2021 CE (17 Jumada al-Ula 1442 AH), leaving behind a lasting legacy in contemporary Shia thought.

51. Marefat-e Dini (معرفت دینی), authored by Ayatullah Mohammad-Taqi Misbah-Yazdi, is a multi-volume work first published in the late 1990s CE (late 1410s AH). This influential series explores the foundations of religious knowledge, the nature of faith, and the relationship between reason and revelation from a Shia philosophical perspective. Drawing on decades of teaching and scholarship, Ayatullah Misbah-Yazdi addresses contemporary challenges facing Islamic thought, offering deep insights into epistemology and the principles of understanding religion. Marefat-e Dini remains a key reference for seminary students and scholars, reflecting the intellectual legacy of its author, who lived from 1935 CE (1354 AH) to 2021 CE (1442 AH).

52. See Note 22.

53. Sayyed Ibn Tawus’s (d. 664 AH/1266 CE) Al-Luhuf alaa Qatla al-Tufuf (اللهوف علی قتلی الطفوف, "The Sorrows upon the Martyrs of Karbala") stands as one of the most poignant and enduring chronicles of Imam Husayn’s martyrdom. Composed in the 7th century AH, this concise yet emotionally charged maqtal (martyrdom narrative) distills the tragedy of Ashura with gripping intensity, blending historical reporting with theological reflection. Unlike lengthy academic works, Al-Luhuf was designed for public recitation during mourning gatherings, making it a cornerstone of Shia devotional practice. Ibn Tawus—a revered scholar and mystic—draws from early sources (some now lost) to present a heart-wrenching account, from the Imam’s departure from Medina to the captivity of the Ahl al-Bayt. Key passages, such as the angels’ lament ("Ya Muhammadah!") and Zaynab’s confrontation with Ibn Ziyad, are rendered with vivid imagery that has shaped Shia liturgical traditions for centuries. While the text lacks full chains of narration (isnaad), its theological alignment with Bihar al-Anwar and Maqtal al-Khwarazmi underscores its reliability. Today, Al-Luhuf remains a vital text for rawdah (elegy, mourning) reciters and scholars alike, bridging history and spirituality in the commemoration of Karbala’s eternal message.

54. See Note 22.

55. See Note 23.

56. See Note 22.

57. See Note 23.

58. See Note 35.

59. See Note 36.

60. Ziyarat Nahiyah al-Muqaddasah (الزيارة الناحية المقدسة) is a profound and deeply moving visitation text revealed by Imam al-Mahdi and narrated through reliable chains in Kamil al-Ziyarat. It is a sacred address to Imam Husayn on Ashura, expressing both profound love for the Master of Martyrs and divine wrath against his oppressors. Unlike Ziyarat Ashura, it includes detailed curses not only on the direct killers but also on those who approved of Karbala through silence or complicity—captured in powerful lines like 'اللَّهُمَّ الْعَنْ أُمَّةً سَمِعَتْ بِذٰلِكَ فَرَضِيَتْ بِهِ' (O God, exclude from your mercy a people who heard of this crime and were pleased with it). Reciting this ziyarat—especially on Ashura or at Imam Husayn’s shrine—renews our covenant of loyalty and dissociation from tyranny, while connecting us to the Hidden Imam’s own lament for his grandfather. It is a timeless weapon of the Shia, preserving the raw truth of Karbala across generations.

61. Imam Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn al-Ash'ath al-Sijistani (202–275 AH) was a leading Sunni hadeeth scholar who compiled Sunan Abu Dawud, one of the six major Sunni hadeeth collections. Born in Sijistan (modern Iran/Afghanistan), he studied under prominent Sunni traditionists like Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. While respected for his rigorous compilation of legal hadeeths, Shia scholars approach his work critically, as it relies on narrators not aligned with the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt (AS). His Sunan focuses particularly on jurisprudential hadeeths, and while it contains some narrations that overlap with Shia teachings, its chains of transmission are evaluated differently in Shia scholarship. For Shia Muslims, the authentic traditions of the Imams preserved in the Four Books remain the primary hadeeth source, while Sunni collections like Abu Dawud's serve mainly for historical and comparative study of Islamic legal traditions.Sunan Abu Dawud, compiled by Imam Abu Dawud al-Sijistani (d. 275 AH), is one of the six major Sunni hadeeth collections, focusing primarily on legal traditions (ahadeeth al-ahkam). While Sunni scholars consider it a reliable source for Islamic jurisprudence, Shia scholarship approaches this work with critical scrutiny, as its narrators and chains of transmission (isnaad) were not evaluated according to the standards of the Ahl al-Bayt's teachings. The collection contains over 4,800 hadeeths, some of which align with Shia narrations, while others reflect Sunni legal perspectives that differ from Imami fiqh. For Shia Muslims, the most trusted hadeeth sources remain the Four Books (al-Kutub al-Arba'ah), which were meticulously preserved by the Imams' closest companions. Sunni collections like Sunan Abu Dawud are studied in Shia circles mainly for comparative analysis, historical context, or to identify shared early Islamic traditions, but they do not hold the same authoritative status as the Imams' rigorously authenticated narrations.

62. Sunan Abu Dawud, compiled by Imam Abu Dawud al-Sijistani (d. 275 AH), is one of the six major Sunni hadeeth collections, focusing primarily on legal traditions (ahadeeth al-ahkam). While Sunni scholars consider it a reliable source for Islamic jurisprudence, Shia scholarship approaches this work with critical scrutiny, as its narrators and chains of transmission (isnaad) were not evaluated according to the standards of the Ahl al-Bayt's teachings. The collection contains over 4,800 hadeeths, some of which align with Shia narrations, while others reflect Sunni legal perspectives that differ from Imami fiqh. For Shia Muslims, the most trusted hadeeth sources remain the Four Books (al-Kutub al-Arba'ah), which were meticulously preserved by the Imams' closest companions. Sunni collections like Sunan Abu Dawud are studied in Shia circles mainly for comparative analysis, historical context, or to identify shared early Islamic traditions, but they do not hold the same authoritative status as the Imams' rigorously authenticated narrations.

63. See Note 7.

64. See Note 8.

65. 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.

66. 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.

67. A Luddite, in its historical context, refers to a member of the English textile workers' movement in the early 19th century who protested against the introduction of new labor-saving machinery. They feared that these machines would displace them from their jobs and degrade the quality of their craft. The Luddites famously destroyed machinery as a form of protest, believing it threatened their livelihoods and traditional way of life.

Today, the term "Luddite" is often used more broadly to describe anyone who is resistant to new technology or technological progress, often out of a concern for its potential negative impacts on society, employment, or human values.

68. See Note 4.

69. Abu Isa Muhammad ibn Isa al-Tirmidhi (824–892 CE / 209–279 AH) was a renowned Islamic scholar and hadeeth compiler, best known for his work Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi (also known as Sunan al-Tirmidhi), which is considered one of the six canonical hadeeth collections (al-Sihah al-Sittah) in Sunni Islam. Born in Tirmidh (in present-day Uzbekistan), al-Tirmidhi traveled extensively throughout the Islamic world, studying under prominent scholars such as Imam al-Bukhari and collecting hadeeth from various sources.

His compilation is notable for not only recording the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad but also for providing commentary on the reliability of narrators and the authenticity of the traditions. Al-Tirmidhi’s work is valued for its organisation, critical analysis, and the inclusion of juristic opinions, making it a key reference for scholars and students of hadeeth. He is remembered as a meticulous and respected figure in the field of hadeeth studies, and his contributions continue to be influential in Islamic scholarship.

70. Sunan al-Tirmidhi is one of the six major Sunni hadeeth collections (Kutub al-Sittah), compiled by Abu Isa Muhammad ibn Isa al-Tirmidhi (d. 279 AH / 892 CE). It is highly regarded for its systematic organisation, clear explanations, and inclusion of different scholarly opinions on the legal implications of the hadeeths. Al-Tirmidhi's work is unique for its categorisation of hadeeths into sahih (sound), hasan (good), and da'if (weak), providing valuable insights into their reliability and is considered an essential resource for Islamic jurisprudence and hadeeth studies within the Sunni Schools of Thought.

71. See Note 4.

72. The exact transcript of this meeting and quote could not be officially verified from primary sources.

Imam Khamenei has frequently emphasised the paramount importance of sincerity in all endeavours, particularly in cultural work. As he stated:

یکی از مهم‌ترین خصوصیات در خودسازی، و شاید اولین خصوصیت، اخلاص است

"One of the most important characteristics in self-edification, and probably the first priority, is sincerity."

— Imam Khamenei, as quoted in "40 recommendations by Imam Khamenei for the journey towards God,"

This highlights his belief that without genuine intent, efforts can become counterproductive.

73. See Note 22.

74. See Note 23.

75. See Note 22.

76. See Note 23.

77. Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari (194-256 AH / 810-870 CE), revered in Sunni Islam, dedicated his life to collecting and verifying hadeeth. Born in Bukhara, he traveled extensively across the Islamic world, meticulously gathering thousands of narrations. His rigorous methodology for authentication, involving strict criteria for narrator reliability and unbroken chains of transmission, resulted in Sahih al-Bukhari, a collection of approximately 7,000 rigorously authenticated hadeeth selected from a pool of several hundred thousand. Despite his esteemed status among Sunnis, some of his selections and criteria have been subject to critical analysis and debate within Shia scholarship, particularly concerning narrations related to key historical and theological differences.

78. Sahih al-Bukhari, compiled by Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, stands as one of the most authoritative hadeeth collections in Sunni Islam. Through rigorous criteria for authentication, al-Bukhari aimed to compile only the most reliable narrations, resulting in a collection of approximately 7,000 hadeeth selected from hundreds of thousands. While revered by Sunnis, Sahih al-Bukhari has been subject to critical analysis within Shia scholarship. Certain narrations within the collection, particularly those concerning the early history of Islam and the status of key figures, present perspectives that diverge from Shia theological and historical understandings, leading to ongoing scholarly discussions regarding their interpretation and validity within the broader Islamic tradition.

79. See Note 35.

80. See Note 36.

81. See Note 7.

82. See Note 8.

83. 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).

84. 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).

85. See Note 22.

86. See Note 23.

87. This statement is a paraphrase reflecting themes frequently expressed by Imam Khamenei in his speeches, particularly regarding the importance of historical memory and the lessons of Ashura. While not a direct quotation, similar sentiments can be found in the following addresses:

• “Ashura was not simply a historical event. It is a culture, a continuous flow, and an example for the Islamic nation that lasts forever.” (Jan. 25, 2006)

• “What is more painful is when a society reaches a point that it is passive in the face of oppression. This is a great danger.” (Nov. 21, 2012)

• “Imam Husayn’s movement was a fight against human ignorance and humiliation... it was a fight against human ignorance, debasement, deviation, humiliation and degradation.” (Apr. 14, 2000)

See 10 Illuminating Points by Imam Khamenei on Imam Husayn’s uprising for more details.