Imam Hussein represents humanity in pure sense: Commentator

Press TV has interviewed Mohsen Saleh, a political analyst in Beirut, about Iranians holding mourning ceremonies to commemorate Tasu’a, which marks the ninth day of the lunar month of Muharram, on the eve of the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein, the third Shia Imam.

Following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Year after year we see these commemorations take place for Imam Hussein for the sacrifice that he made and for the message and principle that he stood for. I would like to get your thoughts on it, first of all.

Saleh: Imam Hussein represents the sign of righteous history. Without Imam Hussein we cannot imagine that at these years, at this age, we can live in mental peace and tranquility. Imam Hussein represents the values of Islam. Without Imam Hussein we could have seen these terrorists and these Takfiris all over the world without any people confronting them.

Imam Hussein renews history. Every year we renew history by paying this allegiance to Imam Hussein and his path in the way of Islam for the Islamic message, … and for the divine messages throughout history. I guess people now think - and I guess from these people coming from everywhere, in Lebanon, in Iran, in Iraq and in Pakistan, and in some places in the Persian Gulf - all of them feel that Imam Hussein is the resort for them to feel that they are at peace with themselves. Without Imam Hussein we could have missed history of thoughts, history of ideas, and finally values.

These values, Imam Hussein represented it from the beginning. He went in order to reform the nation of Islam, the nation of Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him and his family. That is why I guess now people feel that without going to Imam Hussein who represents the real Islam, the pure Islam, the savior of the people from all these black holes, from all these oppressors in the world, I guess people would have found themselves in an emptiness and in an alienation from the world. Imam Hussein represents the existence of the human being in all its dimensions. 

Press TV: Right now as the Muslim world is facing the threat of Takfiri terrorism like Daesh or ISIL and even al-Qaeda-linked groups, what message of Imam Hussein is relevant when it comes to these threats? 

Saleh: That is why I was saying that without Imam Hussein people would have found themselves in the laps of the oppressors, in the laps of the Americans, in the environment of the dictatorship or in the laps of these terrorist Takfiris who commit suicide in order to commit genocide, regardless of their belonging, regardless of their identity. These people do not know but the gloomy things, they do not see but the darkness in this world. That is why they are committing all these crimes against Muslims, against Shias, against Sunnis and Christians and everybody.

That is why I guess Imam Hussein in this place, in this milieu, in this environment - cultural and political - Imam Hussein represents the final resort. I guess if these terrorist groups, organizations in Syria and in Iraq, would not have found followers of Imam Hussein, I guess these terrorist groups supported by Americans and the Zionists and the Wahhabis would have killed many and many people and I guess they found the areas in these countries empty of any people resisting them and saying, ‘stop these terrorists.’

I guess now we think that Imam Hussein is a need. By his soul, by his spirit, by his path, I guess we can live. Without Imam Hussein life would be something uninhabitable, we cannot live in it, we cannot tolerate it. But Imam Hussein gave this spirit to us to bring life to our souls and to our spirits.

Imam Hussein represents not only the Muslims, not only the Shias, represents the humanity in its pure sense. Without Imam Hussein people could found themselves in the darkness of the pre-Islamic period. That is why these organizations - Daesh, ISIL and others and the supporters of them - I guess they live in this area of life - pre-religions, without religions, without values, without any feeling and emotional feeling with the people.

That is why Imam Hussein gives the purest values to human being and politically, if you can say, if you want justice you have to go to Imam Hussein. If you want real sacrifice for the path of humanity, you go to Imam Hussein. If you feel that Imam Hussein raised his voice in the face and before the oppressors, Imam Hussein. Imam Hussein, the first teacher of humanity in terms of sacrifice for the sake of God and the sake of the divine values.

That is why we see people now feel that they need to go to the squares and to go to the quarters and to go to every place in order to revive and commemorate Imam Hussein’s path and Imam Hussein’s spirit and soul and the path of the Ahl al-Bayt, may peace be upon them.

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