Introduction

Speech Transcribed

Video of speech

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Introduction

On the 3rd of September 2022, at the 7th International Annual Conference on Ahlul Bayt, his eminence Sayyed Ibraheem Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic movement in Nigeria, addressed a team of Islamic clerics and other public figures from different parts of the globe via skype from his Abuja residence. His speech is transcribed by Abdullahi Isah Wasagu.

Speech Transcribed

“Assalamu Alaikhum Warahamatullah. I wish l am here with you personally, where l can be able to see your faces and share with you different views directly, but because of the conditions in which we find ourselves here. After about six years of detention, we still remain in a kind of another type of detention, because we are not allowed to go out of the country due to the seizure of our passports. Despite the fact that we are still suffering from some health conditions that requires urgent medical attention that can only be done outside the country. However we depend on Allah (The Most High).

“First of all, l will start by giving thanks to Allah (The Most High) for enabling us to see, yet, another grand meeting of general assembly of Majma’ Ahlul Bayt. After Covid-19 pandemic has not allowed the last one to take place, we thank Sayyed Qa’id Ayatullah Sayyed Khamne’i (H) for his foresight and effort over the formation of this world assembly about 30 years ago. I happened to participate in the first general assembly of this great assembly  about 30 years ago when it was initiated. I have not been in some similar gatherings because l have been from time to time in detention.

“This assembly is a sort of forum which allows followers of Ahlul Bayt to exchange different views and also to here what is happening from different corners of the world concerning the followers of Ahlul Bayt and gain experiences.

“I will also thank the present secretary of this assembly Ayatullah Sheikh Ramadhani for giving this opportunity to give good-will message to the viewers. Thank you all for having the opportunity to come to this great assembly.

“I hope to contribute a little to the viewers by saying that, we in this part of the world we are in a kind of situation that might be called a movement which is a sort of understanding of the School of Ahlul Bayt, which is spread to all parts of the world. And this is the promise of Allah (The Most High) Who has promised A’immah of Ahlul Baty (the progeny of the housefold of the Prophet) that he will make their followers plenty when they were few. Now Allah has made their followers to be plenty all over the world and it is a sign of reappearance of our last hope Sahibul Asr Wazzaman the last Imam (may Allah hasten his reappearance).

“In this part of the world where l am, 40 or 43 years ago before the success of the Islamic revolution of Iran, the School of Ahlul Bayt is unknown, even if it is know; it is known in a negative way. But Alhamdulillah, after the victory of the revolution, the message of Ahlul Bayt started  spreading. You might be witnessing in some media houses how a lot of gatherings take place in thousands, hundred of thousands and sometimes even millions of people. And particularly in Nigeria which is the most populous country in Africa, the progress is tremendous. But before the revolution like l said earlier, the School of Ahlul Bayt is unknown or known in a negative way, but now it is spreading to the extent that you can see some certain gatherings like Majalis of Ashura, Araba’een, Maulidin Nabiy and other Maulid of A’immah, International Qudus Day and other gatherings, you see a large number of people participating in both towns and villages.

For example, in the last Qudus Day of this year, before we used to have Qudus Day in main towns, we chose about 22 towns, but this time around because of security situation, we allow the procession to take place in even smaller towns and villages. So the number of places where Qudus Day demonstrations took place reach over 60 towns and villages. But the Jalsa of Ashura and the procession of Ashura on Ashura Day took place in 485 different places, towns and cities, some of them villages of course.

“And now Arba’een is coming up, but this will not take place in villages, it will take place in major towns insha Allah. And as you know, Nigeria is seen by other African nations as a leader. They emulate Nigeria, their hope is in the progress of Nigeria to take place so that they can emulate Nigeria. So, this is the reason why our enemies focus their attention on Nigeria, saying that if Nigeria goes one way, the rest of African nations will go the same way. This is the reason why they installed a regime that fight a frenzy war on their behalf. Seeing the widespread of School of Ahlul Bayt, they found that they cannot fight us with guns. They therefore opted to psychological war for many years. You know what they normally say about Shia. They always say Shia believe in this; Shia do not believe in this, they are doing this; Shia’a are doing that. I don’t have to give or mention examples. But that didn’t help them in anyway.

This is common not only in this part of the world but the rest of other parts of world as well. It didn’t help them in anyway, in fact even if it helps in anyway, it only helps us because much of their lies against Shia go in such a way that when people come and realize that those things said to them were lies, they end up accepting the School of Ahlul Bayt.

So, they now resorted to violence, attacking us. This years Ashura went well in all the places l’ve mentioned, 485 different towns and villages but in one of them, they decided after the Ashura procession was over, they went into the city and opened fire, killing 7 people and wounded about 12 others.

“Similarly in the International Qudus Day, you know, it also went well in all places, about 60 places where it took place but in three places fire was opened. These are Abuja (the capital territory), Kaduna and Zaria tonws. In Kaduna one person was instantly killed, one Mustapha Wagini and several others were wounded in Zaria. One woman was wounded Fatima Usman Samaru, and after about 54 days she also passed away. So this is their own technics using  violence agaisnt us. But even with the use of violence, we always tell them whether you attack or you don’t attack, we will continue conducting our gatherings; Ashura, Maulids, Arba’een, nothing can stop us from doing them. And attacking helps us in spreading the message in a way which they don’t even think.

“I know a lot of people might see the number of people participating in the gatherings are too large in pictures, they may see large number of people but in Nigeria we are still minority because Nigeria is the most populous country in the continent. The population of people may reach up to 200 millions, so that number you see, we are still minority, but Alhamdulillah the message is still spreading.

“I finally hope that success of this Madrasa (School of Ahlul Bayt) in this country would at the same time be the success of the Madrasa in the entire African continent as it is also the same story in other parts of the world. I wish you happy deliberation, happy discussion and aslo wish you successful meeting and hopely every one will go back home with nice messages insha Allah”.

“Wasallallahu Ala Muhammad wa Aalihi attayibinat tahirin. Wassalamu alaikhum warahamatullahi wabara katuhu.

 

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