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• 22 Muharram 1447

The Representative of the Supreme Religious Authority in Europe offers condolences to the Islamic world on the anniversary of the martyrdom of the fourth Imam of the Muslims, Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him), and states:
• One of the most important legacies left by the Imam is his work "Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya," which is among the treasures of Islamic heritage. It embodies complete detachment from the material world and deep connection with the higher spiritual realm.
• The Imam trained a group of scholars who became sources of Quranic knowledge and other beneficial sciences.
• The Imam took it upon himself to define the role of a Muslim individual through his devotional and educational approach, especially in contrast to the oppressive, corrupt, and morally decaying Umayyad-Marwanid regime

On this occasion, Sayyid Kashmiri delivered a lecture discussing the life of this great Imam, who was widely acknowledged across different Islamic schools of thought for his unparalleled piety, knowledge, and virtue. Among the signs of reverence shown to him was that people would seek blessings by kissing his hand and placing it on their eyes.
This respect was not limited to his contemporaries, but extended even to historians from various sects, who described him with admiration and honor. They gave him noble titles and attributes:
1. The noble companion Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari said: "No son of the prophets was seen like Ali ibn al-Husayn."
2. Abdullah ibn Abbas, despite his advanced age, would honor and bow to the Imam, stand up for him, and say, "Welcome, beloved son of the beloved."
3. Muhammad ibn Muslim al-Zuhri, although not from the school of Ahl al-Bayt, described him as a jurist, one of the eminent Imams, and a scholar of Hijaz and Sham. He also said, "I did not see a Hashemite better than Ali ibn al-Husayn," and "I never met anyone from Ahl al-Bayt better than him."
4. Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, a leading jurist in Medina, said: "I never saw anyone better than Ali ibn al-Husayn, and every time I saw him, I despised myself," and "I never saw anyone more devout than him."
5. Even his enemies and opponents acknowledged his virtue. Yazid ibn Mu'awiya, when urged by the people of Sham to allow the Imam to speak, said: "He is from a household that has been fed knowledge thoroughly. He will only expose me and the family of Abu Sufyan."
Likewise, Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, another adversary, told him: "You possess great virtue over your family and contemporaries. You have been granted knowledge, piety, and religious integrity unmatched except by your forefathers."
The third example is al-Mansur al-Dawaniqi, who praised the Imam’s merits in a letter to al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, saying: "No one like him was born among you (the Alawites) after the Prophet (peace be upon him), except him."
These testimonies reveal only a glimpse of the lofty status of the Imam.
Despite the restrictions imposed by the Umayyads and Marwanids, the Imam’s ethical, educational, and political contributions were evident. He enriched the intellectual and spiritual landscape of his time, leaving behind profound works such as "Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya," which scholars have considered a "third weight" of the heritage of Ahl al-Bayt—after the Quran and Nahj al-Balagha. Scholars have studied, explained, and written extensively about it; the great bibliographer Agha Buzurg al-Tihrani documented 66 commentaries on it in his encyclopedic work "Al-Dhari'a ila Tasanif al-Shi'a."
His "Treatise on Rights" (Risalat al-Huquq) is considered one of the oldest and deepest moral and human documents in history. It outlines the responsibilities of a person toward God, oneself, one’s environment, neighbors, spouse, teacher, even enemies. One of its remarkable teachings is the right of an oppressor: "As for the right of one who wronged you—it is that you forgive him, and if you do so, you have overpowered him." This reflects a high ethical ideal—overcoming hatred and injustice with forgiveness, in line with the Quranic command: "Those who pardon people—God loves the doers of good."
We must also remember his famous supplication for the guardians of the Muslim frontiers, where he prays for those stationed to protect the borders of the Islamic state. It includes calls for sincerity, increased readiness, righteous action, and courage in the face of enemies. This prayer is a divine call from Imam Zayn al-Abidin to the defenders of the Muslim community, urging them to wage jihad sincerely for God's sake and to be examples in faith and character. It combines military guidance, prayer, and elevates border defense to a form of major worship.
In addition to this, the Imam trained a select group of his companions to be sources of spiritual and intellectual illumination—like Abu Hamza al-Thumali, Abu Khalid al-Kabuli, and al-Zuhri—whom he nurtured in the sciences of the Quran and its application.
Politically, the Imam protested against injustice through his continuous mourning for his father, Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him), making it a form of resistance against the oppressive regime that committed the Karbala massacre.
Through "Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya," he presented a model of the devout Muslim in contrast to the corrupt and decadent behavior of the Umayyad rulers, especially in Mecca and Medina, where open sin and vice became common. Imam Zayn al-Abidin confronted this corruption with a spiritual program that reminded people of the prophetic path.
Thus, our Imam lived a life of struggle for God’s cause, carrying the burdens of the Imamate with patience, until he was poisoned and martyred on a day like this. Peace be upon him on the day he was born, the day he was martyred, and the day he will be resurrected.
We ask God Almighty to guide us to follow his path, make us among his true followers, and among those who seek vengeance for his father al-Husayn (peace be upon him) under the leadership of the awaited Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for him). Our final prayer is that all praise is due to God, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad and his pure family.