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• 13 Rabi I 1448

The Representative of the Supreme Religious Authority in Europe Congratulates the Muslim World on the Births of the Two Great Noble Figures, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and His Grandson, Imam Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq (PBUH)
The coincidence of the birth of Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) with that of his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (PBUH), carries a profound significance and a deep message for the Muslim Ummah: that the divine mission is one continuous path, and that the Twelve Imams are the natural extension of the Prophet (PBUH), as affirmed by the Hadith of al-Thaqalayn and the Hadith of the Ark.

Monday, the 17th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal marks the anniversary of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The date of his birth is traditionally reported as either the 12th or the 17th of Rabi‘ al-Awwal. This difference in dates led some reformers to designate the period between the two dates as Islamic Unity Week.
Through this initiative and others like it, we can observe that the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt are among the keenest advocates of Muslim unity and solidarity. However, those who are displeased by such rapprochement continue to seek out differences and divisions, contrary to the Qur’anic approach expressed in the words of Almighty Allah: “And hold fast, all together, to the rope of Allah, and do not be divided.”
When we call for Islamic unity, this does not mean that each of us must abandon his religious principles or convictions. Rather, it means that we should become acquainted with and focus on the principles we share, making them a means of spreading affection and harmony among Muslims, while encouraging each side to remain open to the views and ideas of the other. Through this, we may attain the unity sought by the Qur’an, as Allah says: “Indeed, this community of yours is one community, and I am your Lord, so worship Me.”
Secondly, as we stand in the shade of this blessed occasion, we should reflect upon the lives of these two great figures and draw from them a path by which we can guide and reform our conduct and elevate our moral character. We should embody divine values such as truthfulness, trustworthiness, humility, preserving unity, equality, and caring for the oppressed, the deprived and the vulnerable. We are in greater need than ever of embodying the noble ethics of the Prophet and his Ahl al-Bayt (PBUH), particularly in a world overwhelmed by conflicts and disputes and increasingly distant from morality and the voice of the human conscience. As the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (PBUH), said to Malik al-Ashtar: “People are of two kinds: either your brother in faith or your equal in creation.”
The birth of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) heralded the beginning of a great human renaissance. Its light first rose over the Arabian Peninsula and then spread throughout the world, proclaiming pure monotheism and the true divine law.
For this reason, Muslims today bear the responsibility of carrying the torch of reform and justice, just as our Noble Prophet (PBUH) and his honourable Ahl al-Bayt (PBUH) carried it. In doing so, we may truly become his followers and among those who receive his intercession on the Day of Resurrection, for he is the greatest intercessor, as Almighty Allah says: “And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied.”
Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) also said: “The satisfaction of my grandfather is that no monotheist should enter the Fire.”
The coincidence of the birth of Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) with that of his grandfather, the Chosen Prophet (PBUH), and the union of branch and root in lineage and purpose, carries a clear message to the Muslim Ummah: the light of Prophethood has neither ceased nor will it ever cease, and the path of guidance continues through the Imams from his progeny. They are the Arks of Salvation, the Gate of Repentance and the means of security for this Ummah, provided that people follow their guidance.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “I have left among you two things; you will never go astray so long as you hold fast to them: the Book of Allah and my progeny, the People of my Household. The Subtle, the All-Aware has informed me that they shall never separate until they return to me at the Pool.”
Unfortunately, the Muslim Ummah did not adhere to what the Prophet (PBUH) intended for the well-being of its religion and worldly affairs. Consequently, it became divided and dispersed, turning east and west in search of guidance. This is alluded to in the Qur’anic verse: “And if they had remained steadfast on the right path, We would have given them abundant water.” And Allah also says: “Had the people of the towns believed and been mindful of Allah, We would have showered upon them blessings from the heavens and the earth. But they rejected the truth, so We seized them for what they used to earn.”
This coincidence also reminds believers that celebrating the birth of the Prophet (PBUH) cannot be separated from celebrating the birth of Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH), because together they represent the beginning and continuation of the divine mission. The former established the religion and laid down its foundations, while the latter preserved it from distortion and clarified its laws at a time when Islamic thought was facing enormous intellectual and theological challenges.
Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) was therefore the interpreter and guardian of that divine law. He preserved the purity of the Prophetic message and worked tirelessly to disseminate it on the widest possible scale.
Divinely ordained Imamate represents the natural continuation of Prophethood with regard to the function of guidance, with the distinction that Prophethood is based on revelation, whereas Imamate is based on divine inspiration and divinely bestowed knowledge. Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) was the one who spoke with the voice of his grandfather and elucidated his teachings and laws.
He filled the world with knowledge, to the extent that the Ja‘fari school of thought became associated with his name. The Muslim community transmitted thousands of traditions from him concerning jurisprudence, theology, Qur’anic interpretation, medicine, chemistry and numerous other fields. To this day, generations continue to draw from his abundant knowledge and his pure and inexhaustible spring of wisdom.
We ask Almighty Allah to make us among those who follow the path of His Noble Prophet (PBUH) and his purified Ahl al-Bayt (PBUH), and among those who are guided by their guidance.
Indeed, He is All-Hearing and Responsive to supplication.