Ayatollah al-Udhma Sayyid Sadiq Shirazi

on the future of Iraq

and the role Muslims must play to rebuild Iraq in various domains

Bismillah al-Rahmaan al-Raheem

All Praise is to Allah the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Master of all Messengers, Muhammad and his purified progeny, and eternal damnation be upon their enemies until the day of judgement.

To the zealous people of Iraq everywhere, inside Iraq and outside, peace be upon you.

The despot regime has finally come to an end; a regime that started its dark reign with the bloodshed, killing, and destroying innocent lives, and continued its reign with terror, murder, violation of people's honour, abusing all values and sanctities, and it continued these atrocities until it met its bloody end as witnessed by the world over.

Now Allah Almighty has allowed this nightmare to be eradicated, a nightmare that drained Iraq both spiritually and materially over decades of pitch-dark tyranny.  Now the time has arrived to seize the opportunity – today before tomorrow – to rebuild Iraq anew in all fields and domains, to regain the time-honoured glory, and the plentiful history.

In this respect, I find it appropriate to note the following points:

1. My brothers, the eminent scholars in the Hawzah's and in all cities, may Allah elevate their word, whom Allah has made them to be the inheritors of the prophets, the continuation of the purified Imams alayhum-as-salam, and the protectors against (the plots and ideas of) Satan and his devils: (it is imperative) that they devote their effort – more than before – to guide the people to the path of truth, to disseminate calmness and tranquillity through out the community, to revive the spirit of hope, work and endeavour, to awaken them from the depressions of apathy and hopelessness, and to sharpen their resolve to brave hardship and overcome difficulties, for it is reported that  Imam Sadiq alayhis-salam said to one of his companions, “I hold your scholars responsible for the wrong acts of the ignorant amongst you” [1] .
2. The honourable preachers and public lecturers, the mu'min writers and journalists who are the voice of the Ummah, inside the homeland and outside: they must carry out their mission, as they are fit to do so, to guide the Ummah in all respects and to remind them of their momentous responsibilities at this critical stage, through radio, television, newspapers, magazines, conferences, etc. 
3. Great hopes are place upon the universities – though their honourable lecturers and students – in that they live up to their fundamental duty of enriching the Ummah with the best of experts and professionals in all fields of expertise, so that they take the Ummah to the frontiers of progress, and that this proud nation would not need other than them.  It should be such that this nation becomes in a position to help others with their know-how, technology and expertise in various fields.  We have in the noble hadith, “be independent of whoever you want and you will be equal to him”.
4. The Iraqi tribes who were and still are an impregnable shield for Iraq and its people:  they must revert to rebuild themselves now that the preventing factor that stopped them from discharging their important duties has been eliminated, such that this would contribute to enhance the harmony and solidarity of the Iraqi community.  They must contribute to serving the Ummah on the basis of Faith, taqwa (God fearing), and supporting others in all fields and dimensions.
5. It is imperative upon the business individuals who have been favoured by Allah Almighty with abundance and wealth, to test them in the moments of crisis – and what crisis is greater than what the Iraqis are currently going through – to strive to accomplish sufficiency and full supply for the nation in all their needs.  This may be achieved through setting up organisations and institutions to address the problems, restart manufacturing industries in order to employ the unemployed, or to give them from what Allah has made them heirs, for the Almighty says, {. . . and spend (in charity) out of whereof He has made you heirs. . .} [2] and He says, {. . . and nothing do ye spend (in His Cause) but He replaces it . . .} [3] .  Furthermore, they should endeavour to raise the standard (of living) of the Ummah to the highest level, and to take part in rebuilding the wounded Iraq , which has been devastated by the authoritarian regime and the consecutive wars over decades.
6. The youths in Iraq today, who are the hope of the future, whether in the Hawzahs, universities, or in various fields of the workforce: it is imperative that you take the youths of Imam Husayn such as Ali Akbar, Qasim ibn Hasan, and his loyal companions as your role model in tackling the hardships of life.  In following the example of those noble individuals, the youths (in Iraq ) should also adorn themselves with Faith, perseverance, taqwa, self-sacrifice, and self-denial.
7. The women in Iraq today, who would educate and raise the future generations, must follow the example of the women of Imam Husayn alayhis-salam; Zaynab, Um-Kulthoum, Rabaab, and Sukaynah alayhin-as-salam, in chastity, and self-sacrifice, and to adorn themselves with noble manners and ethical code of conduct, to promote virtue and prevent vice, and to continue to uphold to their crucial role throughout their life.
8. It is imperative, and of utmost importance, for the genuine parties and organisations who embark on addressing the policies and programs concerning Iraq , in the future as well as in the present time; must endeavour to pull together all aspects that this nation suffers from by concentrating on the positive aspects and avoiding the negative ones in all circumstances.  They must end personal vendettas, for Iraq is now in a new era and any negative point or vendetta would not serve the aspiration of this proud and steadfast nation.
9. Every member of the nation of Iraq must realise – and by the grace of Allah they are well aware of this – that Iraq is theirs and they must be the people to build Iraq anew. Any benefit would be for all of them; any problem or injustice would be upon them all, thus everyone must discharge their duty in their own right. They must prevent bloodshed; protect women and children, as well as property and possession.  In every town, village, and district – but in fact in any clan, family, school, university, mosque or Husayniah – they must set up relief groups and committees to help others, for helping others is one of the most desired acts in the sight of Allah, His messengers and the Ahl-ul-Bayt alayhum-as-salam.

10.                        The greatest of all calamities and the main cause of the tragedies that befell the nation of Iraq over the past decades, is the absence of a good and proper administration or government.  Therefore the new government that will take over Iraq to run the country must take its principle from the Imam Ali's system of government, and the Husyani method so that it can be a just government, established on the principles of Shura (Consultative System), Freedom, and Pluralism; built on the foundation of Islamic Brotherhood, and the Single Ummah.  It should be a government elected by the majority of the population, while under this government all the legal rights of the minorities are protected in their entirety, without any shortcomings.  For if the government is good and proper, the country would prosper and flourish; Allah Almighty says: {he (the Prophet Muhammad) releases them from their heavy burdens and from the shackles that were upon them} [4] , and furthermore Allah Almighty says:

{This, your nation, is indeed a single Ummah} [5]

{Surely the believers are brothers} [6]

and our late brother [7] used to extensively emphasise adherence to these noble verses and encourage and urge others to implement the teachings of those verses .

It is of utmost importance that the (new) government takes the policies of Rasulollah peace be upon him and Amir-ul-Mu'minin alayhis-salam in managing the office of government in Medina and Kufa as exemplar role model.   For example, when they died, they owed money (to others), and they did not leave a single dinar or dirham behind (in terms of personal belongings). Amir-ul-Mu'minin alayhis-salam was the first leader who allowed demonstration against himself, and he gave in to the request of the demonstrators even though what they had asked for was in itself wrong (and against his belief and opinion) [8] .  In the five years of his rule, Amir-ul-Mu'minin alayhis-salam took the country to a state that there was not a single destitute even in the distant location of the capital, to the extent that it was rare to find even a non-Muslim who was in need [9] .   The government must consider itself as a compassionate father for every single member of the Ummah.  When Amir-ul-Mu'minin alayhis-salam appointed Malik al-Ashtar as a governor (in Egypt ), he wrote to him:  “Habituate your heart to mercy for them (the people) and to affection and kindness for them, and do not stand over them like a predatory beast.” [10]   Furthermore, the total freedom and complete independence of the Hawzahs must be protected in full.

With regards to the current situation in Iraq , it is imperative upon all the mu'minin all over the world to give and coordinate their energies and resources to help the oppressed Iraq with its humanitarian needs. Rasulollah peace be upon him said, “the example of the mu'minin in their mercy and compassion for each other is that of a body when part of it complains, the other parts would respond by fever and staying up at night.” [11]   The mu'minin should not allow others to over take them in this noble task, for they – wherever they may be and at any level – are worthier to do so than others.

11. As for the Husayni ceremonies and programs, which are amongst the signs of Allah Almighty:  this oppressed nation has been denied the right to exercise these ceremonies for tens of years.  Iraq and Karbala are the axes for these programs, and therefore it is imperative upon the government and the entire nation to help establish and organise these programs and ceremonies in a way that is fitting to the standing of Imam Husayn alayhis-salam, setting the standard to be followed in other parts of the world. In particular, no effort should be spared for the programs and ceremonies of the forthcoming Arba'een.
12. Allah Almighty says,

{Say, My Lord would not pay attention to you were it not for your supplication.} [12]

{And seek the means to win His favour.} [13]

{And that man shall not earn except what he strives for.} [14]

This triangle of supplication, tawassul (beseeching) to Allah and the Ma'soomeen alayhum-as-salam, and striving, which the holy Qur'an has emphasised upon, forever must be the belief and strategy of this Ummah so that their affairs are run and managed with ease; distant from tragedy and difficulties.

“O Allah, we earnestly request from You an honourable government through which You strengthen Islam and its people, and degrade hypocrisy and its followers.

And to make us in it amongst the inviters to Your obedience and the leaders to Your path.

And to grant us through it the honour of this world and the hereafter.” [15]

Sadiq Shirazi

9^th Safar 1424H

12^th April 2003.