Ashura Commemoration: Afghan Resolve Against Extremism and Division

Speech at Ashura Commemoration, Imam Zaman Mosque, Khairkhana

Keypoints:

• Faith and Guidance: Follow Imam Hussein and spiritual leaders as role models.
• Unity and Cohesion: Stand together and prevent sectarian divisions.
• Moral Courage: Oppose extremism, terrorism, and injustice.
• Support for Security Forces: Back Afghan defense and security personnel.
• Justice and Reform: Promote societal and moral improvement.
• Protection of Civilians: Ensure the safety and well-being of communities.
• Moderation and Ethics: Uphold Islamic values and reject extremism.
• Resilience and Hope: Persevere to build a secure and prosperous future.

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 

Dear brother, His Excellency Sarwar Danish, Second Vice President; Honorable Chief Justice; Honorable Attorney General; distinguished members of the Cabinet; Honorable Haji Almas, Special Representative of the Presidency; eminent Ulema; respected Ulema of the Jafari school of thought; Honorable Mawlawi Kashaf; elders, Hussaini mourners, and specifically the bereaved families of the martyrs of the Imam Zaman Mosque:

Peace be upon you all, and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings.

I offer my deepest condolences to the entire Muslim nation of Afghanistan on the arrival of the Ashura of Hussain—one of the most significant historical milestones for us Muslims—which revives the memory of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA). Occasions such as Ashura provide us with an opportunity to re-examine the fundamental concepts that constitute our core values; values for which our elders accepted immense hardships and sacrificed their lives to revitalize.

The Ashura of Hussain can be studied from various dimensions. Based on the intellectual frameworks of Islamic schools of thought (Madhahib), diverse interpretations of this great historical event can be derived, and this diversity of analysis can be viewed as a source of richness for Islamic culture. However, beyond all academic debates and differences in perspective, we all recognize that Imam Hussain (RA) did not confront that great peril for the sake of minor or trivial objectives. In his testament to his brother, Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, he stated: “Verily, I have risen not for the sake of status, nor to spread corruption or tyranny; rather, I have stepped forward for the reformation (Islah) of the affairs of the Ummah of my grandfather.” It is from this luminous point that Muslims link their path to the path of the Imam.

Reformation (Islah) means organizing disorder and preventing depravity. We all know that the highest form of depravity in human society is to endanger the lives, property, and honor of the people; conversely, the ultimate reformation is providing the foundations for their security, tranquility, and welfare.

Honorable Compatriots! The current waves and conditions of the present time seek to exert a profound impact on the people of Afghanistan. They desire our people to remain in a state of grief and distress. You see—whether you are young girls or boys in your studies, at universities or schools, traveling on the roads, or visiting clinics as doctors or for vaccinations—you witness how suicide attacks are carried out with warning in markets, mosques, and streets, and how Muslims are massacred within their houses of worship. They aspire for there to be a "New Karbala" on this pure soil at every moment.

In such conditions, more than ever before, we require a return to the Sunnah and Sira (traditions and biography) of our elders and spiritual leaders; to those who have been our paragons and guides in finding a better way of life. We look to those like Imam Hussain (RA), who was the standard-bearer of reformation and improvement within the Islamic society.

Loyalty to the ideals of these spiritual leaders demands that we make our ranks more cohesive, our hands more firmly clasped, and our hearts more deeply intertwined than ever. Our stance against conspiracies—and our act of unveiling sinister, divisive intentions—is a fundamental part of that very reformation which Imam Hussain and our other great leaders envisioned.

Honorable Qazi Sahib, I have received your message. Today, as we stand as worshippers in the Imam Zaman Mosque, I declare that any danger posed to a worshipper in this mosque is a danger the President of Afghanistan accepts upon his own soul and heart. Our enemies must understand that they cannot sow discord among us. We are one rank and one nation; we believe in a single religion, and every one of our schools of thought is a source of pride for us. The responsibility of safeguarding them is the responsibility of every Afghan and every Muslim.

Fortunately, Afghanistan is a manifest example of the coexistence of Islamic schools of thought. Despite the repeated efforts of our enemies, no rift has emerged among our people. Extremist and opportunistic elements—who seek to fan the flames of tension between the followers of different sects—have no place among our people. As my dear brother Professor Danish and Honorable Fayyaz Sahib noted, these elements sometimes even cloak their behavior in the garb of "friendship," yet they remain alien to us.

Brothers and Sisters! The people of Afghanistan believe in religious moderation (I'tidal) and do not accept the extremist agendas, divisiveness, or enmity of any side. The path of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) is the path of the "Middle Way" and the unity of Muslims, not the path of discord. It is the path of moderation, not extremism. The holy religion of Islam, our entire religious biography, and historical evidence inspire us to create the conditions for this path. Extremism—which causes division, war, and evil—is inconsistent with the truth of Islam. Any action involving malice, division, prejudice, or cruelty is, in reality, contrary to the principles and dignity of Hazrat Imam Hussain and our faith.

Distinguished Brothers and Sisters! If yesterday Imam Hussain and his loyal companions stood against the "Shimr" of Yazid in the field of Karbala and drank the cup of martyrdom for their great ideals, today our brave sons in the National Defense and Security Forces are fighting with that same commitment against armed terrorists, sacrificing themselves to defend their people. They put their very existence at risk to provide a better life for their citizens and a more peaceful atmosphere for the country.

Our following of the Household of the Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt) and his illustrious companions requires that in these sensitive conditions, we all stand with one heart and one tongue alongside our Defense and Security Forces. We must strive together to realize the noble dreams of our ancestors—reaching a society that is secure, prosperous, and pious, based on Islamic values. By emulating the tradition of the noble companions and the Household of our Great Prophet, we can triumph over the obstacles placed before us and provide a better tomorrow for our children.

Long live Afghanistan!