Help needy people and aware masses to combat COVID-19:Haaj Mahdi Mahdavipour

wilayattimes (India)

New Delhi: Hojatul Islam Wal Muslimeen Haaj Aqai Mahdi Mahdavipour, the Representative of the Supreme Leader of Islamic Republic of Iran Grand Ayatollah Imam Syed Ali Khamenei in India in his message on Sunday urged upon Scholars, Friday Prayer Leaders and Heads of Socio-Cultural organizations to take utmost care of hygiene and health measures and precautions to combat the pandemic COVID_19 and urged the to help the needy and affected people at all levels by establishing committees in respected localities and in such a situation rich people have a responsibility to come forward to serve humanity.

Wilayat Times provides full text of the statement issued by the Office of the Hojatul Islam Wal Muslimeen Haaj Aqai Mahdi Mahdavipour, the Representative of the Supreme Leader of Islamic Republic of Iran Grand Ayatollah Imam Syed Ali Khamenei in India.

In the Name of Allah, the All- Compassionate, the All-Merciful

All praise belongs to Almighty Allah, the Creator of the Worlds, Blessings of Allah Almighty on Hazrat Muhammad al-Mustafa (SAWA) and His Holy Ahlul-Bayt (AS) and the curse on all their enemies.

Holy Qur’an states: “We will surely test you with a measure of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth, lives, and fruits;”

The Honourable Ulema, the Imams of the Mosques and the Friday Prayer Leaders, preachers, reciters, and all the responsible personalities of the cultural institutions and the associations of the Mosques and Imam Bargah`s in India are well aware that today the whole world is suffering from a general tribulation from the Corona Virus pandemic named Covid-19.

This world wide pandemic so far have claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and affected more than million people in the world and this pandemic is spreading with fast speed. The Corona virus which is invisible but have brought the most powerful countries on their knees. All the potentials of the most advanced countries in the world have failed and have vanquished the arrogance and vanity of all the powers. You can witness the highly critical situation of countries like USA, Spain, Italy, France, Germany and Britain.

The outbreak of this pandemic in the Islamic Republic of Iran have resulted in unity and solidarity of the nation and under the command of the Supreme Leader of Iran Grand Ayatollah Imam Syed Ali Khamenei all the people in Iran have been mobilized and numerous people based institutions have come to the aid of the government to help the people affected by the pandemic. During last one month many important events have occurred in Iran and the production of the medical and hygiene products have increased by hundred fold. Some of those medical and hygiene products and items one month ago were imported from other countries but due to their mass production Iran have gained self-sufficiency in these products.

Representative of Imam Khamenei for India asked Scholars to establish local committees, Urged wealthy people to support socio-religious organizations

India due to the outbreak of the pandemic in the world is also facing difficulties and in this challenging situation I request you to focus on some important points:-

It is obligatory for all the Ulemas and the officials of the religious institutions and associations to take utmost care of hygiene and health measures and precautions to combat the pandemic. As per the Islamic injunctions safeguarding the health of the body is obligatory and it is necessary to safeguard themselves from all type of diseases and illnesses which inflict damage to the body. Due to this reason fasting in the Holy Month of Ramadan which is a religious obligation but the health and the safety of the fasting person is taken into consideration. If fasting is injurious to the health of a person then it is not obligatory for that person. Thus, it is very important to take all the precautionary measures during the outbreak of the pandemic and any lapse in this regard is forbidden by the injunctions of the Islamic laws.

In the present situation the issue of the needy people and assisting them is of great importance and urgency. Those people who before were poor and needy and most of them now have even lost their meager source of income and they are dignified persons. Thus, it obligatory for all the Honorable Scholars to establish a committee in the place where they reside in order to help and assist the poor, needy and affected people of their localities. They should invite the well to do and wealthy persons of their locality to render necessary help to the poor and needy people. Allah Almighty will bless their wealth and will protect their properties.

Beside maintaining proper hygiene and health, special attention should be given to the supplication and invocations, invoking divine help, pleading to the Holy Prophet (SAWA) and his Holy Ahlul-Bayt (AS). Everybody should be in the state of supplication and invocation, the Ziyarat Ashura, Hadith Kisa, Ayat al-Kursi and the Seventh Supplication from the Sahifah Sajjadiyah should be recited regularly. Likewise the Duas recommended by the Honorable Ulemas in India should also given due attention.

The outbreak of this pandemic in the Islamic Republic of Iran have resulted in unity and solidarity of the nation and under the command of the Supreme Leader of Iran Grand Ayatollah Imam Syed Ali Khamenei all the people in Iran have been mobilized and numerous people based institutions have come to the aid of the government to help the people affected by the pandemic.

In conclusion, I on behalf and representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran giving permission to the Momineens so that they can give the full portion of Sahm-Sadaat and half of the Sahm Imam(AS) as the help to the poor and needy in this condition.

Mahdi Mahdavipour
Representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran in India
5th April 2020, New Delhi, India