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The Madhhab of Hisham?

Islamic Salvation

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دعا له الصادق عليه السلام فقال: أقول لك ما قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم لحسان: لا تزال مؤيدا بروح القدس ما نصرتنا بلسانك

I say to you what the Messenger of Allah said to Hassan b. Thabit: You will never stop being aided by the Holy Spirit so long as you keep defending us by your tongue [Imam al-Sadiq supplicates for Hisham b. al-Hakam]

 

Hisham b. al-Hakam: Founder of a Theological School (Pt. 2)

 

A Sect?

A number of proto-Sunni heresiographical works list the so-called ‘Hishamiyya’ (followers of Hisham b. al-Hakam) when discussing splinter-sects within Imami Shi’ism.

What do we make of this?

Throughout the second century Hijri and as a direct consequence of the Arab conquests - large swathes of peoples from different cultures and civilizations became subsumed into the Islamic empire. This resulted into the introduction of foreign ideas - mainly Greek philosophical speculation - into the intellectual world of Islam.

The scholarly response to this was split between those who propagated abstinence, considering any discussion of such subjects as a blameworthy innovation, and those who encouraged active engagement, with the realization that the questions raised needed to be answered. These latter were the practitioners of Kalam who wished to reconcile the new insights with revelationary knowledge.     

It is well documented that the Imams forbade the majority of their companions from undertaking the abstract thinking involved in Kalam. This was a precaution against the clear danger of making errors in the most sensitive of topics such as the attributes of God. The default statement of the Imams for the laity among their followers was ‘Describe God as He describes Himself’ and leave it at that.

However, we have evidence that the Imams did not totally frown upon such activity. Indeed they trained and encouraged a select few - whose abilities they trusted - to construct rational arguments and participate in the wider controversy with the aim of preserving the authentic positions of Islam.

One prominent example is Hisham b. al-Hakam who proceeded to develop theological positions mainly for polemical reasons e.g. to systemize the doctrine of Imama into a consistent logical framework. The favourable relations that successive Imams had with him goes a long way to confirm their approval of such endeavours.

It is in this context that Hisham attracted a following and is spoken of as a leader of a ‘Madhhab’. To characterize this as a ‘sect’ is a misconception, for even the most prominent companion could not but submit to the Imam and dare not contradict him.

Indeed, Hisham was also a narrator of Hadith from the ‘Aimma and his output consists of typical jurisprudential responsa that would not stand out when compared to that of a traditionalist-narrator who shuns Kalam.  

Much better then to speak of a school of thought led by Hisham having unique features (a distinctive mode of argumentation) and theological positions. The school was not set up to  contradict the Imams but rather flesh out their general principles.

 

Can we speak of such a school?

There are some pieces of evidence that allude to the existence of a ‘school of Hisham’

(*) Hisham had a post-humous following:

  • A companion asks the Imam al-Naqi a question about Tawhid while commenting ‘I follow the position of Hisham b. al-Hakam …’

الصقر بن دلف قال: سألت أبا الحسن علي بن محمد عليهما السلام عن التوحيد وقلت له: إني أقول بقول هشام بن الحكم ...

  • Another companion asks the Imam al-Ridha whether he should pay Zakat to someone who differs with Hisham in the doctrine of Tawhid and receives a negative answer

  فنعطي الزكاة من خالف هشاما في التوحيد؟ فقال برأسه: لا

  • The Imam al-Ridha asks al-Bazanti what their differences are with the ‘followers’ of Hisham in Tawhid

أبي، عن البزنطي، عن الرضا عليه السلام قال: قال لي: يا أحمد ما الخلاف بينكم وبين أصحاب هشام بن الحكم في التوحيد ؟

 

(*) Unusually, there are a number of individuals who are explicitly associated with Hisham in their biographical entries, which you would expect in a school with students loyal to the outlook of their master. Consider the examples provided below:

علي بن منصور أبو الحسن: كوفي، سكن بغداد، متكلم من أصحاب هشام. له كتب منها كتاب التدبير في التوحيد والإمامة

Abu al-Hasan Ali b. Mansur. Kufan. Resided in Baghdad. A practitioner of Kalam and a student of Hisham. He authored several books among them ‘the book of Deliberation on Tawhid’

محمد بن الخليل المعروف بالسكاك: صاحب هشام ابن الحكم، وكان متكلما من أصحاب هشام، وخالفه في أشياء إلا في أصل الامامة، له كتب منها: كتاب المعرفة، وكتاب في الاستطاعة، وكتاب في الامامة، وكتاب الرد على من أبى وجوب الامامة بالنص

Muhammad b. al-Khalil. Popularly known as al-Sakkak. He became a companion of Hisham b. al-Hakam. A practitioner of Kalam from the students of Hisham. He differed with him (his master) in a number of matters except on the doctrine of Imama. He authored several books among them: A book on Recognition, a book on Human Capacity (to act independently), a book on Imama, a book Refuting the one who denies the Necessity of Imama continuing via Designation (Nass).    

 

(*) Another characteristic of a school is continuity i.e. having successive leaders taking the vacated seat of the former head of the school. This can be demonstrated in an auto-biographical note  by al-Fadhl b. Shadhan:

  جعفر بن معروف، قال: حدثني سهل بن بحر الفارسي، قال: سمعت الفضل بن شاذان آخر عهدي به يقول: أنا خلف لمن مضى ... ومضى هشام ابن الحكم رحمه الله، وكان يونس بن عبد الرحمان رحمه الله خلفه، كان يرد على المخالفين، ثم مضى يونس بن عبد الرحمان ولم يخلف خلفا غير السكاك، فرد على المخالفين حتى مضى رحمه الله، وأنا خلف لهم من بعدهم رحمهم الله

Sahl b. Bahr al-Farisi says that he heard al-Fadhl b. Shadhan saying in his last encounter with him: I am the successor of those who have passed on … when Hisham b. al-Hakam – may Allah have mercy on him – passed on it was Yunus b. Abd al-Rahman – may Allah have mercy on him - who succeeded him [took his place] in refuting the opponents. Then Yunus b. Abd al-Rahman passed on and did not appoint a successor other than al-Sakkak (Muhammad b. Khalil) who refuted the opponents until he passed on may Allah have mercy on him. I am the successor who takes their place after them may Allah have mercy on them all. 

 

Inter-Companion Rivalry

Hisham b. al-Hakam’s specialization in this field was so complete and his expertise so masterful that we see the Imam ordering him to send him the argument he uses to answer the question of determinism versus free-will.

حدثني ابراهيم الوراق السمرقندي، قال: حدثني علي بن محمد القمي، قال: حدثني عبد الله بن محمد بن عيسى، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن هشام بن سالم قال: قال أبو الحسن عليه‌ السلام: قولوا لهشام يكتب إلي بما يرد به القدرية، قال: فكتب اليه يسأل القدرية أعصى الله من عصى لشي‌ء من الله، أو لشي‌ء كان من الناس، أو لشي‌ء لم يكن من الله ولا من الناس؟ قال: فلما دفع الكتاب اليه، قال لهم: ادفعوه الى الجرمي، فدفعوه اليه، فنظر فيه ثم قال: ما صنع شيئا، فقال أبو الحسن عليه‌ السلام: ما ترك شيئا. قال أبو أحمد: وأخبرني أنه كان الرسول بهذا الى الكاظم عليه‌ السلام

Ibrahim al-Warraq al-Samarqandi – Ali b. Muhammad al-Qummi – Abdallah b. Muhammad b. Isa – Ibn Abi Umayr – Hisham b. Salim who said: Abu al-Hasan عليه‌ السلام said: Tell Hisham to write to me the argument he uses to rebut the Qadariyya (believers in absolute free-will). He (Hisham b. al-Hakam) wrote to him: ‘the Qadariyya are asked - the one who disobeys Allah does he disobey because of being compelled by Allah, or due to human factors, or due to a third cause apart from Allah or the people?’ He (Hisham b. Salim) says: when the letter was dispatched to him, he (the Imam) said: send it to al-Jurmi, so they took it to him. He (al-Jurmi) looked into it and said: ‘he has not done anything (i.e. it is a useless argument)!’ but Abu al-Hasan said:  ‘he did not leave out anything! (i.e. it is an unsurmountable argument). Abu Ahmad (Ibn Abi Umayr) said: He (Hisham b. Salim) informed me that he was the messenger carrying this letter to  al-Kadhim  عليه‌ السلام     

The partial independence which the Imams gave to some of their able companions to make theological inquiries led to difference of opinion between them.

Hisham b. al-Hakam is said to have authored books to refute the position of two other major Shi’i theologians. He has a refutation of Hisham al-Jawaliqi (كتاب الرد على هشام الجواليقي) and a refutation of Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Nu’man al-Ahwal Mu’min al-Taq (كتاب الرد على شيطان الطاق)

This situation sometimes required the Imam having to intervene to express the correct opinion. An example is provided below:

حدثني حمدويه، قال، حدثني محمد بن عيسى، عن جعفر بن عيسى عن علي بن يونس بن بهمن قال: قلت للرضا عليه‌ السلام: جعلت فداك ان أصحابنا قد اختلفوا! فقال: في أي شي‌ء اختلفوا فيه احك لي من ذلك شيئا؟ قال: فلم يحضرني الا ما قلت، جعلت فداك من ذلك ما اختلف فيه زرارة وهشام بن الحكم، فقال زرارة: ان الهواء ليس بشي‌ء وليس بمخلوق، وقال هشام: ان الهواء شي‌ء مخلوق، قال، فقال لي: قل في هذا بقول هشام، ولا تقل بقول زرارة

Hamduwayh – Muhammad b. Isa – Ja’far b. Isa – Ali b. Yunus b. Bahman who said: I said to al-Ridha عليه‌ السلام: May I be made your ransom - our companions have differed! He said: in what thing have they differed, relate to me a thing from that (an example of that which they have differed in)? He (Ali) said: Nothing came to mind except that which I said (which is): May I be made your ransom, an example of that is what Zurara and Hisham b. al-Hakam had differed in. Zurara said ‘air is not a thing nor is it created’ while Hisham said ‘air is a created thing’. He (the Imam) said to me: affirm in this the position of Hisham and not the position of Zurara.

Incidentally, this report indicates that the practitioners of Kalam were also influenced by the neo-Platonic primitive ‘scientific’ theories which were concerned with the natural world.

Difference of opinion and the perennial competition to win favour from the Imam led some companion to even become rivals. It is in the context of theological disputation concerning the attributes of God that Hisham had a major falling out with Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajjaj, himself a financial agent appointed by al-Kadhim over Iraq.

علي بن محمد، قال: حدثني محمد بن موسى الهمداني، عن الحسن ابن موسى الخشاب، عن غيره، عن جعفر بن محمد بن حكيم الخثعمي قال: اجتمع هشام بن سالم، وهشام بن الحكم، وجميل بن دراج، وعبد الرحمن بن الحجاج، ومحمد بن حمران، وسعيد بن غزوان، ونحو من خمسة عشر رجلا من أصحابنا، فسألوا هشام بن الحكم أن يناظر هشام بن سالم فيما اختلفوا فيه من التوحيد وصفة الله عز وجل وغير ذلك لينظروا أيهما أقوى حجة. فرضي هشام بن سالم أن يتكلم عند محمد بن أبي عمير، ورضي هشام بن الحكم أن يتكلم عند محمد بن هشام، فتكالما وساق ما جرى بينهما. وقال، قال عبد الرحمن بن الحجاج لهشام بن الحكم: كفرت والله بالله العظيم وألحدت فيه، ويحك ما قدرت أن تشبه بكلام ربك الا العود يضرب به! قال جعفر ابن محمد بن حكيم، فكتب إلى أبي الحسن موسى عليه السلام يحكي له مخاطبتهم وكلامهم ويسأله أن يعلمه ما القول الذي ينبغي ندين الله به من صفه الجبار؟ فأجابه في عرض كتابه فهمت رحمك الله واعلم رحمك الله ان الله أجل وأعلى وأعظم من أن يبلغ كنه صفته فصفوه بما وصف به نفسه، وكفوا عما سوى ذلك

Ali b. Muhammad – Muhammad b. Musa al-Hamdani – al-Hasan b. Musa al-Khashshab – Ja’far b. Muhammad Hukaym al-Khath’ami who said: Hisham b. Salim, Hisham b. al-Hakam, Jamil b. Darraj, Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajjaj, Muhammad b. Humran, Sai’d b. Ghazwan and about fifteen men among our companions gathered together. They (those present) asked Hisham b. al-Hakam to debate with Hisham b. Salim about the differences they had regarding Tawhid, the attributes of Allah Mighty and Majestic and other matters, so that they could observe which one was stronger in argument. 

Hisham b. Salim agreed to be represented by Muhammad b. Abi Umayr (his student) while Hisham b. al-Hakam agreed to be represented by Muhammad b. Hisham. They began disputing and he (Ja’far b. Muhammad b. Hukaym) recounted in depth what transpired between them (in the debate)

He (Ja’far) said: Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajjaj said to Hisham b. al-Hakam: You have disbelieved - by Allah - in Allah the Almighty and have fallen in heresy. Woe be upon you - how could you dare to compare the words of your Lord to a stick (created object) which is used to hit with!

Ja’far b. Muhammad b. Hukaym said: He (Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajjaj) wrote to Abi al-Hasan Musa عليه السلام recounting for him their speech and talk (in the debate) and asking him to teach him what the correct position as regards the attributes of the al-Jabbar (the Irresistable) through which Allah can be worshipped is?

So he (the Imam) answered him (writing) at the bottom of his letter: I have understood may Allah have mercy on you. Know - may Allah have mercy on you - that Allah is more majestic and elevated and great than for his attributes to be fully comprehended. Therefore describe Him the way He has described Himself and abstain from going beyond that.

 

Attitudes towards Him

It is for all these reasons recounted above that Hisham became a particularly polarizing figure who attracted both scorn and devotion within the larger Shi’ite community. In fact, large sections of al-Kashshi’s book can be seen as a competing ground for the different factions fighting each other over how to represent his person and legacy.

Those close to Hisham, who can be said to have belonged to his school, such as his premier student Yunus and the Ubaydi clan including Ali b. Yaqtin, Muhammad and Ja’far the two sons of Isa, narrated narrations which cast him in a positive light, as an apologia to the excommunication he continued to suffer at the hand of his Qummi traditionalist opponents.

His traditionalist opponents saw him as overstepping the mark by formulating his own world-view instead of a total and rigid attachment to the letter of the narrations.

On the one hand we have a narration such as the one below where Imam Jawad is quoted as praising Hisham to the skies for his efforts:

محمد بن مسعود العياشى، قال: حدثني جعفر، قال: حدثني العمركي قال: حدثني الحسين بن أبي لبابة، عن داود أبي هشام الجعفري قال: قلت لأبي جعفر عليه‌ السلام: ما تقول في هشام بن الحكم؟ فقال: رحمه‌ الله ما كان أذبه عن هذه الناحية

Muhammad b. Masud al-Ayyashi – Ja’far – al-Amrikai – al-Husayn b. Abi Lubaba – Dawud Abi Hashim al-Ja’fari who said: I said to Abi Ja’far عليه‌ السلام: What do you say about Hisham b. al-Hakam? He said: May Allah have mercy on him. How great was his defense of this quarter (the holy threshold)!    

On the other hand we have questions about the validity of praying behind his ‘companions’ which in this context implies those who follow his theological positions.

علي بن محمد، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن أبي علي بن راشد، عن أبي جعفر الثاني عليه السلام قال، قلت: جعلت فداك قد اختلف أصحابنا، فأصلي خلف أصحاب هشام بن الحكم؟ قال: عليك بعلي بن حديد، قلت: فآخذ بقوله؟ قال: نعم فلقيت علي بن حديد فقلت له: نصلي خلف أصحاب هشام بن الحكم؟ قال: لا

Ali b. Muhammad – Ahmad b. Muhammad – Abi Ali b. Rashid – Abi Ja’far the Second. He (Abi Ali) said: I said: May I be made your ransom, our companions have differed (about this), should I pray behind the companions of Hisham b. al-Hakam? He said: Upon you is Ali b. Hadid (ask this question to him). I said: Should I follow what he tells me? He said: Yes. I met Ali b. Hadid and said to him: should we pray behind the companions of Hisham b. al-Hakam? He said: No.

Is there any truth to the criticims levelled at Hisham? Or can we explain away all the hostility towards him as being borne out of jealousy towards his ability as the report below indicates.

حدثنا حمدويه وابراهيم ابنا نصير، قالا: حدثنا محمد بن عيسى، قال: حدثني زحل عمر بن عبد العزيز بن أبي بشار، عن سليمان بن جعفر الجعفري قال: سألت أبا الحسن الرضا عليه‌ السلام عن هشام بن الحكم؟ قال: فقال لي: رحمه‌ الله كان عبدا ناصحا أوذي من قبل أصحابه حسدا منهم له

Hamduwayh and Ibrahim the two sons of Nusayr – Muhammad b. Isa – Zuhl Umar b. Abd al-Aziz b. Abi Bashshar – Sulayman b. Ja’far al-Ja’fari who said: I asked Aba al-Hasan al-Ridha عليه‌ السلام about Hisham b. al-Hakam, so he said to me: May Allah have mercy on him. He was a loyal servant who was persecuted by his fellows because of their jealousy of him.

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Agha-Shabbir-Abbas

Agha-Shabbir-Abbas 51

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It is terribly sad that not much of Hisham b. al-Hakam's work has remained, other than a full treatise that Ibn al-Qayyim recorded for polemical purposes. only bits and pieces remain.

Whereas the works of 'Abd Allah ibn Yazid, the Khariji theologian, who was the best friend and business-partner of Hisham b. al-Hakam, have been preserved by the Ibadhis of Oman and Algeria. Manuscripts from him are quite extant.

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      "Because you expect that it comes to you in a certain way, do not deny it if it happens in another way."
      (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 268, hadith 157)
      This narration is remarkably profound. It suggests that preconceived notions can become a veil. If people insist that every prophecy must unfold exactly as they have imagined, they may end up denying its fulfillment when it occurs in a different—but no less authentic—manner.
      Many Shi'as have unknowingly constructed a mythical image of the End Times. They expect unmistakable miracles at every stage, while overlooking that divine plans often unfold through ordinary historical events, wars, leaders, and political developments that only reveal their prophetic significance in retrospect.
       

       
      ★One striking example concerns the traditions about the Khorasani Hashimi leader. [1]
      The narrations describe a Hashimi (Sayyid/Husayni) leader from Khorasan associated with the black ensigns, possessing a mole or defect on his right hand, and exhibiting such unwavering resolve that even mountains could not subdue him. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) is reported to have instructed believers to support this movement "even if by crawling over ice" because of the Mahdi's presence in its ranks.
      Many have interpreted these descriptions as corresponding to the Islamic Revolution of Iran and its leadership. The black ensigns emerging from Khorasan, the leadership of Imam Khomeini, followed by Imam Ali Khamenei—a Sayyid with an impairment affecting his right hand (also marked with a mole)—appear, to many observers, to form a remarkably coherent picture. Yet because many expected a far more mythical unfolding, these correspondences have often been dismissed without serious consideration.
      The same pattern appears in traditions describing a prolonged conflict between this Hashimi Khorasani leader and a Sufyanist ruler of Iraq. According to these reports, Iraq's Sufyanist ruler initiates the war by attacking the people of Khorasan. Thereafter, a young Hashimi—having a mole or defect on his right hand—is appointed over the black-bannered people of Khorasan. The descriptions of that fierce and lengthy war closely resemble the events of the Iran-Iraq War, which began with Saddam Hussein's invasion of Iran in Sep. 1980; in Oct. 1981, 42-year-old Ali Khamenei was appointed President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Even more intriguingly, reports indicate that the Mahdi (عليه السلام) is among the forces of the Hashimi later during that struggle, suggesting his presence before his public appearance rather than only after it. Going by this interpretation, the Mahdi (عليه السلام) joined the IRGC at some point during the later years of the Iran-Iraq War.
       

      ★Another example is of the traditions concerning Shu'ayb ibn Salih, the commander of the Khorasani vanguard. [2]
      Starting his career as a young military commander sporting a light beard, he later goes on to lead the advance forces of the Khorasani based in Rey (Tehran), on a hidden route toward Bayt al-Maqdis—a description strikingly reminiscent of the Axis of Resistance's gradual military buildup toward Jerusalem rather than an open conventional march.
      Even his name invites reflection. Shu'ayb ("one who disperses") mirrors Qasem ("the disperser/distributor"), while Ibn Salih ("son of the righteous/good") mirrors Ibn Hasan (Hasan meaning good, righteous or beautiful). Thus, Shu'ayb ibn Salih parallels the Axis of Resistance's architect Maj. Gen. Qasem ibn Hasan Soleimani—the martyred leader of the IRGC's elite al-Quds Force—with surprising precision.
      Traditions note he is a non-Arab ally of the Tamimis, reflecting Iran's close integration with Iraqi Shi'a militias. A prophecy states that leadership of the Khorasani movement passes to the Mahdi 72 months after Shu'ayb's campaigns end. Following Soleimani's assassination in January 2020, this 72-month window converges precisely on 2026—aligning with various other prophetic timelines.
       

      A report from Imam Ali (عليه السلام) recorded by Nu'aym ibn Hammad states:
      "...And before him (the Mahdi), a man from his (the Mahdi's) household will rise with the people of the East, carrying the sword upon his shoulder for eight months. He will kill and maim heading towards Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), but he will not reach it before he dies." [3]
      ➡️The period between the June 2025 Iran-Israel War (The Twelve-Day War) and the February 2026 martyrdom of Imam Ali Khamenei is a little over eight months.
       
      ﴾All the prophecies covered above in [1], [2] and [3] — Kitab al-Fitan Dar al-Fikr Print pp. 188-192, 216, 229, 230﴿
       
      It becomes even more intriguing when viewed alongside a poem reportedly written in 2005 by the Shi'i mystic Hasan Zadeh Amuli, as later recited by his student Ismail Mansuri. The poem reportedly foretells that Imam Ali Khamenei would be martyred in a Zionist bombing approximately twenty years later, adding:
      "Yet his blood will be a glad tiding of the Reappearance of the Mahdi, a presence within presence within presence. He will lift the veil from the face of the Mahdi."
      Whether one accepts this interpretation or not, it illustrates how major historical developments may serve not as the appearance itself, but as the unveiling of its reality.
       

       
      ★The Mahdi is Dhu l-Ismayn—Bearer of Two Names.
      An extremely crucial aspect concerns the traditions stating that the Mahdi (عليه السلام) possesses two names. According to certain Imami narrations, one is the name by which he first appeared in this world—Muhammad (عليه السلام) ibn al-Hasan al-Askari (عليه السلام)—while another is the name associated with his reappearance, a name that the Final Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and the Immaculate Successors deliberately concealed for his protection from premature identification and targetting by adversaries as well as for safeguarding against false claimants, and forbade those believers who would recognize him from mentioning it explicitly and publicly in reference to the Mahdi (عليه السلام) before he rises.
       
       
      Prophetic traditions stating «اسمه اسمي» ("His name is my name") refer to the Mahdi's well-known personal name, Muhammad. By contrast, traditions using «يواطئ اسمه اسمي» ("His name resembles my name") point to his second, end-times name—one connected to his public identity during the events preceding the Greater Reappearance. There are hints of this identity in several hadiths e.g. he will be called «خَلَفٌ صَالِحٌ»—"a righteous successor" (or it can also be something similar, like «صالح بعد صالح»—"a righteous one after a righteous one"). Reports indicate that his second name is close in meaning to Ahmad ("the highly praised one"), conveying the sense of one who is distinguished, special, preferred, and divinely favored rather than necessarily sharing the exact wording of the Prophet's name.
      According to Imami hadiths, the Mahdi (عليه السلام) has en example in Joseph (عليه السلام)—even after Joseph (عليه السلام) became the ruler of Egypt, neither the Egyptians nor his own brothers recognized his true identity.
       

       
      ★The discussion also extends to al-Nafs al-Zakiyyah (the Pure Soul).
      A prophecy in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (15/199) states that the Mahdi will not rise until the Pure Soul is killed, after which people will rage at his killers and rally around the Mahdi.

      [Interpretive Note: Most reports don't mention the place, while a few mention the outskirts of Kufah or Haram al-Ka'bah as the place, where he's killed (+70 righteous people in the Kufah outskirts report). These contradictions can be reconciled. The Imams indicated that some prophecies originate from truthful dreams or visions and may therefore require interpretation e.g. they explained that their prophecy about a person may be fulfilled through his son or grandson (common in dreams). In a vision-based prophecy, the outskirts of Kufah could refer to the region around the Shia religio-political centre of those times. Likewise, Haram in a dream-based prophecy may not always mean Mecca alone; it may also refer to the foremost state governed by an Islamic system, as illustrated by Qasem Soleimani's description of Iran as a haram. In the context of the murder of al-Nafs al-Zakiyyah, it could also imply that the custodians of Haram al-Ka'bah in those times would facilitate that crime.]
      It is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (عليه السلام):
      "Await the Faraj (relief/appearance of the Mahdi) through three signs."
      It was said, "O Commander of the Faithful, what are they?"
      He (عليه السلام) replied:
      “The disagreement of the people of Sham [Syria] among themselves (1), the black banners from Khorasan [Iran] (2), and the great terror (or outcry) in the month of Ramadan (3).”
       
      [Al-Kurani, Sheikh Ali, Dictionary of the Hadiths of Imam Al-Mahdi (may God hasten his appearance), Vol. 5, p. 238]
       
      ➡️ (1) The Syrian Civil War, (2) the Shia Iran-led Axis of Resistance and (3) the 2026 Ramadan War that began with the tragic martyrdom of Imam Ali Khamenei.
       

       
      ★The chronology proposed continues with celestial signs.
      A narration recorded by al-Daraqutni speaks of a solar eclipse at the beginning of Ramadan and a lunar eclipse on the fifteenth night of Ramadan before the rise of the Mahdi. These have been compared with the annular solar eclipse of 17 February 2026 and the total lunar eclipse of 3 March 2026.

      Similarly, al-Nu'mani records the narration:
      "If you see a pillar of fire from the East in the midst of Ramadan, then it will be shortly before the appearance of al-Qa'im."
      It has been associated with the massive pillar of fire produced after attacks on Iranian oil facilities during Ramadan 2026 (17th of the holy month).
       

       
      ★The prophesied heavenly call (Nidāʾ al-Samāʾ) on the night of the 23rd of Ramadan falling on the eve of Friday—in which the Mahdi's second name and his father's name would be announced (hinting at Raj'ah), identifying the Mahdi as the leader and proclaiming that the Shia of Ali will ultimately prevail—was to be heard by everyone in their own language, to the extent that even women in seclusion inside their homes would hear it. Likewise, the pro-Umayyad satanic counter-call, prophesied to occur at the end of that same day in opposition to the heavenly proclamation, has also taken place. These signs, too, were fulfilled during the same Ramadan. However, due to the sensitivity of the matter, and because people are still largely unprepared to accept it and lack the necessary scholarly maturity to evaluate it properly, it is not being discussed here.
       

       
      ★Six days or months or years in concealment 
      Al-Asbagh ibn Nubatah reported: Imam Ali (عليه السلام) said, “I thought about a lineal descendant of mine, the eleventh of my sons (in line of succession). He will be the Mahdi who will fill the earth with justice and fairness after its being filled with suffering and injustice. He will disappear from the public sight and in confusing conditions. Certain people will deviate and others find the path of guidance.”
      I then asked, “O Amir al-Mu’minin (عليه السلام), how long will be the duration of confusion and the disappearance?” He said, “Six days or six months or six years.”
      I said, “Will this indeed come to pass?”
      He said, “Yes, as surely as his being created. But how can you comprehend this matter, O Asbagh? Those are the best of this community, together with the best of the righteous ones from this Bloodline (ʿItrah).”
      I said, “Then what will happen after that?”
      He replied, “Then Allah will do whatever He wills. Indeed, He has new manifestations of His decree (badāʾ), wills, purposes, and endings.”.
      [Al-Kafi Book 4, Chapter 80, The Issue of the Disappearance (of the Twelfth Imam (عليه السلام) from Public Sight) Hadith #7]
       

       
      ★The warning of Imam al-Baqir (عليه السلام) 
       remains as relevant today as ever. The greatest danger is not merely rejecting the Imam (عليه السلام) when he appears, but rejecting the very manner in which Allah chooses to fulfill His promises. A biblical parallel and an earlier precedent for ghaybah-then-zuhoor is Elias (عليه السلام), who was taken away and whose return was long awaited before the coming of the Messiah (عليه السلام) and of ‘that Prophet’ (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). Yet he came through rebirth* as Zechariah's son (himself initially unaware) John (عليه السلام) the Baptist (the Qur'an's uniquely named "Yahya"—he lives on! Who?), preparing the way for Christ (عليه السلام). Jesus (عليه السلام) later told his disciples that Elias (عليه السلام) had indeed come and that John (عليه السلام) was he—showing how divine fulfillment can differ from human expectations.
      _________________________________________________________
      *A fundamental premise of this matter is that ordinary earthly existence presupposes an earthly, biological body. When an individual is no longer living among humanity or physically participating in the normal affairs of the physical world, a transition to a non-earthly, non-biological mode of existence becomes a coherent possibility. This provides a conceptual framework for understanding the occultation of Elias (عليه السلام), whose return to the earthly realm would accordingly require re-entering the biological order through a normal human birth, culminating in his manifestation as John the Baptist. By the same principle, the transition of the Twelfth Imam (عليه السلام) from the Minor Occultation to the Major Occultation may likewise have involved a transition from an earthly biological body to a non-earthly mode of existence, since the Major Occultation does not constitute ordinary worldly life among people. The narration concerning the ascension of Jesus (عليه السلام) reinforces the plausibility of such a model.
      According to the report, Jesus ascended wearing a "rabbinical garment" before being commanded to cast off the adornments of this world. In Jewish mystical tradition, this expression has been associated with an ethereal or intermediary body that bridges the physical and spiritual realms. If this interpretation is accepted, it demonstrates that mystic/prophetic ascension and occultation need not entail the perpetual continuation of ordinary biological existence, but may instead involve transitions between distinct modes of embodiment, with a return to earthly life necessitating a corresponding return to biological existence.
      __________________________________________________________
       
      Perhaps the real test of the believers is not whether they know the prophecies, but whether they can recognize their fulfillment when it unfolds through the ordinary language of history rather than the extraordinary language of fantasy.
      If the signs do indeed arrive differently from what we had imagined, may we remember the Imam's timeless counsel:
                                    ﴿★★★★★★★﴾
      "Because you expect that it comes to you in a certain way, do not deny it if it happens in another way."
                                          ﴿★★★★★★★﴾
    • ServantOfMahdi
      The Prophesied Flag Of The Mahdi (عليه السلام)
      By ServantOfMahdi in The Science of Signs
         0 comments
      |★|The Flag of the Mahdi (عليه السلام): One Design, Multiple Meanings — and Iran’s Banner as Its Clear Fulfillment|★|
       
      It is narrated in reliable sources that on the flag of Imam al-Mahdi (عليه السلام) these words appear:
      Allegiance is for Allah, the Almighty  
      — Kamal al-Din, vol. 2, p. 654
      Other versions recorded in Bihar al-Anwar and Ithbat al-Hudat state: Glory is for Allah (or Highness/Exaltation is for Allah).  
      From Nuf al-Bakali: On the flag of the Mahdi (عليه السلام), ‘Allegiance is for Allah’ is written.  
      — Tashrif al-Mannan, p. 144 (Sunni source)
      From Abdullah ibn Ajalan: … On the flag of the Mahdi (عليه السلام), ‘Allegiance is for Allah’ is written.  
      — Al-Adad al-Qawiyah, p. 66
      At first glance the wordings differ. How can one flag carry all these meanings at once?
      The answer lies in the nature of Arabic calligraphy and sacred design. When the single word Allah (الله) is written in a highly stylized, geometric, or symbolic form — especially one that incorporates visual elements of power, sovereignty, and submission — the surrounding context and the viewer’s understanding can legitimately yield all of these readings. The core is always the same: everything — allegiance, glory, exaltation, authority — belongs exclusively to Allah. The different narrations are not contradictions; they are complementary descriptions of the same reality expressed through a multi-layered visual-linguistic design.
      This is precisely what we find on the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
       
      ★The Central Emblem: “Allah” Written in a Way That Contains All Meanings
      At the heart of Iran’s flag stands a red emblem designed by Hamid Nadimi and approved in 1980. It consists of four crescents arranged symmetrically around a central vertical stroke that ends in a sword-like form, topped by a shadda (the diacritical mark that doubles a letter).
            
      Read right to left in the classical manner, the four crescents and the central stroke form the letters of the Arabic word Allah (ا ل ل ه). The overall shape simultaneously evokes a tulip (the ancient Persian symbol of martyrdom, said to grow from the blood of those who die for truth) and a globe (the universality of Islam). The five elements of the design also represent the five pillars of Islam.
      The central vertical stroke — the sword — carries particular weight in the context of bay‘ah. In Islamic tradition, the sword is not merely a weapon; it is the classic symbol of legitimate authority, the power to enforce justice, and the readiness to defend divine order. When this sword rises through the very word “Allah” and is crowned by the shadda that intensifies its force, it visually declares that all true authority and all right of command belong solely to Allah. The act of pledging allegiance (bay‘ah) is precisely the recognition of that exclusive authority. Thus the same design that writes “Allah” also writes the meaning of bay‘ah li-llāh: allegiance is given only to the One whose sovereignty the sword represents. The upright blade becomes a silent but unmistakable call to submit and to transfer every claim of power back to its rightful Owner.
      Because the word “Allah” is rendered in this abstract, geometric, multi-layered style, the eye and the heart can legitimately draw from it:
      - The pure affirmation that Allah alone is the focus.  
      - The implication of bay‘ah (allegiance): the entire composition, crowned by the sword of authority, is a visual pledge that sovereignty and obedience belong only to Him.  
      - The sense of glory and exaltation: the upright sword-like stroke rising through the word, intensified by the shadda, visually proclaims that all glory and elevation belong to Allah alone.
      In other words, the very design that writes “Allah” simultaneously writes the meanings reported in the different narrations. One stylized inscription yields every reported reading.
       
      ★The Repeated Takbir: A Public Act of Allegiance
      Along the edges where the green and red bands meet the white band, the phrase Allahu Akbar (“Allah is the Greatest”) is written twenty-two times in white Kufic script — eleven times on the lower edge of the green stripe and eleven times on the upper edge of the red stripe. The number twenty-two commemorates the 22nd of Bahman 1357 (11 February 1979), the day the Islamic Revolution triumphed.


      This continuous border of takbir is far more than a historical marker. The very cry that rose from the rooftops of Tehran on that night — “Allahu Akbar” — was itself an act of bay‘ah. By declaring that Allah is greater than the Shah, greater than any earthly throne, greater than every claim to absolute power, the people transferred their allegiance from human rulers to the only true Sovereign. Embedding that same cry twenty-two times along the flag’s borders turns the banner into a permanent, public renewal of that pledge. Every time the flag is raised, it reenacts the moment when a nation said, in the language of the narrations: “Allegiance is for Allah.” The date of the Revolution is therefore not an incidental detail; it is the historical embodiment of the very principle written on the Mahdi’s flag.
       
      ★Colors and Overall Symbolism

      - Green: the color of Islam, growth, and the Ahl al-Bayt.  
      - White: purity, peace, and sincerity of intention.  
      - Red: martyrdom, courage, and the blood of those who sacrificed for truth.
      Together with the central “Allah” (containing the sword of divine authority) and the surrounding Allahu Akbar (the living declaration of exclusive allegiance), the flag becomes a complete visual theology of tawhid in action: allegiance, glory, and exaltation belong solely to Allah.
       
      ★Conclusion: The Misdaq of the Prophetic Descriptions
      The narrations describe a banner whose essential inscription centers on Allah in such a way that the meanings of exclusive allegiance and exclusive glory both emerge naturally.  
      Iran’s national flag fulfills this description with remarkable precision. Its central emblem is the word “Allah” written in a stylized form that simultaneously conveys sovereignty, strength, martyrdom, and universal monotheism — the sword at its heart being the visual seal of divine authority to which bay‘ah is due. Its borders continuously proclaim “Allahu Akbar,” the same cry that marked the historical transfer of allegiance from earthly power to Allah on 22 Bahman. Its colors and geometry reinforce the same message.  
      No other national flag on earth places the word “Allah” at its absolute center in this layered, calligraphic-symbolic manner while surrounding it with the repeated declaration of His greatness. In the language of the traditions, this is the flag on which “Allegiance is for Allah,” “Glory is for Allah,” and “Allegiance is for Allah, the Almighty” are all written — because the design itself makes every one of those meanings visible.
      May Allah grant us the success of recognizing the signs He has already placed before our eyes.
       

    • shadow_of_light
      When there was no TIME?!
      By shadow_of_light in From Earth to Heaven
         1 comment
      Once upon a time, there was no "time"...
       
      به یاد کردگارِ زندگی‌بخش
      که هر جزء جهان دارد از او نقش
      خدایی که فراتر از زمان است
      کسی که مالک کل جهان است
      به یاد آور چه پیمان بستی، ای دوست!
      به هر سو بنگری، آنجا خودِ اوست!
      به یاد عهد و میثاق الستی
      به راهِ روشنِ یکتاپرستی
      به یاد ذره‌ای که منفجر شد
      به یاد لحظه‌ی آغاز هستی
       
      مقدمه
      از دیرباز، ذهن پرسشگر و کنجکاو آدمی با مرزهای پنهان عالم هستی و شناخت آفرینشگر آن درگیر بوده است؛ با این وجود، محدودیت دانش و ساختار ذهنمان، مانع بزرگی در برابر درک پاسخ این معماهاست. ذهن ما اصولا پدیده‌هایی را میفهمد که پیشتر آن‌ها را تجربه نموده‌ایم. به عنوان مثال، تجسم جهانی با بیش از ۳ بعد مکان برای ما غیر ممکن است زیرا هرگز فراتر از این پوسته زندگی نکرده‌ایم. درست مثل یک نابینای مادرزاد که هیچ درکی از دیدن ندارد چون آن را تجربه نکرده است. این عدم درک منحصر به پدیده‌هایی نیست که وجود دارند یا ممکن است وجود داشته باشند ولی ما تجربه‌یشان نکرده‌ایم؛ بلکه گاهی قادر به درک «عدم وجود» برخی پدیده‌ها نیز نیستیم. مثلا تصور جهانی فاقد زمان یا مکان برای ما تقریبا محال است. ممکن است کسی بگوید دنیای فاقد مکان یعنی خلأ. اما خلأ هم خود یک مکان است: مکانی خالی از جسم. پس عدم معادل خلأ نیست. مثال دیگر میتواند درک «نابینایی» باشد. ما بینایان، تا زمانی که نابینایی را تجربه نکرده‌ایم، نمی‌توانیم بفهمیم نابینایی دقیقا چگونه است. خیلی از مردم فکر میکنند که نابینایان دنیا را سیاه یا تاریک میبینند در حالی که آنها اصلا نمی‌بینند چه برسد به این که بخواهند رنگ سیاه را ببینند. این که ما فکر کنیم با بستنِ آگاهانه‌ی چشمانمان می‌توانیم نابینایی را تجربه کنیم هم اشتباه است. چرا که در این حالت، چشمان ما هنوز کار میکنند اما چون نوری به آنها نمی‌رسد، رنگ داخل پلک‌هایمان را تیره می‌بینیم. حال کافی است با چشمان بسته وارد فضایی پر از نور شویم، آنگاه با وارد شدن کمی نور به چشمانمان، رنگی که می‌بینیم به سمت سرخی می‌رود و این یعنی اگرچه پلک‌هایمان بسته است ولی ما همچنان در حال دیدنیم!
      برای این که بتوانیم تا حدی نابینایی را درک کنیم، می‌توانیم فرض کنیم که یک چشم سوم در پشت سرمان داریم که قادر به دیدن نیست. آیا ما با این چشم نابینا، محیط پشت سرمان را سیاه یا تاریک می‌بینیم؟! مسلما خیر! ما اصلا با این چشم سوم، هیچ چیزی را نمی‌بینیم. پس ملاحظه می‌کنید که گاهی عدم وجود یک پدیده هم برای ما قابل درک نیست!
      ...
       
    • shadow_of_light
      Poem
      By shadow_of_light in From Earth to Heaven
         0 comments
      رخشنده صورت و تابنده سیرتی، حتی
      پرنورترین ستاره‌ی کیهان حریفت نمیشود
       
      سرسخت و پایدار، چون کوه استوار
      اما صلابت کوهستان حریفت نمیشود
       
      دلسوخته پر کشیدی ای یادگار حسین
      در حزن و اندوه، انسان حریفت نمیشود
       
       قدر همتت به بلندای آسمان
      در علم و تدبیر هیچ کس حریفت نمیشود
       
       عرصه‌‌ات نیست جولانگه شاهزاده‌ی حقیر
      آن بی‌بخار با کل خاندانش حریفت نمیشود
       
      سروده شده در ۱۶ مرداد ۱۴۰۵
    • ServantOfMahdi
      Signs of Rajʿah (the Return)
      By ServantOfMahdi in The Science of Signs
         0 comments
      Dedication

      This blog entry is dedicated to Imam Ali Khamenei (عليه السلام), on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hasan ibn Ali (عليه السلام), 28 Safar.
      A tribute to a life of steadfastness, sacrifice, and unwavering resolve in the path of the Ahl al-Bayt (علیھم السلام).
       
      A Very Important Note on the Sources Behind This Entry
      This entry presents a number of points derived from the traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt (علیھم السلام). However, the conclusions discussed here are not based on the narrations alone. There are also further confirmations of a spiritual, mystical and unseen nature behind these observations, the details of which are neither appropriate to disclose here nor necessary for the purpose of this entry.
      Perhaps the most important point is that the fullest clarification of these matters belongs to the Qāʾim (عليه السلام) himself. After his Greater Reappearance, he will be in the best position to unveil the realities behind these signs and, ultimately, to make clear who is who among those who have returned in Rajʿah—who has returned, and under what identity they have returned. Until then, these matters can only be approached through the signs, parallels, and indications available to us.
       
      ★Signs of Rajʿah: When the Past Returns, but the Outcome Changes
      In my previous blog entry, I pointed towards the possibility that we are already witnessing the Lesser Reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi (عليه السلام).
      If the period of Ẓuhūr has indeed begun, then it raises another important question: could the signs of Rajʿah also begin to manifest during this same period?
      According to the traditions of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (علیھم السلام), Rajʿah is not simply a return of certain individuals, it is also a period in which the Ahl al-Bayt (علیہم السلام ) will receive a form of support and victory that they did not receive in their previous lives. In other words, some of the circumstances of the past may appear again—but this time, the outcome will be different.
      This gives us an interesting way of recognizing the signs of Rajʿah.
      If the same kind of situation that once left an Imam (عليه السلام) without sufficient support appears again, but this time the Imam (عليه السلام) receives the support that was previously missing, then that changed outcome itself can become a sign.
      The past becomes the pattern; the changed result becomes the sign.
       
      ★Imam Hasan (عليه السلام): From Abandonment to Complete Support
      One of the clearest examples to consider is the life of Imam Hasan (عليه السلام).
      When Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) confronted the political and military circumstances during his rule, the people around him did not provide the steadfast support that was necessary. Even some of his own commanders and followers became unreliable. The situation became so difficult that continuing the struggle under those circumstances would have endangered the very community he was trying to protect.
      As a result, Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) had to relinquish political authority through the treaty with Muʿawiyah (لعنہﷲ).
      But the traditions concerning Rajʿah describe a future in which the Imams (علیھم السلام ) will receive the kind of support that they did not receive previously.
      Therefore, if Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) returns, we should expect the same essential test to be reversed.
      The Imam (عليه السلام) should no longer stand surrounded by a weak or divided community. Instead, there should be a people firm enough to stand with him and commanders courageous enough to carry his cause forward. If the same demand to abandon authority or compromise with the ruling power were ever presented to him again, the crucial difference would be that this time he would not be left alone and would not step down.
      The circumstances would resemble the past, but the result would be different.
      And this reversal would not necessarily be limited to the political and military sphere.
      During his previous life, Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) was even subjected to painful words and taunts from his own people. Those closest to him did not always recognize the magnitude of his resolve or the wisdom behind his decisions. In Rajʿah, however, the world itself would witness a reversal of the response to Imam Hasan (عليه السلام); his own and others alike would be compelled to acknowledge his excellence and salute his unparalleled resolve.
      The same Imam, the same truth, but a completely transformed response from the people.
      There is also a striking symbolism in the incident that occurred during his sermon. An attack against Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) while he was delivering his address came at a time when his political position was declining and the atmosphere around him was marked by discontent and instability. In that sense, the attack became almost a symbol of his political descent.
      In Rajʿah, the reversal of this scene would carry an entirely different meaning.
      If an attack were to occur against him while he is delivering a sermon during a period of his political ascent, the same outward event would now symbolize the opposite trajectory. Then, there was an atmosphere of dissatisfaction and weakness surrounding him; this time, there would be massive support surrounding him. Then, he was taunted with the title “ʿĀr al-Muʾminīn”—a disgrace to the believers; this time, he would be recognized as the pride of the believers.
      The event may resemble the past, but its meaning would be completely reversed.
       
      ★The Funeral of Imam Hasan (عليه السلام)
      There is an even more striking example.
      When Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) passed away, his funeral was not allowed to proceed with the honour that his position demanded. His bier was subjected to hostility, and arrows were shot at it.
      If Rajʿah is a period in which the Ahl al-Bayt (علیہم السلام) receive the support that they were denied before, then the opposite of this event would be a powerful expression of that support.
      Instead of a funeral marked by hostility, imagine a funeral that becomes one of the greatest demonstrations of love and honour in human history: a funeral attended and honoured by people from across the world, with hearts filled with love, and with flowers of affection falling upon the bier rather than arrows.
      The contrast could not be greater.
      The same Imam whose funeral was once met with opposition would, in Rajʿah, receive a funeral befitting his rank—a public manifestation of the love, recognition and honour that had been denied to him.
      This is why the concept of “the support that never happened before” becomes so important.
      Rajʿah would not merely repeat history. It would answer history.
      Where there was loneliness, there would be companionship.
      Where there was weakness, there would be strength.
      Where there was misunderstanding, there would be recognition.
      Where there was opposition, there would be support.
      And where there was disrespect, there would be unparalleled honour.
       
      ★The Reversal of Death
      There is another fascinating detail found repeatedly in the traditions concerning Rajʿah.
      The reports describe a reversal in the manner of death: those who previously died from an illness while on their beds will, in Rajʿah, be killed in battle by the sword; while those who were previously killed by the sword in battle will, in Rajʿah, die upon their beds.
      This makes the death of Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) particularly significant.
      His previous death was associated with illness caused by poisoning. If poisoning is included within the broader category of an illness or ailment—as I understand the wording in this context—then the Rajʿah pattern would point towards the opposite: the Imam (عليه السلام) who previously died on his bed would this time meet his death on the battlefield, by a weapon.
      Again, the point is not merely that the Imam (عليه السلام) returns.
      It is that the circumstances surrounding his previous life are reversed.
      His previous life contained a particular kind of trial; Rajʿah brings the corresponding victory. His previous death occurred in one manner; Rajʿah brings its opposite. His people once failed to give him the support he needed; Rajʿah gives him that support in its fullest form.
      This is what makes these parallels so important when looking for the signs of Rajʿah.
      The return of the past may be recognizable precisely because the ending is no longer the same.
      And Allah knows best.
    • Haji 2003
      Raising Maryam - Exam boards
      By Haji 2003 in Contemporania
         2 comments
      Next year, inshallah, Maryam takes her GCSE exams in the United Kingdom, those are taken at 16 years of age.
      Just a heads up for anyone else with kids/relatives of that age. I have been looking at the websites of the exam boards for her different subjects. Googling the name of the board, the subject and the year of the exam will usually get you to the right page.
      There are a lot of free resources they offer, e.g. subject specifications and examiner commentaries. The latter are very useful to get an idea where students typically make mistakes, for example and to understand what examiners are looking for.
      Kids/parents who are at better schools with more clued up teachers may likely not need to do all this themselves. But although Maryam's school is pretty good, there's no harm in using those specification books for example to keep an eye on progress.
    • Moalfas
      Regarding Iran. For the Record.
      By Moalfas in Regarding Iran. For the Record.
         0 comments
      Salam Alaikum wr wb everyone,
      It’s been a few years.. and I pray InshAllah you’ve all been well.
      There’s an issue that’s been on my mind for a while now, and I find it pertinent to share, in this current geopolitical climate; where the line had been distinctly drawn in the sand since the Gaza Genocide which we all witnessed live on our screens.
      This also particularly relates to ShiaChat, and some of the discussions that were held in the days I’d been active, years ago.
      There were a lot of discussions happening back then around Iran, WF, Shia leadership/representation, demonstrations in Iraq etc
      To cut to the chase,
      With the exception of Palestine, and Iran’s support for it, I personally didn’t have the best of views on Iran back then, as some might recall recall.
      And whilst we’re all entitled to our opinions and can change our minds or positions to varying degrees, on matters large or small, without the need to vocalise it; but because I was previously very vocal here with my question marks over certain aspects of Iranian policies and conduct, I believe it's very important to be Just, and fair by putting my hand up to say, for the record:
      Iran isn’t a perfect country, far from it.
      But Iran is the ONLY country and government standing in the face of the baby killing Genocidal Zionists and their supporters. 
      Iran is the only country that continuously helped the Palestinians & Lebanese in their legitimate struggle against the barbaric Zionist occupation from the outset of the Islamic Revolution.
      This unwavering stand against the most wicked mass murderers of our time, on its own, is enough of an indication to us that any, and all attempts to demonise Iran in this climate is certainly propaganda and Hasbara.
      Iran in its recent face-off with the baby killing Zionists & the Imperial US bullies wasn’t only rightfully defending itself against an illegal war of aggression; Iran is the only man standing and is defending us all from the servitude and dark future that awaits us, should the Zionists and the US bullies get their way. 
      Iran is standing up for humanity.
      I ask Allah Ta’ala to protect Iran by the love and blessings of the Guarantor Imam الإمام الضامن, Ali Bin Musa Al Ridha and his blessed sister, Fatima Al M’asooma; and I ask Allah Ta’ala to forgive me for any wrong I had assumed of Iran. 
       
      وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ
      And above every man of knowledge is The All Knowing.
      12.76

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