The Great Satan

[Abu Hadi]

The phrase 'The Great Satan',  Persian شيطان بزرگ Shaytân-e Bozorg , is most likely the most misunderstood phrase that has ever existed in the history of humanity (maybe equal with the Western, non muslim understanding of the term 'jihad').

This phrase was used a lot during the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979 by Imam Khomeni(ra) and others. 

This phrase was used as a tool by the US Government to paint Imam Khomeni(ra), the Islamic Revolution, and Iran in general as a facist, lunatic nation full of people who were bloodthirsty and wanted to do genocide against the American and more in General the Western Population. This is a tool that is still being used today. See

See Wikipedia (and why it should never be used as a reliable source)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Satan

The Great Satan (Persian شيطان بزرگ Shaytân-e Bozorg) is a derogatory epithet for the United States of America in some Iranian foreign policy statements

And most people won't read any further than that. It is saying that the Great Satan is the United States, meaning the country and everything and everyone in it. 

New York Time

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/02/world/middleeast/us-remains-the-great-satan-hard-liners-in-iran-say.html

The head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, announced plans to expand the reach of Iran’s missiles and warned that despite the nuclear deal, America was still the “same Great Satan.”

The myth created by the media is that Iran (post Revolution) is a malevolent force which is 'hell bent' on destroying the United States and every man, women, and child in it. This myth is the most effective weapon in the arsenal of the real 'Great Satan' in order to get the American people and other Western people to act in ways that are irrational and actually harm these same people. 

WHO IS THE 'GREAT SATAN' ? 

The real 'Great Satan' is comprised on an elite group of individuals who are morally bankrupt and have a large amount of power and influence over government, the media, and corporations and use this power to further their own ends and goals and could not care less who they harm or who they destroy in the process. 

WHO WAS THE FIRST WORLD LEADER TO DISCUSS THIS ? 

Hint, it wasn't Imam Khomeni(ra)

In fact, it was former President of the United States John F. Kennedy. 

 

 

He used the phrase 'Secret Societies' but he was talking about the same group. 

 

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE ? DO WE KNOW THEIR NAMES. 

Actually, no. Some brothers and sisters have been here talking about the Bilderbergs, Illuminati, Knights Templar, etc, etc. These organizations are just covers and some are actually set up by the 'Great Satan' in order to throw us off track and trick us. We know who they are, not by their names, but by what they do. 

This game of 'let's track people down, spends hundreds of hours watching Alex Jones, etc, et al is misguided and will only waste your time. This group can change names, change people, even change governments in the blink of an eye. So don't spend time focusing on these things. 

IS THE 'GREAT SATAN' ONLY IN THE UNITED STATES ? 

No, but the US has the greatest concentration of these people. There are reasons for this. First, you will always find these people in the place which is the center of power and influence. Today, in 2016, this is the United States (sort of obvious to most people), being the sole 'World Power' in existence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In addition, in the United States these people have the greatest ability to get resources and also to operate in complete secrecy, because they have the 100% support of the government at the Federal, State, and Local levels. 
 

IF WE DON"T KNOW WHO THEY ARE, HOW CAN WE FIGHT THEM ? 

This is the main point. We basically see two groups of brothers and sisters (this is the majority) and both are not acting correctly. 

1) Those who waste their lives trying to 'track down' and 'call out' these people and believe that everything is a conspiracy

2) Those who completely ignore this subject. 

Both approaches are wrong and both these approaches lead to the furtherance of the goals of this group. 

In fact, Imam Khomeni(ra) showed us the way forward in how to fight this group, which was the reason why he was so maligned and attacked. Iran was and still is the only country on planet earth that has freed itself from the domination of this group and continues to pursue a policy of active resistance. The formula is 

1) Awareness

We should be aware that this group exists and that they are very powerful and they are actively fighting against true Islam and teaching of Ahl Al Bayt(a.s) from being spread and gaining influence in the world. Because we are followers of Ahl Al Bayt(a.s), it means that they are acting against us, specifically us. They use various institutions of government, media, military, and corporations for this purpose. At the same time, we should work to spread awareness of the true Islam and teaching of Ahl Al Bayt(a.s) in whatever way on on whatever forum we can. 

2) Non Cooperation

If we see any group that is promoting a program, product, business, project, etc that is against teachings of Ahl Al Bayt(a.s), we should not cooperate with them. We should not be involved in the program, we should not support the business, we should not buy the product. If we are regular viewers or listeners to a channel or program that is constantly spouting anti-Islamic or anti-Shia we should not listed to this program or channel, even if they have other programs on that we enjoy. If we can get by in our lives without involving ourselves in the system of Riba(usury) that is the main tool used by the "Great Satan" then we should do that (although most of us can't but we should try). If there is no candidate that supports our morals and our values, then we shouldn't vote. 

3) Active Resistance

If we see injustice happening (thulm) and we have the ability, withing the guidelines of hukm sharia (Islamic Law) set down by our Marjaa', to stop it, then we should stop it. 

Edited May 22, 2016 by Abu Hadi

[hasanhh]

^^^^ This is in error.

It's been several years since l knew the definitive answer, but it goes like this:

The rise of Hollywood which showed lowered morals was -and is- offensive. The term "great satan" was oringally used to express this. The term was used in the beginning of the Ikhwan Muselmoon to describe the West as Western foreign policies in many instances reflected these lower morals. From there it expanded to include the whole of the West and then the US in particular.