Reflections on the Funeral of the "Martyred Imam" in Mazar-e-Sharif; A Manifestation of Islamic Unity and an Asset for History

Afghan Voice Agency (AVA)-Mazar-e-Sharif: The program began with a performance by Habibullah Alizadeh and the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by the international reciter of Afghanistan, Mehdi Mozaffari, and the speakers explained the personal, scientific, cultural, and political dimensions of the martyred Imam, his role in strengthening Islamic unity, the culture of sacrifice and martyrdom, and the place of resistance in the Islamic world.

 

Dr. Seyed Ruhollah Hosseini, the Cultural Advisor of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Afghanistan, emphasized the need to record eyewitness accounts at the ceremony, saying: “This funeral was not just a farewell ceremony, but a civilizational event in the Islamic world whose memories and untold stories must be preserved for future generations.”

 

Citing the Prophetic hadith, “Act for your world as if you were living forever, and act for your hereafter as if you were dying tomorrow,” he stated: “The martyred Imam lived in such a way that he captured the hearts of millions of people and passed away in such a way that the Islamic nation mourned his departure.”

 

Referring to the role of Hazrat Zainab (PBUH) and Imam Sajjad (PBUH) in perpetuating the Ashura movement, the Iranian cultural advisor added: “Recording the narrations of this great funeral is a historical mission for the people of culture and the media.” He considered the large presence of the Afghan people in this ceremony to indicate the deep bond between the two nations and the special position of the martyred Imam among the people of this land.

 

Dr. Hosseini also recalled the long-standing connection of the martyred Imam with Afghan scholars and personalities and announced the holding of a competition to collect the best travelogues, memories, and narrations of this trip, calling it a step towards documenting this historical event.

 

In another part of his speech, he called the most important message of this funeral “the unity of the Islamic nation” and stated: “God willed that the funeral of the martyred Imam be a manifestation of the unity of Shiites and Sunnis under the teachings of the Quran and the progeny; the same slogan that he always emphasized. The presence of Muslims from different sects showed that his unifying thought is alive and influential among the nation even after his martyrdom.”

 

Continuing the gathering, Hojjatoleslam Walmuslimin Zaki Balkhi, referring to the place of divine leaders in the hearts of the people, called their loss irreparable for the Islamic nation. Also, Sayyed Zia Hasheminejad, the Imam of the Grand Mosque of Hazrat Muhammad Rasulullah (PBUH), considered true honor to be in the light of God’s service and emphasized that the martyred Imam, through his sincerity and service to Islam, gained divine honor that remained during his martyrdom and after his death.

 

The final part of the ceremony was dedicated to poetry readings by poets and narrations by a group of Afghan youth about their attendance at the funeral ceremony, and the program ended with a final prayer and a dinner banquet.