Opposite the mentality of awakening that the late religious authority (marjaʿ) Sayed Muhammad al-Shirazi (q) ignited, there are two mentalities that harm the course of awakening, namely:
The first: the stagnant mind.
The second: the crisis-making mind.
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Sayed al-Shirazi transcended those two mentalities and set out solutions and remedies for getting out of them, through his distinguished scholarly output, his tireless activity and his lofty conduct—overcoming the reality of stagnation, inertia, negligence, seeking rest and ease, seclusion and isolation from the concerns of the people and the community, by spreading the spirit of awakening, work, effectiveness, change and movement in the community, in order to build a Muslim generation raised on religious values in heart and in form, and so that (the individual), (society) and (the state) may rise up, present Islam and advance through Islam.
He presented theories inspired by the Qurʾan and the purified Sunna, overcoming the mentality of crisis-making, sedition, conflict, rancor, hatred, estrangement and splitting the ranks, by spreading the spirit of reform, reconciliation, organization and unity, of gathering together, mending the rift and closing ranks among the spectrum of the Islamic community, so that it may be the launching point of awakening and the homeland of honor and loftiness, and a pioneer of giving and goodness, beneficence and love—so that people may enter the religion in throngs.
These two mentalities—(stagnation) and (crisis-making)—are the affliction of the community and the seat of the weakness with which it has been afflicted, and still is to this day, sparing neither friend nor stranger. On reviewing the thought and examining the knowledge inherited from this eminent Sayed, we find that the matter deserves our emphasis, so that the course does not deviate and its face is not disfigured by the stagnant or the crisis-makers.
We do not take the anniversary of Imam al-Shirazi as a station for weeping and regret; rather, we take it as a launching point and an occasion for circulating the knowledge that his blessed ink poured out as an inheritance for us and for the generations after him, as Imam ʿAli (a) says: (Knowledge is a noble inheritance).
When you stand before the abundant library of the late Imam al-Shirazi (q)—which approached 1600 books—and draw a book from it, you will find it emphasizing effectiveness and iron organization in it, and emphasizing making use of time in working for the religion.
You take another book and read among its most important lines the theory of unity within the one community, and of spreading the spirit of coming together and of making concessions to brothers in religion, reconciliation and forgiveness—until it takes you to the participation of all Muslims in the theory of government.
If you pick up a different book, you will find it emphasizing between its lines the spirit of the Sharia, the contents of the rites and the values of Islam, so that they take their place; it urges acting upon the Qurʾan in the days of ʿAshura, because ʿAshura is a defense of the values of the Qurʾan; and it calls on the preacher to be informed about the affairs of the community—political, social and intellectual—so as to present the religion’s remedies and attend to the affairs of the Muslims.
He insists with complete confidence in most of his books that the day of Imam al-Husayn (a) is all our days, and that every land must be Karbala—a torch of values, Godwariness and righteous action—not that we take Imam al-Husayn (a) as a justification for our humiliation, abasement and stagnation.
And so, take up another book, and you will discover that it calls for peace, peacefulness and security, and for conveying this message even to enemies and those who differ, let alone to Muslims who differ in schools of thought and ideas.
Put forth your fingertips to take up another book, and you will verify that His Eminence opposes the practices of accusing others of unbelief (takfīr) and of ritual impurity, of rejection and estrangement; he rejects the spirit of hatred among Muslims, and cursing, insulting and obscenity; and he calls on scholars to connect, meet and cooperate for the sake of preserving the radiance of the religion and its hue.
As we stand at a station of remembrance, discussion and chronicling of this great personality, we place two points before our eyes:
The first: We do not take his confronting the mentality of stagnation with his great output as a pretext for our own stagnation and laziness, relying on his contributions and justifying to ourselves shortcoming, retreat and spectating; for his giving calls us to give and urges us to tireless work for Islam and for the Muslims.
The second: We do not take his confronting the mentality of crisis-making with forgiveness, tolerance, unity, connection and cooperation as a pretext for hurling accusations at others, kindling seditions and waging wars with rancor, estrangement and insult. For his forgiveness, his tolerance and his positive spirit (q) nurture in us the spirit of brotherhood, intentions of reform and good conduct toward others, so that the strength of the community and its spirit do not depart.
Such is the Shirazi (by affiliation): through thought and conduct—otherwise, not.
Reciting al-Fatiha at his noble grave (the shrine of Lady Fatimah al-Maʿsumah (a), Holy Qom)
