Hawzah News Agency- Ayatollah Muhammad Yaqubi, during his Eid al-Adha sermons, stated that pure nature makes it necessary for us to love Ahlul Bayt (pbut) and added, “the love of the Ahlul Bayt (PBUT) is rooted in the existence of Shiites, and by holding the Ghadir Day ceremony, Shiites are trying to preserve and promote the principles and lives of Ahlul Bayt(PBUT).
Referring to the blessings of heaven and the good and pure life that awaits believers, this Iraqi scholar said, “Believers live a pure and good life and have a feeling of happiness in the best places of heaven, and this is the reward of their righteous deeds and obedience to God Almighty. They will enjoy blessings that are undoubtedly not comparable to the incomplete and impermanent blessings of this world.”
Ayatollah Yaqubi went on to elaborate on the subject of divine guidance and mentioned, “Immense guidance bestowed upon humanity by God Almighty is through the Bi'tha of the holy prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who did not ask for any reward from Muslims in return, as his actions were derived from pure sincerity towards God and his Majesty merely asked for the salvation and felicity of Muslims.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iraqi scholar continued, “All the great prophets in all eras did not ask for any reward from their followers. In Surah Noah, Hud, Saleh, Lut, and Shuaib, it is said ‘وما أسألکم علیه من أجرٍ إن أجری إلا علی ربّ العالمین’ which means I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward lies only with the Lord of all the worlds.”
The Iraqi seminary professor then elaborated on the verse "إلا المودة فی القربی" (Except the love of my relatives)," stating: "Mawaddah (مودّت) is synonymous with love. 'Wadood' (ودود) is one of the names of God Almighty. The word 'qurba' (قربی) is preceded by the preposition 'fi' (في) i.e. (in), indicating capacity, and in this context, it encompasses a group of relatives, not all of them, as the phrase 'lil-qurba' (للقربی) i.e. (for qurba) is not used in the verse. Furthermore, the word 'Mawaddah' in the verse signifies that a sound and pure nature necessitates love and inclination towards the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) as they embody the attributes of beauty and perfection."
“In this matter, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stands as an exception among all prophets. He asked for a specific reward from his followers: the love of his relatives. This, however, is not indeed an emotional sentiment rather a divine decree aimed at ensuring the continuation of the prophetic mission and leadership through those closest to the Prophet Muhammad. Numerous narrations, from both Sunni and Shia sources, attest that the term "al-qurba" (close relatives), in the verse, refers to the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them). The meaning of this verse is abundantly clear, and the rightful position of the Ahlul Bayt is evident to all. Even Shafi'i, one of the leading Sunni scholars, has composed poems in this regard, as did Kumayl ibn Zayd al-Asadi before him. However, the enemies of the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them) strive to distance people across the world from them.” Ayatollah Yaqubi further noted.
In his second sermon of Eid al-Adha, Ayatollah Yaqubi cited the verse "Whatever good befalls you is from Allah; and whatever ill befalls you is from yourself. We sent you as an apostle to mankind, and Allah suffices as witness," (Quran 4:79) and stated, "Some people mistakenly assume that the afflictions and calamities they encounter are inflicted upon them by God Almighty. This misguided notion leads to estrangement from God. However, a true believer should recognize that the hardships they face are a consequence of following their self-will and committing sins. All the good that befalls a person originates from God Almighty, for He wants only goodness and prosperity for His servants. He is the Most Compassionate and Merciful towards His servants. Thus, we should cultivate love for God in our hearts and, as the hadiths indicate, attain a lofty position."