Hawzah News Agency- the first night of Muharram was observed at the Islamic Center of Moscow, with a gathering of the faithful and lovers of the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) in attendance.
The ceremony commenced with the recitation of Ziyarat Ashura and verses from the Holy Quran by Quran reciter Reza Safdari.
Hojatoleslam Alireza Bagherzadeh then delivered an address in Russian. Offering condolences on the arrival of Muharram, he described the month as a period of grief for the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his purified household, while simultaneously representing an opportunity to renew love and heartfelt connection with the school of Ashura.
In the first part of his address, Bagherzadeh elaborated on the station of sincerity (Ikhlas) in Islam. Citing narrations from the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT), he identified sincerity as the soul of worship and the basis for the acceptance of deeds. Drawing on Quranic verses and the sayings of the Infallible Imams (PBUT), he warned that ostentation and showing off rank among the most perilous moral vices, stressing that just as physical illnesses threaten human health, ostentation destroys the soul and spirituality of the human being.
Highlighting the individual and social fruits of sincerity, Bagherzadeh stated that the sincere person makes divine satisfaction the sole measure of his actions, seeking neither the attention nor the praise of others. He identified responsibility, trustworthiness, diligence in carrying out duties, and inner peace among the most important traits of sincere individuals, noting that the reform and wellbeing of society depend on cultivating people of sincerity.
Turning to the lofty character of Muslim ibn Aqil (PBUH), Bagherzadeh presented him as a luminous example of sincerity, loyalty, and obedience to the Imam, describing his sacrifice and martyrdom as the fruit of complete sincerity on the path of aiding Imam Hussain (PBUH).
In another segment of the program, Hojatoleslam Ebadollah Khayrian, a scholar from the seminaries of Qom and Tabriz, took to the podium. He began by outlining the rulings of prayer and explaining its pillars and obligations.
Khayrian then addressed the importance of divine knowledge, citing narrations that identify recognition of God as the first step on the path of religious devotion. Referencing a well-known supplication transmitted from Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (PBUH), he stressed the necessity of asking God Almighty for divine knowledge, stating that correct recognition of God lays the groundwork for recognizing the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT).
Turning to the Ashura uprising and its enduring teachings, Khayrian described Imam Hussain (PBUH) as the perfect model of guidance, servitude, and self-sacrifice. He drew particular attention to the Master of Martyrs' insistence on establishing prayer on the Day of Ashura, even under the most difficult conditions of the battlefield, underscoring the vital importance of safeguarding and upholding this divine obligation under all life circumstances.
In concluding, Khayrian described love for Imam Hussain (PBUH) as a divine gift placed by God in the hearts of believers, urging those present to strengthen this love day by day through increased knowledge, righteous deeds, and consistent attendance at gatherings of the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT).
The ceremony concluded with eulogist Ahad Falahi leading the mourners in lamentation and chest-beating, after which the gathering drew to a close with the Maghrib and Isha congregational prayers.
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