The People’s Support Empowers Any Government

In his Friday sermon on July 12, 2024, Shaikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid offered recommendations to Masoud Pezeshkian, the President-elect. He advised prioritizing “justice,” “freedom,” and “the economy” in his programs and appointing “competent individuals” to positions of authority.
Mawlana Abdol Hamid also spoke during the Friday prayers in Zahedan, referring to the days of martyrdom of Imam Hussein (may Allah be pleased with him). He said, “My advice to all people in all countries is that Shia brothers should feel secure in carrying out their religious ceremonies. All denominations should have the freedom to perform their ceremonies and tolerate each other. We too must provide a safe environment as much as we can.”

Pezeshkian Gave Hope and Brought People Back to the Scene
According to the official website of the Office of the Friday Prayer Leader of the Sunni People of Zahedan, Shaikh ul Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid stated regarding the presidential election: “We had the presidential election two Fridays ago. Everyone knows, and it is no secret, that despair had gripped the entire country. Various pressures in people’s lives had worried them, and the people were despondent. That’s why voter turnout was very low in the first week of the election. But in the second week, when there was competition between the two presidential candidates, the statements made by Mr. Dr. Pezeshkian in the debates gave hope to the people and brought the disillusioned people back to the scene. This is because Dr. Pezeshkian expressed a large part of the common people’s grievances, from women to ethnicities, religions, and various groups.”

50% of the People Didn’t Believe the Promises
The Friday prayer leader of Zahedan’s Sunni community added: “People became hopeful that perhaps Dr. Pezeshkian could be a remedy for these problems, and in the second week, people came to the scene. The vote cast for Mr. Doctor was truly not the vote of specific parties and groups, but the vote of the general public. Yet, another 50% of the people did not believe these speeches and said that the president makes these speeches, but they might not allow him to fulfill his promises.”
He further stated: “We all know that recently there have been a few fundamental and central problems. The first issue is justice, and the second issue is freedom, and the third issue is the economy and livelihood.”

Selected Managers are Weak and from a Specific Group
Shaikh ul Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid asserted: “People feel that competent and capable people are not being employed, and the managers who pass through the tough selection filters are weak managers from a specific group. Ethnicities and religions are also very aggrieved that no one from among their competent people has been employed in the past 45 years.”

Perhaps Pezeshkian Can Address the Needs of Ethnicities and Religions
He added: “In all periods, Sunnis have made efforts and voted for both reformists and conservatives, but they have not reached any results. These statements by Mr. Pezeshkian gave people hope that a window has opened, and perhaps he can address the needs of ethnicities and religions and employ their competent people.”

Women Deserving of Their Status Have Not Been Placed
The Friday prayer leader of Zahedan’s Sunni community spoke about the situation of women, saying: “We are sorry that we have not been able to place women in their rightful status. We expected them to accept whatever we said. Today’s woman is not yesterday’s woman. She has gained competence and ability and has gone to university and strived in scientific fields. Many women are experts, and in many matters, women offer the best solutions. Few deserving women have been employed as ministers and senior managers of the country.”
He said: “The recent problems in the country also stem from the fact that women say, ‘How can you see us for hijab but not see our talents?’ Women also want to be placed in their rightful positions. All deserving Iranians have shone all over the world. Why shouldn’t they build their own country? All deserving people from all ethnicities, religions, and the entire Iranian nation have been subjected to widespread and pervasive discrimination. Discrimination and inequality are not Islamic at all.”

Pezeshkian is the Best Opportunity for the Nation and the Government
Shaikh ul Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid stated: “The administration of Mr. Pezeshkian is the best opportunity for both the ruling body and the nation. The ruling body should give Mr. Pezeshkian a free hand so that he can both improve domestic policies and change the international view of us.
We must maintain good relations with developed countries while also defending our own rights and dignity in order to establish positive ties with the entire world and restore the value of our currency.

The Valueless Subsidies Have Made the Nation Miserable
He emphasized: “Those who said sanctions were a blessing and that we would circumvent them were proven wrong. The sanctions have had their effect.” He continued: “Many influential individuals and organizations have plundered national resources, and the nation has been afflicted with poverty and hunger. Never before have we seen the Iranian people suffer so much. These so-called subsidies they give are worthless. The nation became miserable when they introduced subsidies. Money needs to gain value, and jobs need to be created.”

The Most Important Task for the President-Elect is Fighting Corruption
Shaikh ul Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid then emphasized the importance of economic reform and tackling corruption: “We hope the economy improves. The economy and politics are so intertwined that unless domestic and foreign policies are rectified, the economy will not improve.”
He identified corruption as a critical issue: “The most important and crucial task that Dr. Pezeshkian has before him is fighting corruption. This requires great courage and a significant movement in this direction, where all institutions work together to eliminate discrimination, implement justice, and fight corruption.”

The System’s Strength Doesn’t Lie in Weapons Production and Military Forces
Shaikh ul Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid offered a unique perspective on national strength, stating: “Sometimes people talk about the system’s strength, and that’s a good thing.” However, he argued: “In my opinion, a system’s strength doesn’t lie in weapons production and military forces. The highest strength of any system comes from implementing justice and serving the people. A system has strength when the people support it. Addressing the people’s needs and listening to the cries of women, ethnicities, religions, and all the people of Iran is the key point.”
He further emphasized the importance of public trust: “If you win the hearts of the people, that’s the greatest achievement. If the people become disillusioned, they won’t become hopeful again, and if this opportunity is lost, it won’t come back.”

Pezeshkian Should Appoint Competent Individuals from Ethnicities, Religions, and Women to the Cabinet
In conclusion, Shaikh ul Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid offered specific recommendations to the newly elected president, he stated: “My recommendation to Dr. Pezeshkian is to appoint competent individuals from ethnicities, religions, and women to the cabinet.” He stressed the importance of meritocracy: “He should strive to place deserving individuals, not those appointed through favoritism, in all ministries.”
Finally, he expressed a hopeful sentiment, mentioning: “We hope he fulfills the promises he made during the election campaign.”

Imam Hussain rose up for “the establishment of truth” and “the implementation of justice”
Shaikhul Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid in the first part of his speech at the Zahidan Friday prayers, referring to the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (PBUH) in Karbala, described this event as one of the “important” and “bitter” historical events, and emphasized the need to examine Imam Hussain’s (PBUH) uprising from an angle that is “instructive” and “a lesson” for the people.

There was “justice” and “freedom” in the era of the Prophet and the Rashidun Caliphs, and there was no “despotism” and “autocracy”
According to the website of the Office of the Friday Imam of Zahidan, Shaikhul Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid, after reciting verses 155-157 of the Holy Quran “Baqarah”, said: Allah Almighty brought a great and comprehensive light and illumination to the Arabian Peninsula and the land of the Hijaz with the mission of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The sun of the religion of Islam rose in the world, and true faith, good morals, action, justice and freedom appeared in the world. In the era of the Prophet, which is the best era and a model for all humanity, there was no weakness.
He continued: After this era, the era of the Rashidun Caliphate and the successors of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) came. This era was also based on the method of the Prophet; it was an era of justice and freedom, the government was popular in this era, the caliphs lived like ordinary people and were among the people and thought about the people. In that era, there was no room for arrogance, pride, autocracy, despotism and egotism, the ruler was humble and modest.
Mawlana Abdol Hamid added: In the era of the Rashidun Caliphs, “God” was in the lives of the people. Whoever saw the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and the Rashidun Caliphs would remember God and the greatness of God would descend upon him. The great powers surrendered to this justice, fairness and God-seeking, and the world opened its mouth and praised this justice, freedom and valuable life.

Yazid and the Yazidis committed “crimes” to “preserve their rule”
The Friday Imam of Zahedan continued: After the era of the Rashidun Caliphate, during the time of Mu’awiyah, differences arose among the Muslims. Imam Hassan (PBUH), in the interests of the Islamic world and the unity and cohesion of the Muslim Ummah, compromised with Mu’awiyah and handed over the government to him. After the death of Mu’awiyah, when Yazid ascended to power, the golden era of Islamic rule passed and the era of autocracy, despotism, oppression and heredity came. Yazid was afflicted with autocracy. Dissatisfaction among Muslims and Companions with Yazid’s rule spread. Imam Hussain, Abdollah ibn Zubair and Abdollah ibn Umar, who were dissatisfied, did not pledge allegiance to Yazid.
He continued: Abdollah ibn Zubair formed a government in Mecca. The people of Iraq wrote to Imam Hussain, who was raised by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Ali and Fatima (PBUH), that the situation in the Islamic world was very bad and it was time for him to come to the field and stand by the oppressed people. When Imam Hussain saw that Yazid was incorrigible and that all the achievements of the era of the Prophet and the Rashidun Caliphate were being lost, and if he did not help the Muslims, what would he answer to God? Therefore, he felt a sense of duty and mission and went to Iraq, which was one of the first countries to invite him.
He said: Yazid and the Yazidis preferred the world to the hereafter, and in order to preserve their rule, they committed crimes, and marched against Imam Hussain, and martyred Imam Hussain unjustly.

Imam Hussain’s uprising was “rightful” and a “model” for all humanity
Shaikhul Islam Mawlana Abdol Hamid noted: Yazid’s rule was a rule of oppression and injustice, and a rule of incompetent and incompetent rulers. The structure that had been established in the era of the Prophet and the Rashidun Caliphs was destroyed under Yazid’s rule. This was hard for Imam Hussain and free and awakened people. When the rulers are incompetent and inefficient, and the ruler is oppressive, and there is no way to reform him, there is no choice but to stand firm and stand up for the interests of the people. Therefore, Imam Hussain preferred to be martyred but not to surrender to vile people. Imam Hussain (PBUH) preferred martyrdom to humiliation and captivity, and drank the cup of martyrdom for the sake of establishing truth, implementing justice, establishing fairness, and defending the right.
He added: The uprising of Imam Hussain (PBUH) was rightful and a model for all humanity. There is no disagreement among Muslims about the uprising of Imam Hussain (PBUH) and the Ahl al-Bayt, and everyone agrees that they were worthy, capable, and exemplary people.

Learning the Quran and the biography of the greats in the face of bitter incidents is “patience”
We should make the biography of the Rashidun Caliphs and the Ahlul Bayt the guiding principle of our lives
Mawlana Abdol Hamid continued: “During the anniversary of martyrdom of these great men, everyone is saddened and each person expresses his sadness and grief in his own way. The teachings of the Quran, biography, and the teachings of the pure and great religious figures in the face of such bitter incidents is “patience”. Remembering the greats and the pure, and patience and perseverance are things that Islam, the Quran, hadiths, and the biography of the Prophet have taught us. Recalling the courage, selflessness, truth-seeking, and good qualities of these greats is a desirable and commendable matter.”
He added: “The most important point is to follow the biography of the greats. Let us make the biography of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), the Rashidun Caliphs, Hazrat Zahra, and Imam Hussain (PBUH) the guiding principle of our lives. Our obedience to those greats will please God and make their souls happy.”

All religions should have the freedom to perform their ceremonies and tolerate each other
Mawlana Abdol Hamid continued his speech by saying: “My advice to all people in all countries is that Shi’a brothers should feel safe to perform their religious ceremonies. All religions should have the freedom to perform their ceremonies and tolerate each other. We should also do our best to provide a safe environment.”