In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Merciful.

God bless Muḥammad and his pure progeny and curse their enemies. Our Lord, hasten the appearance of our Savior and count us among his followers.

,,Verily, the curse of God comes upon the unjust.” [11:18]

This post is a collaboration between Ahlulbait.one and Mohammad Cyrous. That this post appears on Ahlulbait.one does not mean that Sheikh Cyrous agrees with everything on Ahlulbait.one, nor does it mean that we Ahlulbait.one agree with everything Sheikh Cyrous says. However, we as an Ahlulbait.one team feel obligated to give Brother Cyrous a platform because great injustice was done to him. Just because there are theological differences between Shiites does not mean that people should oppress and torture each other. I hope we can make a contribution so that Akhbaris and Usulis can discuss calmly and without violence on the theological level.

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Many people claimed that the story Abu Ali Reda Mohammad Cyrous had written was a lie, based on his hatred of Iran. But he responded to these allegations by saying: 

In general, those who claim that it is exaggerated to question the Iranian political system are not even Iranian citizens and have neither lived nor worked in Iran. 

I criticize the excessive use of the name “Islamic Government of Iran” when the country is acting against the values of Islam for example: 

– No other language than Farsi is allowed to be taught in school (not even Arabic in the Arab regions). Arabic is the language of the Holy Quran and the Ahadith.

– Physical punishment (beatings and threats of murder or in some cases for demonstrators of rape with object) and forced confessions are systematic during any interrogation, whether harsh or not. 

– Imprisonment or house arrest of scholars and Maraji who criticize the government or question the absolute Wilayat ul Faqih. 

– Funding of anti-Shia groups (such as Hamas, Armenian armed forces, Shah Ma’soud, Taliban…). 

I do not hate Iran. On the contrary, my parents are of Iranian origin and since I was born, Iran is part of my daily life whether it is its food, its culture, its language or its religious heritage. I communicate with my children only in Persian even though I was not even born in Iran.

It is quite normal for Iranian citizens or Iranians of origin to question the system and management of their country. I don’t have to prove how much I love Iran as I don’t have to prove how much I love my parents. I did not expect to be tortured based on a mere suspicion of a slanderous denunciation, and then to be released when the authorities realized that I was neither a spy nor an enemy. 

On the contrary, it is Khamenei’s supporters who know nothing about the complexity of this country’s sophisticated culture and political landscape and above all do not even like Iran. They only use the name of Khomeini and Khamenei and the anti-Western or Israeli political agenda as a tool to hate without even caring about the living conditions of the Shia and the complicated problems of the country.”

Is it not permissible today to have a different opinion or to question certain views? Why is it difficult for Iran to run an “Islamic state” without people feeling humiliated or oppressed? Without them feeling unfairly treated or humiliated? It is clear that a single person cannot run a country in an Islamic way. 

Only a member of the house of Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him and his descendants, can do so. He cannot judge right and wrong exactly according to the Islamic rules because, on the one hand, he is not allowed to and, on the other hand, he is not capable of doing so. The only one who can do this is the one who is infallible, who does not make mistakes in his judgments.

Moreover, the Iranian government does not apply the rules only according to the Islamic legal code but it is a modified Napoleonic legal code (French civil code).

The story of Mohammad Cyrous clearly proves this. 

The agents of Khamenei’s government had simple suspicions and tortured him until they realized that they were wrong. If the Iranian authorities had had any proof or personal conviction he would never have been released so quickly. He also had to make a forced confession under torture so that the Iranian justice system would not have to admit internationally that they had tortured an innocent man. Such a thing would never have happened in a government headed by the infallible Imam (a.) or by a Prophet (s.).

And since when do we torture our brothers and sisters in faith? And since when do we destroy the morale of a human being to such an extent? Since when is it permissible to physically harm a human being? How can you be at peace with yourselves and support such a government?

Mohammad Cyrous also reported on his mental health condition after his release: 

“At first it was difficult. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night and think that I was still in solitary confinement where I spent more than 6 months in the interrogation building of the Iranian intelligence service. Even the smell of cologne could remind me an interrogator and it stressed me out. At that time, I healed the loneliness with doua, Umrah trip and ziyarat to the Holy Prophet (s.) in Medina and cried for Imam al-Hussain (a.)”.

And my encounters with other Shia brothers, who were also tortured by the Iranian government, somehow helped me to better comprehend the Khomeinist system and understand that I am far from being an isolated case. 

Reading about the pain of the infallible Imams (a.) at the hands of the Umayyad “Islamic government” and meeting Shia scholars who suffered worse tortures than I did is an important reason to thank Allah that I have no more. 

I have not been subjected to mutilation or rape, unlike others who are not lucky enough to have a Western passport. I was not tortured by the Iranian intelligence services as they would have done with Iranians, Afghans or Iraqis. 

There are several levels and types of torture by the Iranian government depending on the type of detainee and the unit of the police department.

The detainees of misconduct, drugs and crime is the police unit “agahi”. The torture is specifically punches resulting in broken nose and teeth, black eye.

Pro-Khamenei detainees having a difference, the torture consists of the cell in isolation and deprivation of visits but without corporal punishment.

Anti-Khamenei detainees who spread a “government-destroying” statement or are suspected of being involved in an anti-revolutionary movement, the torture consists of slapping, kicking, punching in the stomach, death threats with a gun in hand, electric shocks, placing the head in a bucket of water, spending hours in a prisoner’s uniform in the outdoor yard including long periods in a solitary confinement cell, and intimidation of the detainee’s family (like what I had).

In the case of high-profile prisoners, foreigners or those with influence abroad, only slaps and psychological torture are used. Release is subject to conditions negotiated with the embassy of the detainee’s country of origin. 

The detainees of demonstrations or street violence with claims of torture consist of mutilation, object rape and imprisonment in filthy and overcrowded cells in unsanitary prisons.

The units and departments that carry out the harsh interrogations depend on the type of “crime” and the request of the judge. 

The special units for political prisoners who will be sentenced to hanging are those of the IRGC “etelaat sepah”.

The units for political prisoners who can be sentenced to hanging are those of the MOIS “vezarat etelaat”.

The units for preacher or clerical detainees with anti-Khamenei statements are those of the clergy court located in office 1 which are linked to the Ministry of Intelligence “etelaat dadgah vijeh rouhaniat”.

I thank Allah (swt) for helping me strengthen my faith and open my eyes. Otherwise, I probably would have remained a batri or blindly followed what Khamenei said.

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Isma’il ibn Bazi’ reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: ,,Cursed be the one, who took up the leadership, cursed be the one, who sought it and cursed be the one, who called himself by it.” [Al-Kafi of Al-Kulaini, volume 2, page 298, hadith 4]

‎عنه عن محمد بن إسماعيل بن بزيع وغيره رفعوه عن الإمام الصادق عليه السلام قال: ملعون من ترأس، ملعون من هم بها، ملعون من حدث بها نفسه

Hasan ibn Ali reported, that Prophet Muhammad (s) said: ,,Whoever acquired knowledge in order to quarrel with fools through it, or to boast about it among the knowledgeable, or to attract the attention of people so that they consider him a great personality, let him take his place in the Fire. No leadership is good except that of God and of those who are legitimized for it and whoever claimed a position, that God did not give him, he has incurred the wrath of God and whoever called to himself and said: ﴾I am your leader.﴿ But while he is not, God does not even honor him with a glance, until he retracts what he has said and repents to God, from what he has claimed.” [Tuhaf-ul-Uqul of Al-Harrani, page 43 – 44]

‎عن الحسن بن علي عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قال: إن من تعلم العلم ليماري به السفهاء أو يباهي به العلماء أو يصرف وجوه الناس إليه ليعظموه فليتبوء مقعده من النار، فإن الرئاسة لا تصلح إلا لله ولاهلها. ومن وضع نفسه في غير الموضع الذي وضعه الله فيه مقته الله ومن دعا إلى نفسه، فقال: أنا رئيسكم وليس هو كذلك لم ينظر الله إليه حتى يرجع عما قال ويتوب إلى الله مما ادعى

Abd-us-Salam Ibn Salih reported that Imam Ar-Rida (a.) said: ,,God have mercy on the servant who enlivens our cause.” Then I said to him: ,,How does he enliven your cause?” Whereupon he said: ,,He acquires our knowledge and teaches it to the people. Now if the people would know of the beauty of our word, they would follow us.” I said: ,,O son of the Messenger of God, now we have been told by Abu Abdillah (Ja’far As-Sadiq) that he said: ﴾Whoever acquires knowledge, in order to quarrel with the fools through it, or to boast about it to the knowledgeable, or to attract the attention of the people, he is in the Fire.﴿” Whereupon he said: ,,My grandfather (a.) is right. Do you then know who the fools are?” I said: ,,No, O son of the Messenger of God.” He said: ,,It is those of our opponents, who narrate a lot and do you know who the knowledgeable are?” I said: ,,No, o son of the Messenger of God.” He said: ,,They are the knowledgeable of the family of Muhammad, to whom God obligated the obedience and to whom He imposed the love.” Hereupon he said: ,,Do you know, what is meant by his saying: ﴾Or to attract the attention of people?﴿” I said: ,,No.” He said: ,,By God, by this is meant claiming leadership (Imamah), without being legitimized to do so and whoever did so, is in the Fire.” [Al-Bihar of Al-Majlisi, Volume 2, Page 30, Hadith 13]

‎محمد بن علي بن الحسين عن ابن عبدوس، عن ابن قتيبة، عن حمدان بن سليمان عن عبد السلام بن صالح عن الإمام الرضا عليه السلام قال: رحم الله عبد أحيا أمرنا فقلت له: وكيف يحيي أمركم؟ قال: يتعلم علومنا ويعلمها الناس، فإن الناس لو علموا محاسن كلامنا لاتبعونا، قال: قلت يا ابن رسول الله فقد روي لنا عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: من تعلم علما ليماري به السفهاء، أو يباهي به العلماء، أو ليقبل بوجوه الناس إليه فهو في النار. فقال عليه السلام: صدق جدي عليه السلام أفتدري من السفهاء؟ فقلت: لا يا ابن رسول الله، قال: هم قصاص مخالفينا، وتدري من العلماء؟ فقلت: لا يا ابن رسول الله، فقال: هم علماء آل محمد عليهم السلام الذين فرض الله طاعتهم وأوجب مودتهم، ثم قال: وتدري ما معنى قوله: أو ليقبل بوجوه الناس إليه؟ قلت: لا، قال: يعني والله بذلك ادعاء الإمامة بغير حقها، ومن فعل ذلك فهو في النار

Khamenei will never manage to rule a country Islamically, without injustice, because he is a ordinary man, who overflows with arrogance and does not belong to the infallible. He tortures people unjustly and has his hands kissed, although it is only appropriate for the infallible. He manipulates people in his favor and dominates the people. He deprives them of any right to be human. He scares people away from the religion of God and is surprised about traitors to the country?! Well, it is obvious… even I as a loyal creature of God would have escaped from this fool and would have betrayed the country. What country are we betraying, in order to seek refuge? The country ruled by the one chosen by God or by the self-appointed imam of the time?

 

Iran is not a standard for proving faithfulness to our religion, but abandoning this ruthless regime is the true faithfulness to God and the Ahlulbait, peace upon them. For only he, the true Imam of the time, Imam Mahdi, the chosen one of God, peace upon him, deserves the leadership usurped by Khamenei, who thus follows in the footsteps of those, who disputed it from Imam Ali, peace upon him.

Hafs Ibn Ghiyath reported, that he asked Imam As-Sadiq (a.): ,,To who belongs the right, to execute the punishment for transgressions (Hudud)? The ruler or the judge?” He said: ,,The execution of the punishment for transgressions (hudud) belongs to those, to whom the judgment belongs.” [Wasa’il-ush-Shi’ah of Al-Amili, Volume 18 page 338 Hadith 1]

‎محمد بن علي بن الحسين باسناده عن سليمان بن داود المنقري، عن حفص بن غياث قال: سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام من يقيم الحدود؟ السلطان؟ أو القاضي؟ فقال: إقامة الحدود إلى من إليه الحكم

Sulaiman ibn Khalid reported, that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: ,,Beware of the judgment, for the judgment belongs only to the Imam who is knowledgeable about the judgment, who is just among the Muslims: a Prophet or the authorized (Wasi) of a Prophet.” [Al-Kafi of Al-Kulaini, Volume 7 page 260 Hadith 1]

‎عن محمد بن يعقوب عن عدة من أصحابه عن سهل بن زياد عن محمد بن عيسى عن أبي عبد الله المؤمن عن ابن مسكان عن سليمان بن خالد عن الإمام الصادق عليه السلام قال: اتقوا الحكومة فإن الحكومة إنما هي للامام العالم بالقضاء العادل في المسلمين لنبي أو وصى نبي

Nu’man Ibn Muhammad reported that Imam Ali (a.) said: ,,There is no valid judgment and punishment for transgression (hudud) and no Friday prayer, except with a just Imam.” [Mustadrak-ul-Wasa’il of An-Nuri, Volume 16 Page 13]

‎عن حسين بن محمد عن نعمان بن محمد عن علي عليه السلام قال: لا يصلح الحكم ولا الحدود ولا الجمعة إلا بإمام عدل

Al-Husain (a.) reported, that Imam Ali (a.) said: ,,There is no legitimate judgment and punishment for transgression (Hudud) and no Friday prayer, except with an Imam.” [Mustadrak-ul-Wasa’il of An-Nuri, Volume 16 Page 13]

‎الجعفريات أخبرنا محمد, حدثني موسى حدثنا أبي, عن أبيه عن جده جعفر بن محمد عن أبيه عن جده علي بن الحسين عن أبيه عن علي عليه السلام قال: لا يصح الحكم ولا الحدود ولا الجمعة إلا بإمام

Nu’man Ibn Muhammad reported, that Imam Ali (a.) said: ,,There is no valid judgment and punishment for transgression (Hudud) and no Friday prayer, except with the Imam or with the one, whom the Imam sets up.” [Fiqh-us-Sadiq of Ar-Ruhani, Volume 5 page 168]

‎عن محمد صادق الروحاني عن النعمان بن محمد عن علي عليه السلام قال: لا يصلح الحكم ولا الحدود ولا الجمعة إلا للإمام أو من يقيمه الإمام

Aban Ibn Taghlib reported, that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: ,,Two kinds of blood, which God permitted in Islam, may not be shed by the judgment of anyone, until God sends the Riser (Qa’im) of the people of the House (a.). When God sends the Riser (Qa’im) of the people of the House (a.), then He judges regarding them with the judgment of God. To those, who are chaste and commit fornication, he executes the stoning and to those, who refuse to pay the alms (Zakah), he hits on them on their necks.” [Kamal-ud-Din of As-Saduq, page 671 Hadith 21]

‎حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا محمد ابن الحسن الصفار، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن أبان بن عثمان عن أبان بن تغلب قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: دمان في الاسلام حلال من الله عز وجل لا يقضي فيهما أحد بحكم الله حتى يبعث الله عز وجل القائم من أهل البيت عليهم السلام، فيحكم فيهما بحكم الله عز وجل لا يريد على ذلك بينة: الزاني المحصن يرجمه، ومانع الزكاة يضرب رقبته

Politics is a dirty business. Even if he wanted to, he would not be able to govern Islamically at all, because politics is constantly changing and in order to secure power, religion must be distorted accordingly, otherwise he cannot remain in power. His governing strategy is not compatible with Islam. He cannot distinguish who is right or wrong.

The reason why I explicitly criticize “only” the Iranian regime is that it judges and rules in the name of God, which is not their right and is completely unfit for it as a ordinary human being.

Now let’s look at this in purely human terms. How can we grant or award such a man the title of Ayatollah at all. Love him morbidly and want to kiss his hands. Accept his doctrine, most of which is not compatible with the doctrine of the Ahlulbait, peace be upon them. He tortures people and mistreats them as Umar mistreated people at that time Thousands of people owe traumas to him because of the cruel events that take place.

Open your eyes!

This is pure reality. Wake up. In the hiddenness of the Imam, we must not appoint a leader over the heads of everyone else. For leadership belongs only to the Ahlulbait, peace upon them. And then also a ruthless, cold-blooded murderer and propagandist who thinks he is an Imam for all Muslims… and creates his own religion.

God has endowed us with a mind with which to think and analyze. Remember, he will not vouch for your sins.

From Sad bin Abdullah Al-Qummi, from Al-Hujjah Al-Qaim (s.a.) in a long tradition wherein it says: I said: ,,Tell me, o son of my Lord, about the reason why people are forbidden to choose a leader for themselves?” He said: ,,A savior or a maker of mischief?” I said: ,,A savior.” He said: ,,Is it possible, that they choose a mischief-maker, after which no one knows, what the other has in mind in terms of salvation or mischief?” I said: ,,Yes, it is.” He said: ,,That is the reason.” [Nur Al-Thaqalayn, Volume 2, pahe 76]

في كتاب كمال الدين وتمام النعمة باسناده إلى سعد بن عبد الله القمي عن الحجة القائم عليه السلام حديث طويل وفيه: قلت: فأخبرني يا بن مولاي عن العلة التي تمنع القوم من اختيار الإمام لأنفسهم؟ قال: مصلح أم مفسد؟ قلت: مصلح قال: فهل يجوز ان تقع خيرتهم على المفسد بعد ان لا يعلم أحد ما يخطر ببال غيره من صلاح أو فساد قلت: بلى قال: فهي العلة

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) says:  ,,Whoever intimidates a believer with the ruler, to get something from him against his will, whereupon he does not get it, he is in the Fire and whoever intimidates a believer with the ruler, to get something from him against his will, whereupon he gets it, he is in the Fire along with Pharaoh and the family of Pharaoh.” [al-Bihar, 72/149]

من روع مؤمنا بسلطان ليصيب منه مكروها فلم يصبه، فهو في النار،‎ ومن روع مؤمنا بسلطان ليصيب منه مكروها فأصابه فهو مع فرعون وآل فرعون في النار

Bashir reported, that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: ,,You, by God, belong to the religion of God.” Then he read: ﴾On that day We will call every group with their leader.﴿ (17:71) Then he said: ,,Ali (a.) is our leader and the Messenger of God (s.) is our leader. How many times does a leader arrive on the Day of Resurrection, while he curses his followers and they curse him? And we are the progeny of Muhammad (s.) and our mother is Fatimah (a.).” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, Volume 8, Page 13, Hadith 11]

بشير عن جعفر بن محمد الصادق عليه السلام قال: أنتم والله على دين الله ثم تلا يوم ندعو كل أناس بإمامهم ثم قال: علي إمامنا ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله إمامنا كم من إمام يجئ يوم القيامة يلعن أصحابه ويلعنونه ونحن ذرية محمد وامنا فاطمة صلوات الله عليهم