The Arrogance of Youth and a Divine Reminder on the Husayni Pulpit

At the beginning of my youth, I was invited to a city to preach during the days of Muharram. The atmosphere of the gatherings was fervent, and large crowds would attend to listen to the sermons and the mourning recitations for Aba ʿAbdillāh al-Husayn (peace be upon him). After my speech, the senior scholar of the city would share a few brief words of guidance, and then the gathering would conclude.

Gradually, our sessions gained popularity among the people, and many praised the passion and strength of my voice during the recitations. These compliments, coupled with the inexperience and vanity of youth, led me to fall into pride and conceit. I even resolved that from then on, I would not accept small or modest gatherings for preaching.

But a day came when this arrogance became a test for me. On the final night, it was my turn to deliver the sermon and recite from the pulpit. I had prepared only three verses of poetry, but before my turn, the reciters had already used those exact verses. Repeating them was no longer possible. No matter how hard I tried to think, my mind went blank, and I was seized with anxiety.

In that moment, I realized that this predicament was the result of my misplaced pride. With a broken heart, I turned to Hadhrat ʿAli al-Asghar (peace be upon him) for help. Suddenly, new lines of poetry flowed from my tongue-so unexpected that I myself was astonished. The gathering concluded in the best of states and with profound impact. Yet, interestingly, I never again remembered a single word of that poetry, as if it had been a gift meant only for that unique moment.

This experience became a great lesson for me: what truly brings impact is divine grace and sincerity in service, not a loud voice or public praise.

Lessons from this experience:

1. Pride is the enemy of preaching: Whenever a preacher becomes arrogant, God reminds him of his weakness and need.
2. Sincerity is the condition for impact: The true effect of words comes only through pure intention and connection to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
3. Seeking intercession opens doors: In moments of hardship, sincere reliance on the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) unlocks new channels of divine assistance.