The news on Friday, November 15

At first, when I read this comment, I laughed. But then a peculiar lump filled my throat as I thought about how lonely a person can be and how much they can be attacked by those around them to make such a statement.

If you are on the wrong path, no one bothers you; in fact, they might even endorse you. But the moment you attempt to walk the right path, Satan gathers all his forces to hinder you.

Whatever profession you pursue aside from trade, no one interferes. 

But the moment you engage in trade, everyone tries to stop you.

This is because Satan has tied us to poverty to lead us astray through it. 

If we are wealthy, more than 99% of his tricks are foiled. God has placed wealth in trade. This is why, in every other profession, Satan doesn’t bother much and may even endorse or support you—except in trade, especially righteous trade.

One day, an atheist approached Imam Sadiq and mockingly asked, “How can God promise fire as punishment for Satan when Satan himself is made of fire?”

The Imam responded, “What are you made of?”

The man replied, “Clay.”

The Imam said, “If clay is mixed with water, left to dry, and then used to strike your head, what happens?”

The man said, “It would harm me.”

The Imam then said, “See? Even though you are made of clay, you can be harmed by it. Similarly, Satan can be punished by fire.”

Do you know why I’ve shared this story on a commercial website? 

If Imam, who is omniscient, hadn’t countered the flawed reasoning of that person, he might have spread his argument far and wide, convincing others that God’s words in the Quran are incorrect. 

And since most people lack higher reasoning, they would have accepted his logic.

Try sharing that atheist’s logic with people as an experiment, and you’ll see that 95% of them will agree, saying, “He’s right—if Satan is made of fire, fire shouldn’t affect him.”

This is exactly what happens in commerce. 

Someone with no understanding or intellect spreads flawed but seemingly logical ideas that discourage others from engaging in commerce. Since no wise person is present at the moment to counter these claims, the flawed logic spreads while the correct response remains unheard.

For example, they say:

“Commerce requires a lot of capital.”

The other person agrees, saying, “That’s true; commerce isn’t for us.”

The first statement, “Commerce requires a lot of capital,” is entirely incorrect but widely accepted.

Or, they say, “We’re under sanctions and can’t engage in trade.”

The uninformed individual agrees, saying, “That’s true; commerce isn’t possible.”

Or, they claim, “If manufacturers themselves sell their products, why would customers buy from us? They’ll go directly to the manufacturers. So, commerce or trade is out of the question.”

A person with limited knowledge of commerce agrees, saying, “That’s true; trade isn’t feasible.”

And where can this person find Arad or learn that we address all these baseless arguments? 

And he proclaims his flawed logic so loudly that the voice of truth cannot be heard.

At Arad, we believe in boldly proclaiming the truth about economics and commerce. 

If you follow reputable Telegram channels, Instagram pages, or news websites in the country, you’ll notice that Arad’s promotions about economics and commerce grow stronger every day.

Most people initially do not believe it, but gradually it becomes a common belief that commerce or trade neither requires substantial capital, nor can sanctions hinder it, nor can other hollow logics harm it.

Naturally, being in a sanctioned country with an inflationary economy and leaders who mostly lack understanding of economics and commerce makes the work challenging but not impossible.

This very challenge is filled with blessings for us in Arad because it has driven many seasoned market players to step aside. 

Many have left the country or are planning to leave, while others have abandoned commerce and shifted to real estate or small-scale manufacturing, retreating to a corner.

All of this creates more space for the entry of new traders with fresh potential.

Have you ever pondered why relatives and close ones are referred to as qawm or aqwām?

Or why a father is called qayyim?

According to Dehkhoda’s Dictionary, qawm or aqwām refers to family, relatives, and all those affiliated with an individual. The term must be examined through the lens of qiyām (to rise).

When we explored the word qiyām, we found it described as:

Standing firm on a path, establishing something, or taking action.

Further meanings include terms like uprising, revolution, movement, standing, rising, or awakening.

The title al-Qā’im attributed to Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance) stems from this concept of qiyām—one who rises and takes action.

And Qom, the name given to this sacred city, is an imperative verb meaning to rise.

When someone is told to rise, they are commanded with the word Qom, which means "stand up," "rise," or "resist," encompassing all these meanings.

Allah has mentioned in Surah Al-Muddaththir, Ayah 2, and Surah Al-Muzzammil, Ayah 2:

Arise and deliver thy warning.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) is narrated to have said that the city of Qom was named thus because, in the End Times, a group of people from this city will rise to support al-Qā’im (the one who will rise).

Now, one question remains:

What should we rise for?

The disagreement starts here, because no one denies the concept of rising or the meaning of Qom, or the fact that people should rise for good causes. 

The real question is: What should be the primary priority of our uprising?

Scholars and those whose livelihood is derived from knowledge argue that the most important uprising is an intellectual one.

Those who receive cultural budgets worth billions from the public treasury of Muslims claim that the most important uprising for the people is a cultural one.

Military personnel consider the primary uprising to be a military one.

But let us assume that the entire country became highly educated, with everyone holding master’s degrees or doctorates. 

Has the problem been solved?

Let us suppose that everyone became cultured, as cultural institutions wish. 

Did the problem get resolved?

Let us assume that the entire world is filled with warfare and military weapons. 

Has the problem been solved?

What is the true suffering of the Iranian people?

If the main uprisings are scientific, cultural, or military, then why has the Supreme Leader, for over 20 years, only designated the annual slogan as focusing on the economy? Not once has science, culture, or military matters been the primary focus.

Certainly, science, culture, the military, and other dimensions are essential for any society, and no wise person denies their importance. 

However, the core issue, which unfortunately most are oblivious to, is the economy.

Economy must be the priority. Once that is resolved, then science becomes beautiful, culture becomes valuable, and military strength becomes achievable.

An interesting point that all our military personnel know is that if Iran’s economy were strong and the system enjoyed high popular support, Israel could be wiped out in a single afternoon.

You have probably heard the remarks of Israel’s vile Prime Minister Netanyahu, expressed in two separate videos released at different times, where he makes audacious claims against the Supreme Leader. 

In summary, Netanyahu's statement is that he targets the poverty of the Iranian people, offering them promises of wealth through collaboration with Israel, hoping to distance them from their system and revolution.

Thus, it becomes clear that our weakness is the economy. Otherwise, why doesn’t Netanyahu propose separation from the revolution through promises of science, culture, sports, and other aspects?

This is where the importance and direction of the uprising becomes clear.

The preservation of a powerful Iran today depends on an uprising—an economic uprising.

A comprehensive economic uprising has already started, beginning in the city of Qom, the city named for rising, by us, the Aradis. People from various cities have joined.

Not only from Iran but from cities across the world, including employees, traders, business enterprises, and international representatives.

Among the contributors, two groups stand out.

1. Business enterprises – Increasing the number of Arad members within Iran.

2. International negotiators – Expanding the number of Arad representatives abroad.

As Mr. Shabani, the Chairman of the Board of Arad Branding, wisely states: “Increasing quantity is a key factor in improving quality. The more we increase in number, the better the quality of our work will become.”

May Allah grant strength to all those working toward increasing the number of economic revolutionaries.

Bravo to the business enterprises and to the negotiators.

You are the ones, with your seemingly simple initial words, who expand Arad's economic army, day by day.

On my part, I deeply appreciate the efforts of each of you, and in my position, I strive to improve the quality of those who have joined Arad.

The efforts of my colleagues and employees are aimed at ensuring the perseverance and success of your work as traders and international representatives, alleviating your hardships, and contributing to the growth of your businesses.

May Allah grant us and you, who are connected in this sacred uprising in this time of Iran's global isolation, increasing honor and dignity.

The days belong to our dear mother, Hazrat Fatimah (peace be upon her).

While expressing my condolences on the anniversary of the martyrdom of our mother to all Muslims around the world, especially to you, dear Aradis, we ask Allah to make our efforts in Shia economy and trade a source of joy for the heart of the Lady of the Worlds, and to write these struggles as a means of hastening the reappearance of her son, Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him).