Statement on the Martyrdom of Imam Khamenei

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

“Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah. Some of them have fulfilled their vow, and some are still waiting, and they have not changed in the least.”
— Holy Qur’an, Surah al-Ahzab (33:23)

With hearts heavy with sorrow and grief beyond words, AIM mourns the martyrdom of the great servant of Allah, the sage of wisdom and insight, the highest religious and spiritual authority of our time, the Imam of the Ummah and al-Wali al-Faqih, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hussaini Khamenei, who has returned to his Lord crowned with martyrdom.

For decades, he stood as a marjaʿ of immense stature, a scholar of deep insight, and a guardian of the path of the Ahlul Bayt (as). By virtue of his recognised scholarship, spiritual authority, and the trust placed in him by the believers, he carried the responsibility of the office of Wali al-Faqih, bearing the sacred duty of safeguarding the religion and guiding the affairs of the Ummah in matters of faith and governance.

On Saturday, he was assassinated in cold blood alongside members of his family, including women and children, by those consumed by corruption and injustice, the American and Zionist regimes, whose moral decay only serves to illuminate the truth, dignity, and unwavering resolve he embodied.

With his ascension, he joins the ranks of the shuhada, departing this world not merely as a scholar and leader but as a shaheed whose life was devoted to the service of Islam and whose death seals a lifetime of sacrifice, immortalising him with the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth, as Allah (swt) declares: “Do not think of those who are slain in the way of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision” (3:169).

His loss is immense. His legacy is enduring. His name will remain etched in the pages of history as a symbol of faith, scholarship, and steadfast resistance.

To the believers of Muhammad’s (s) covenant, the path forward is one of principled resistance, resolve, and moral clarity. All responsible avenues must be pursued to protect the oppressed, defend human dignity, and uphold the values of Islam. This is a religious and moral responsibility upon every Muslim. Likewise, every platform and arena must be utilised to preserve and advance the message and legacy of this great leader, ensuring that his voice continues to inspire generations to come.

As for our message to the beloved Shaheed, we say: Congratulations, O father, O soul of our soul! You were, and will forever remain, our compass and our guide. In your shade we learned how to love, how to live, how to endure and to rise. Beneath your leadership we found our strength, our purpose, and our path. You taught us how to truly be Hussaini, because you not only preached but embodied his teachings — that dignity is never surrendered, truth is never compromised, and faith must stand firm in the face of every storm. Your soul was anchored in Karbala, and your stance echoes that of Sayyid al-Shuhadāʾ (a). You were the guide who never abandoned the camp of Imam al-Hussain, no matter the cost. We shall carry your teachings forward until the return of our Master (aj), asking the Almighty to help us to never waver and never abandon the covenant we hold. We thank you for all you gave us, and for every lesson you lived before you taught. You shaped our vision, strengthened our resolve, awakened within us a sense of duty and honour, and instilled in us the courage to stand for what is right. You are our pride, our identity, and a light for our future. May your name forever remain upon the tongues of the righteous servants of Allah (swt), and may your legacy continue to awaken hearts long after our own voices fall silent.

May Allah hasten the reappearance of the Awaited Saviour (aj), and count us among those who prepare the ground for his return.

In light of the situation, AIM would like to make the following points:

1. The Shia Muslim communities around the world utterly condemn this act of barbarism and stand in full alignment with the position of the Shia religious authorities, who have emphasised the grave responsibility placed upon the shoulders of the believers in responding to such a blatant violation of our sacred and divine symbols.
2. One of the duties of every believer in the West is the duty of Tabyeen — to be the voice of the oppressed and the voice of our beloved Shaheed. Let none underestimate or devalue the importance of this great responsibility, which the Shaheed himself emphasised repeatedly.
3. We await with earnest anticipation the announcement of the next Guardian Jurist and call upon communities around the world to remain united, resolute, and cooperative with one another, and with the structures that exist for the swift transfer of authority to the next Wali.
4. For those who were muqallideen of the beloved Shaheed, the vast majority of jurists in our era, including Ayatollah Sistani, hold that it is mandatory that they remain in the taqlid of Imam Khamenei until such time as another jurist is determined to be more knowledgeable. However, those who did not follow him during his lifetime may not now begin to follow him as a deceased Marja.

We pray for the victory of Islam and the Muslims over the forces of corruption and injustice that have sought to wage hostility against our faith and its sacred symbols.

Indeed, to Allah we belong and to Him we return.

Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission (AIM)
13 Ramadan 1447
3 March 2026