Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 61 Grape Juice

Mirza invited those still in Ulima to taste the grape juice at his residence; indeed, even clergy could not resist the allure of wine.

"This is life. I don't know what kind of life I lived before."

Things were good before, but they still had to handle most of the work; they weren't as relaxed as they are now.

Despite the heavy losses, the government still made good arrangements for them. Several of them were admitted to religious conferences, and the government planned to fund them to form a missionary group to preach in Afghanistan, Central Asia, and other regions.

Mirza held his wine glass, pondering how to revitalize Shia Islam. While his approach was correct, the next step remained a challenge.

"Father, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has arrived."

Mirza was somewhat surprised. He didn't know what Amir had come for, but he quickly hid the wine, otherwise who knew what might happen if the other party saw it.

"Let him in."

Amir stepped into the courtyard; there was still a sweet smell in the air. It seemed this Ayatollah had violated some of the Quran.

"It's been a long time since I've seen Ayatollah. I wonder how you're doing in Tehran?"

Mirza, with his eyes closed, said, "It's alright. I also have to thank you for sparing my life. Otherwise, I wouldn't be enjoying this moment."

Amir smiled, but his words were cold: "Yes, Qom's tragedy seems like it happened just yesterday. The Ayatollah, who was thought to be sacred and inviolable, was corrupted by worldly desires."

Mirza opened his eyes and stared intently at Amir. "What do you mean?"

“I think you understand what I mean better than I do. Ulima’s dirty deals and corrupt life have not yet been exposed to the public. This is the last bit of dignity that the Shah is giving you.”

"Dignity? Is this what you call dignity? There's smoke and fire everywhere. You trample on holy sites at will. Aren't you afraid of Allah's wrath?"

Amir scoffed, “It has now been clearly demonstrated that the Shah is able to protect everyone’s property, and you have been obstructing the implementation of the Shah’s policies in every way. If anyone is trampling on the holy land, it is you who violated the tacit agreement first.”

These words left Mirza speechless. Originally, Ulima controlled the spiritual world, while the government controlled the secular world. Later, when the political situation became turbulent, they stepped forward. How had they become the sinners now?
"So, is your purpose in coming here today to interrogate me?" Mirza asked.

"Haha, if that's the case, I'm afraid I didn't come alone. How was the grape juice earlier?"

It seems the secret can't be kept forever, but it wasn't really a secret anyway. Everyone loves grape juice, and no matter how much it's banned, someone will still make it.

"What, does the Chancellor of the Exchequer want a drink too?"

"Not now, but when will this sneaky situation improve? When will we be able to have a drink openly anywhere?" Good grief, I thought he was being radical enough, but it turns out he was too simplistic. This is clearly a challenge to the doctrine; this is going to turn the world upside down.

"You want me to personally declare that alcohol is harmless?" Mirza said incredulously. "That violates the Quran. You should go to Mecca yourself to ask for forgiveness."

Amir began by saying, "Excuse my bluntness, Ayatollah, does the Quran explicitly forbid all alcohol?"

"no"

Mirza immediately shut up; he was being led astray.

"As far as I know, many scholars throughout history have stated that juice made from grapes and dates is drinkable. It is still juice, not alcohol."

This left Mirza speechless; Amir was right. Historically, there have been many debates about alcohol, and the Quran mentions its dangers and prohibitions in several places. For example, in the chapter "Woman," it says that for those who believe, drinking alcohol, gambling, idolatry, and drawing lots are the actions of Satan and should be avoided. The chapter "The Bee" also mentions that those who believe should not drink alcohol, gamble, worship idols, or draw lots while praying. The chapter "The Livestock" also states that the sins of drinking and gambling far outweigh the benefits, and therefore should be avoided. These all demonstrate the attitude towards and prohibition against alcohol.

The Quran states that humans are God's most precious creation, endowed with soul and wisdom, and are God's agents on earth. Therefore, humans should cherish their souls and wisdom, and not allow them to be defiled or damaged. Drinking alcohol makes people forget their identity and responsibilities, leads them away from God and faith, and exposes them to the temptations and deceptions of the devil. Drinking alcohol also brings many negative consequences, such as damaging physical health, disrupting family and social relationships, inciting violence and crime, and wasting wealth and time. Therefore, prohibiting alcohol is to protect the human soul and wisdom, to uphold human dignity and honor, and to promote human happiness and peace.

The Quran states that drinking alcohol is sinful, but it doesn't specify the exact nature of the sin. This has been debated since the death of Muhammad. The Sultan of the neighboring Ottoman Empire had long been tasting grape juice, and to exonerate the Sultan, religious scholars have explained that the Quran only states that actions following drinking alcohol are extremely evil, not that drinking alcohol is inherently wrong.

Thus, the Ottoman sultans began to drink large amounts of grape juice and opium, and Selim I even earned the nickname "drunkard." He even seized Cyprus in order to obtain more grape juice.

"Even so, it is still immoral and depraved."

"Come on, I see you're enjoying it quite a bit. Not just you, but all those people are too. Admit it, sir, the grape juice is really good."

Mirza was swayed by what he heard, but he still angrily kicked Amir out. However, what the other man said today had a significant impact on him, and he needed to think it over carefully.

However, his guests also found out about this, and they all came to Mirza, suggesting that he relax a bit. After all, secretly drinking isn't a good solution.

Besides, drinking a little bit is actually good for your health. You can't just watch those delicious grapes rot and go to waste because you can't eat them.

But this matter still needs further discussion, as it concerns whether these individuals can continue to hold leadership positions among Shia Muslims worldwide. If they lead the way in violating the Quran, Istanbul, Jerusalem, and Mecca will all rise up against them.

"Let the religious council discuss it, and also spread the word to make this matter as big as possible, and see what they think."

Mirza didn't dare make the decision alone and decided to involve all the clergy. This would reduce the risk.

(End of this chapter)