During a Dearborn Heights Shi'ite series of ceremonies at the Islamic House of Wisdom on July 8-9, 2024, Islamic scholar Hussain Al-Nashed praised the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hizbullah. He said that until the Islamic Revolution, the status of Shi'ites was low in the Middle East countries heavily populated with Shi'ites. Al-Nashed said: "It is only with the Islamic Revolution that our lot has changed." He said that in America there is no freedom of thought and that it is forbidden to say that Hizbullah is a very good thing. The ceremonies were streamed live on the Facebook page of the Islamic House of Wisdom.
Hussain Al-Nashed: "If you look back at the history of Lebanon, and you look at the history of Iran, and you look at the history of Damascus, Syria, specifically the Shia regions, and you look at the history of Iraq... And you don't need to go too far. You just have got to go back 180 years. That's what you go to. Just go 180 years. And you will find that even till then, not even 180 years... 40 years ago is when Ayatollah Khomeini came. That was kind of the last... The Shias were living the most despicable life. We were the shanty towns.
[...]
"It was only with the Islamic Revolution that our lot has changed. And I know that some people are not pro-Islamic Revolution. You don't have to be. But at the same time, don't be so disrespectful to the one who taught you dignity. Don't be disrespectful to the one who wanted you and honored your religion and gave you feet to stand on.
[...]
"There are a lot of governments in the world that will let you be free in everything except when you say that the government is being oppressive. Then you are an enemy of the state. In the United States, I can [have] freedom of thought. I've got the freedom of speech to say what they allow me to say. But if I want to think for myself and I look objectively at what is going on in Gaza and I say, 'You know what, Hizbullah is actually not bad. Hizbullah is a very good thing.' Next thing I know, FBI is at my doorstep [saying] 'Let's go'. Is that freedom of thought? Am I free in this country to think what I want to think? No. I am free to say what they will let me say."
Hussain Al-Nashed: "If you look back at the history of Lebanon, and you look at the history of Iran, and you look at the history of Damascus, Syria, specifically the Shia regions, and you look at the history of Iraq... And you don't need to go too far. You just have got to go back 180 years. That's what you go to. Just go 180 years. And you will find that even till then, not even 180 years... 40 years ago is when Ayatollah Khomeini came. That was kind of the last... The Shias were living the most despicable life. We were the shanty towns.
[...]
"It was only with the Islamic Revolution that our lot has changed. And I know that some people are not pro-Islamic Revolution. You don't have to be. But at the same time, don't be so disrespectful to the one who taught you dignity. Don't be disrespectful to the one who wanted you and honored your religion and gave you feet to stand on.
[...]
"There are a lot of governments in the world that will let you be free in everything except when you say that the government is being oppressive. Then you are an enemy of the state. In the United States, I can [have] freedom of thought. I've got the freedom of speech to say what they allow me to say. But if I want to think for myself and I look objectively at what is going on in Gaza and I say, 'You know what, Hizbullah is actually not bad. Hizbullah is a very good thing.' Next thing I know, FBI is at my doorstep [saying] 'Let's go'. Is that freedom of thought? Am I free in this country to think what I want to think? No. I am free to say what they will let me say."
