Khateeb and imam of Sunnis in Zahedan, Shaikh Abdul Hameed began his last Friday sermon by reciting the verse 33 of Sourat-ul-Ahzab. He talked about “Hijab and Islamic style of robe” and shared some important points in this regard.
“A large group of people have been against amalgamation of men and women in human history. Even before Islam only slaves were shameless, unchaste and bawdy; women with good lineage never go out of home without extreme need and such women avoid sitting with non-mahram (Strangers) men alone,” Khateeb of the Sunnis added.
Indicating towards a point, he further said that the virus of obscenity and amalgamation of strange men and women was spread from the Europian societies to the rest of the world. By the help of some deceptive and attractive slogans they took out women from their safe homes to public places.
Respected Shaikh urged that Islam cheers women to seek and get education; it must be with complete hijab. Without an extreme necessity they should not leave their homes. If there is a lady doctor, women patient must not go to a male doctor for treatment, also curing male doctor can see the affected parts of body, male doctors are not ‘mahram’ of women patient.
In second part of his sermon, the great leader of Sunnis in Zahedan enlightened the differences between Sunnis and Shias regarding the Friday gathering for prayers, especially inside Iran.
Talking to thousands of worshipers in grand Makki mosque, Shaikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdul Hameed urged on saying that ‘We (Sunnis) gather on Fridays in grand mosques to worship Allah almighty not to launch political activities; conversely the Iran government appoints those Shiite khutaba (speakers) who create on behalf of government the political issues more than other religious purpose like worshiping almighty Allah, etc.’
Pointing towards the recent unrest incidents took place in “Taibad”, north east of Iran, Shaikh added more that there is no relationship between the Sunnis’ Friday gathering for Jum’ha prayer, even before 1979 Revolution in Iran for centuries the Sunni community have been offering Friday prayers with full zeal and zest, rather then Shiite gatherings for Friday prayer were free of zeal before the 1979 public revolution.
The eminent scholar made it clear that Sunnis’ Friday gatherings have been splendid, on Eid days no one remains at home; every Sunni goes to mosque for worshiping, supplicating to Allah and asking forgiveness, Sunni worshipers are not eager to listen political lectures and speeches, as khutaba also avoid from such talks, but when it looks necessary to clear any issue they speak out on such special occasions.
Indicating towards another difference, Mawlana Abdul Hameed further said that mostly Sunni khateeb or imam is himself the founder of that mosque; as Sunni Muslims first appoint an aalim then support him to establish any masjid, on the contrary Shiite Muslims first establish mosque or government establishes it then they appoint some body their imam. In the same way Sunnis select their imam and khateeb from their relatives or local people when they fined him well-known as well as legible to lead them prayers they make him their Imam. They respect their scholars and imams a lot. But Shiite imams come from different parts of the country as governments send them out; it is a common event for Shias not for Sunnis. So appointment and dismissal of imam and khateeb is a very sensitive issue for Sunni masses. The officials ignored this sensitivity in “Taibad” by dismissal of a person whom the people prefer him and appointment of a person who has only verification of the government not Sunni masses, those are the majority of the population in Taibad.
Khateeb of Sunnis said more, ‘If the Iranian officials observed these points, they would not face unrest incidents and public protest in Taibad.’
Emphasizing on considering the rights of Sunnis as citizens Shaikh Abdul Hameed urged for justice and equality that it is not suitable for a government which claims of being “public” and supported by people to bother people and make them fidgety. All the governments, Islamic or non Islamic, Shiite or Sunni regimes can not force worshipers to offer prayers behind a person whom people do not want. Governments do not have authority to interfere in religious matters of the masses.
‘Why you can not bear offering prayers with congregation of Sunnis inside their houses in Tehran and other major cities of Iran?’ Sunni leader asked the Iranian rulers and more added, ‘If any wing of the regime can not bear this lower freedom so that has no forbearance at all, we will not remain silent, and this discriminative act is unbearable for Sunni citizens of Iran.’
Delivering Jum’ah sermon, Shaikh Abdul Hameed pointed that is does not sound good for a regime claims and chants slogans for “unity among Muslim sects” to deprive the followers of the largest sect of Muslims in Iran, they have no right to establish a mosque in big cities, even offering prayers in congregation inside houses, they have been suffering from state discriminative policies and acts.
‘We hope the rulers to declare us not the ‘second type of citizens’, Iran is our motherland, we are the owner of this country as Shias are, they rulers must change their discriminative stances and behaviors. People of Taibad should offer Friday prayers behind whom they want,’ he added.
Comments