Referring to the report of the Fact-finding Mission of the UN Human Rights Commission on recent protests in Iran, the most influential Iranian Sunni leader addressed the Iranian authorities to implement justice and law and to fulfill the demands of the Iranian nation. Shaikh Abdol-Hamid pointed to recent protests in France, saying that the France Police did not target the protesters with live bullet.
He was talking to the people of Zahedan before the Friday prayers on July 7, 2023.
In the French protests, the police did not kill the protesters with live bullets
“What happened in France attracted the attention of the observers. Regarding the demonstration in France, it seems that accumulated dissatisfaction of people brought them to the streets. The protest started in France after a 17-year-old boy of Algerian descent was fatally shot by police during a traffic stop. Based on statistics, five thousand cars, five hundred buildings, and two hundred and fifty police bases have been torched or destroyed,” said the Friday prayer leader of Sunnis in Zahedan.
He further said: “What was amazing in the French unrest was that the French police did not open war bullet at the protestors, so that no one was blinded, neither paralyzed to lose his/her parts of body nor the people were killed. Of course, the police arrested many people who inflamed the situation, but they did not kill anyone. We do not say that France has no weakness. There are many problems in Europe and elsewhere in the world, but it is a positive point that the French police did not kill and target its own people.”
He continued: “In many countries, people are dissatisfied with their authorities and rulers. The systems of the countries are often divided into two types: democratic and authoritarian; the autocratic countries do not allow people to protest, but there are public protests in democratic countries, and people chant slogans and speak without facing any problem.”
“The French officials should not force their people and must hear their voices. We also tell our officials: do not target the people and listen to them,” the president of Darululoom Zahedan underlined.
Islam is near to democracy
During his Friday sermons of Zahedan, Shaikh Abdol-Hamid said: “It should be said that Islam has so many commonalities with democracy; the officials and armed forces should consider these issues. The constitution of the country was drafted to be close with the democratic system; because Islam is near to democracy, and there are many common issues with democracy.”
“Islam is against tyranny, even it is the enemy of tyranny. At the beginning of Islam, there were elections among Muslims. The holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, created a new civilization in the world and he was undisputable ruler for Muslims. After the holy prophet, peace be upon him, all the Rashidin Caliphs took the rein of the affairs with the votes of the people by swearing allegiance, and through democracy. There was democracy and freedom at that time in their real meanings,” the eminent Sunni scholar of Zahedan said.
Mawlana Abdol-Hamid urged the need to amend the constitution and said: “Our constitution has many weaknesses. Some of the constitutional laws have no basis in Islam, and these bills need changes. Of course, there is no any law without weaknesses in the world, because these laws are the result of human thought and ijtihad, and human beings make mistake in ijtihad and decision. However, in other countries, when a law or policy is inefficient, they change it. Many laws of the country must review. In our country, there has been no change in the constitution.”
He added more: “With all weaknesses, this constitution has allowed peaceful protests. People have the right to protest and criticize freely. However, no one has the right to destroy public properties, or attack banks and shops, and disrupt people’s lives. The workers, retirees, teachers, women, and other strata have the right to raise their voices. According to Islamic laws, and in terms of international law, everyone has the right to protest.”
“When people make peaceful protests, criticize, and speak, they should not be suppressed,” he urged.
Open the doors of prisons for international observers
The most prominent Iranian Sunni leader referred to the recent report of the United Nations Human Rights Mission regarding the recent years’ events in Iran, saying: “The United Nations formed a fact-finding committee to examine complaints of recent uprisings in Iran. The committee presented its report to the UN Human Rights Mission. In this report, they refer to the complaints of people regarding the executions, murders, or disability of protesters and examine the condition of those who have been assaulted or abused in detention centers. No one can fully reject the human rights organization. This organization may not match with the Islamic laws in some cases, but most of these laws are matched with the Shari’ah of Islam.”
“Some years ago, I told the authorities open the doors of prisons for international observers, and open the Evin Prison to examine human rights. If there are problems in our prisons, most of these problems are contrary to the Islamic laws. The Shari’ah of Islam is very close with human rights. Based on the constitution, no one can torture the prisoner. Mandatory confession is rejected in Islam,” he added.
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid urged: “The defendant should defend himself. These are the common forms of Islam with human rights. I wish our officials invited the Human Rights Mission to visit our prisons and detention centers and to talk with political prisoners. You must deal with a judge who ignores Islamic laws and regulations.”
“A judge in Mashhad said: I am lower from Allah only one level. I said, you are much lower than Allah’s many servants. Let the instructions of the holy Prophet, peace be upon him, implement. Nobody has the right to exceed as the size of a hair from justice and truth,” he said.
The fall of the Ukrainian aircraft was a bitter incident
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid referred to the fall of Ukrainian aircraft and said: “The fall of the Ukrainian air plane was a bitter incident. I think even some officials cried when the incident took place. If we examine the incident, impartially, and fairly, Allah and people will be satisfied with us. I told the president: if our officials managed the incident of the Ukrainian aircraft correctly, the families of the victims would not have referred to the abroad.”
“In recent public protests, if the special court of the Armed Forces formed a military court and acted justly, people would not have complained elsewhere. In recent protests, the people of Zahedan were killed unjustly in the Bloody Friday. People demand fair handle of the case. Our people have been waiting with the hope of handling the case. We are well-wishers. Those who targeted the people should be retaliated and punished. All are equal before the law,” said the president of Darululoom Zahedan during his Friday sermons.
“If we had dealt with these issues, Almighty Allah would have been pleased with us and people would not have taken their complaints abroad. The Iranian nation is one of the world’s best and most civilized nations. When other nations did not have civilization, Iran had an enormous civilization. With the emergence of Islam in Iran, we owned two civilizations. Therefore, in this country, people’s rights should be observed,” said the Iranian top Sunni leader of Zahedan.
The people of Iran have passed from reformists and the fundamentalists
The Friday Imam of Zahedan further addressed the officials: “Dear authorities! The previous policies are not efficient; do not insist on implementing these policies, rather change them. It is heard that some of the reformists are planning to participate the election. I would like to address the reformists and the fundamentalists: Iran’s people have passed you, because you do not know what happens to the Iranian people.”
“It was very painful for me when a mother poisoned her three children due to hunger. Why do people resort to robbery and illegal transactions? In the current situation, life is very difficult for people. Why do not you listen to the advice of well-wishers? In law enforcement, all should be treated equally. The law must be implemented against military and security forces and against the ministers and judges. You implement the law today; you will see the result soon,” said Shaikh Abdol-Hamid.
If people want a change, the authorities must submit to the will of the people
“The people are the main axis and the government represents people. If people want a change, the authorities must submit to the will of the people. People are the main axis. The government is representative of the people. The governing body does not have full authority. If people ask MPs to change the rules, this should happen. If people tell me, we do not pray behind you, I will surrender to the will of the people. In the world, it is common that when people do not want presidents, ministers, and administrators, they resign,” the Iranian Sunni leader insisted on respecting people’s wills.
He said: “Officials should be alongside the people and must submit to their wills. Accept the words of the well-wishers. We are not your enemy. I do not let myself speak unjustly or insult someone. I consider myself not to exceed the truth, even as much as a hair. I consider the interests of all people. If you check out my words, you will find that my words are in the interest of everyone.”
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid said in his last points: “I have two aspirations for the Iranian nation; I want the prosperity of the Iranian people in this world and their happiness in the Hereafter life. I wish the Iranian people to enter the paradise and heaven. For me, there is no difference of anyone’s religion, sect and ethnicity, but justice and fairness and the interests of the people matter. These are my concerns. For officials, I have the same concern and aspiration.”
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