During his Friday sermon on November 7, 2025, Shaikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdolhamid addressed the nation’s escalating problems and crises, stating that domestic and foreign policies must be aligned with the “nation’s interests.” He called on officials to “change policies” in light of the country’s current conditions, urging them to utilize a “tactical retreat” to prevent war and sanctions rather than “insisting on a single position.”
Rampant Inflation and High Prices Plague the Country
According to the official website of the Office of the Sunni Friday Imam of Zahedan, Mawlana Abdolhamid stated: “Rampant inflation and high prices plague the country, and the national currency continues to rapidly depreciate. This situation has put pressure on all professions and classes. People in both urban and rural areas are living in very poor conditions.”
“The salaries of teachers, retirees, laborers, and even employees of the presidential office and all ministries and departments are insufficient to cover their living expenses,” he continued, “because the national currency has lost its value and prices rise daily.”
Poverty Has Damaged People’s Faith and Worldly Lives
He identified “poverty” as one of the primary drivers of rising theft and insecurity in society. “Theft and insecurity have increased, and the root of much of this is poverty,” he said.
“Poverty has damaged people’s faith (deen) and worldly lives (dunya). When people are hungry, many of them cannot endure, and they commit sins and corruption, leading them to become cynical about religion.”
He added: “Unfortunately, the people of Iran have been harmed both materially and spiritually. Due to life’s hardships, aversion to religion has increased in society. In such conditions, everyone’s responsibility is heavy. We must all strive to ensure there is no embezzlement, theft, or banditry in society. We must advise people that these hardships are not caused by ‘religion,’ but are the result of the officials’ management; therefore, they should not abandon God’s religion or displease God and His Messenger.”
Banditry, Theft, and Kidnapping for Any Reason Are ‘Haram’ and a ‘Great Crime’
Mawlana Abdolhamid expressed deep regret and concern over the “increase in murder, theft, and kidnapping.”
“We receive reports of gangs being formed that take people hostage for debt or extortion,” he said. “Hostage-taking for any reason, whether for debt or extortion, is haram (religiously forbidden) and impermissible, and if for extortion, the prohibition is manifold.”
He emphasized: “Kidnapping is an assault on a person’s honor and dignity. Detaining individuals for debt is within the authority of the government and judiciary. We cannot imprison a party to collect a debt. A disturbing new trend has been common where some wait for a person outside the mosque and kidnap them as they leave; this is the worst method.”
The Zahedan Friday prayer leader stated: “Banditry and theft, by any method or for any reason, are a grave sin and a major crime according to Shari’ah. It is hideous for a person to seek livelihood not from God but to resort to banditry, robbing homes or shops, and kidnapping people on their way from the mosque.”
The Responsibility of the One at the Head of the Country is Gravest / Imprisoning Protestors is Wrong
Citing the hadith, “All of you are shepherds, and all of you are responsible for your flock,” Mawlana Abdolhamid stressed the government’s duty to address the people’s problems.
“The responsibility of the government, especially the person at the head of the country, is heavier than all other officials; those in lower positions are responsible to their own extent.”
He noted: “The government’s responsibility toward the various classes and segments of society—who protest daily that their salaries are insufficient and they cannot afford their needs—is multiplied. You must not imprison them. Imprisoning teachers and other groups who protest is wrong. These individuals have a legal right to protest, and their problems and demands must be addressed.”
Domestic and Foreign Policies Must Be Aligned with the Nation’s Interests
The Zahedan Friday prayer leader asserted: “The ruler and officials are obligated to manage the country so that the people do not go hungry, do not suffer losses, and are not sacrificed for domestic and foreign policies. Protecting and defending the interests of the general public is one of the first duties of any ruler and government. All domestic and foreign policies must be formulated in line with the interests of the Iranian people. Any policy that sacrifices the nation and the public interest is impermissible.”
He emphasized: “These people have nowhere else to live but Iran. Officials must address their problems and not displace them.”
Insisting on One Policy is Not ‘Resistance’; Politics Requires ‘Tactics’
Mawlana Abdolhamid emphasized the need for “policy revision,” addressing officials directly: “We are citizens of this country and well-wishers for you and the country. You must revise your policies. It is not ‘resistance’ to insist on one position and policy; politics involves advances and retreats. In the political arena, one must use tactics. When you are ahead, set preconditions; when you are behind, retreat and accept others’ conditions.”
He asserted: “When the country is in such dire straits, there is no problem with you retreating on many issues. If we do not understand the tactic of retreat, problems will arise. The country’s current conditions require you (officials) to take steps backward and accept the adversary’s conditions to prevent war and increased sanctions.”
Mawlana Abdolhamid noted that the Prophet Muhammad Peace be Upon Him accepted the enemy’s terms at the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah to prevent war and bloodshed, arguing this decision was based not only on “revelation” but also on “reason and logic,” which ultimately opened the doors to greater good for Muslims.
Sanctions Are Far More Dangerous Than Military War
The Zahedan Friday prayer leader identified sanctions and military war as two great threats to the country. “Today, the country faces two wars: one is ‘military and armed conflict,’ and the second is the ‘war of sanctions,’ and sanctions are far more dangerous than military and armed war.”
He emphasized: “Why does the enemy always threaten to strike economic centers or officials? If officials consider the country’s conditions and change policies, it will be in the interest of the country and the Iranian nation, and it will lead to the preservation of territorial integrity and national unity.”
In This Sensitive Situation, Borders Should Be Opened and the Livelihoods of Crisis-Hit People Not Obstructed
In another part of his sermon, Mawlana Abdolhamid addressed provincial issues, noting that “local management” in the province and the opportunities provided by the Chabahar and Sistan Free Zones were positive, despite some weaknesses.
He added: “In this sensitive situation, the borders should be opened, and the work and business of the crisis-hit people should not be obstructed. We hope local companies will invest in the Sistan Free Zone, which has recently become active and where work is easier for the people.”
No Government Office Should Be ‘Exclusive’ or ‘Familial’; Engage All Ethnicities and Sects in Management
The Friday prayer leader emphasized the need to “eliminate discrimination and inequality,” stating: “Balance must be established in the administrative offices of Zahedan, Baluchestan, and the Sistan region. No office should be exclusive or familial. Our recommendation is that all ethnicities and sects be employed in the management of all offices; this helps unity and the province’s development.”
Baloch People in Sistan Complain of Discrimination; Provincial Management Must Observe ‘Justice’
He continued: “The Baloch people of the Sistan region constantly complain that their qualified individuals are not engaged in the region’s management, and this is an injustice that has been continued from the past. We expect the Governor-General and the provincial management to observe justice in the Sistan region. All of us—Baloch, Sistani, Birjandi, Kermani, and other communities—are brothers and relatives in this province and live together. Praise be to God, in recent years, for the first time, one of our Sistani brothers has been elected as the head of the Zahedan City Council; such actions can bring us closer together.”
Management at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences is ‘Homogenous,’ Which Is Not in the Nation’s Interest
Mawlana Abdolhamid said: “People have expectations of the Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. We do not know how its officials have operated, but the management of all centers under this university is completely homogenous and monolithic, and this is not in the interest of the state, the government, or the nation. We expect the Minister of Health to fulfill his responsibility and attend to Sistan and Baluchestan and other ethnic and religious provinces, considering their rights.”
He stressed: “Ministers must be vigilant and monitor that the rights of all are respected in provinces where different ethnicities and sects live.”
Officials Must Investigate ‘Suspicious Murders’ in the Country
In his final remarks, the most influential Iranian Sunni leader pointed to “suspicious murders” in Iran.
“Recently, suspicious murders have occurred. The body of a person named ‘Omid Sarlak’ was found in a car, and in Iranshahr, a tribal elder was targeted and killed. These murders are suspicious, and officials have a duty to protect people’s lives and prevent these killings.”
He stressed: “Officials must investigate the roots of these murders to ensure that ‘fire-at-will’ and wayward rogue elements who may have roots in certain official bureaus and organizations, have not entered the scene. These individuals must be stopped, punished, and marginalized.”
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