Khateeb of Ahl-us-Sunna in Zahedan, Shaikh Abdol-Hamid castigated the Iranian rulers over intensive pressures upon the Sunni community of Iran in his sermon on Eid al-Adhha day, November 7, 2011.
He pointed that he rarely speaks about the concerning problems of the Sunnis publicly; when the authorities are not ready to have dialogues, he is compelled to express his views and the unkind behavior of the state.
Shaikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdol-Hamid emphasized that the population of Iran’s Sunnis is above 20%, keeping in mind that the majority of Muslims are Sunnis and the state could utilize the opportunity of Sunnis’ presence in Iran. It is regrettable that Iran just relayed on chanting slogans for unity, nothing else. Iran could impose justice in the country in order to show the Muslim world an exemplary for its slogans.
The prominent Sunni leader continued his points saying, ‘Since the power of ruling state (1979) some hidden elements never allowed a single Sunni citizen to be part of any cabinet, embassy and representation post of the state. The majority in Sistan-Balochistan province belongs to the Sunni community; despite it, there are only about 13 members are Sunnis out of 400 members of the Academic Board of the Sistan-Balochistan University. There is no any Sunni member in the provincial Security Council. The number of Sunnis in the Administrative Council is under ten.’
Khateeb of Ahl-us-Sunna urged saying that Sunnis are not crazy of power and governing; but Sunni citizens of Iran gave sacrifices for their country, they are ready to devote lives but do not be humiliated. ‘We belong to Iran, Iran is our motherland; some elements declare us strangers and foreigners, it is unacceptable for us’, Shaikh underlined.
He further said that Sunnis got high posts in the security departments in the previous regime, now, an unwritten policy prevents Sunni citizens even from holding guns to protect the borders, and they can be simple soldiers but not more. The Sunni Community wants the Supreme Leader to end this discriminative policy; he is the person who can unweave this nodus.
Mawlana Abdul Hamid went on, saying that both Sunnis and Shiites are Muslim sects. We do not accept any policy or action against Shiite minorities over the world. In the same way, we hope that the Iranian rulers change their views about us; they must not try to isolate Sunnis in Iran. ‘According to our information, none of Shiite communities face difficulties or escalation in religious affairs. Unfortunately, Sunni Muslims have problems to establish prayers in Tehran, Esfahan and some other megacities of Iran. In some places, Sunni troops and students are being forced to follow Shia imams in offering prayers! No one can merge the two sects and force us to imitate Shiite imams,’ Shaikh pointed.
Shaikh refused the government interference in Sunni seminaries’ internal matters and said that Sunnis believe in the national constitution which ensures their religious freedom; we never accept any government hand in our religious and educational affairs. The supreme leader should halt such actions which challenge peace and national unity.
At the end, he condemned the stop of two magnified Sunni scholars from Hajj, pilgrimage by the Iranian authorities. He said that none of states stop people from Hajj, the two prominent scholars have been playing an important role to bring peace in the region, and they never created problems for the government. Unity can not be achieved by holding seminars and slogans, rather peace and security plus unity can be gained by imposing justice, removing discriminative acts and implement of equality.
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