Interview of Shaikh Ab. Hameed over blames of some extremists

Note: Recently some pro-state extremist web portals, who have been striving to defame leading dignitaries, highlighted outstanding Sunni leader’s participation in funeral prayers of an assassinated tribal chief and absence of Shaikh in public rally held over the 34th anniversary of the revolution in Iran.

The fanatic sides misused the events to discredit Khateeb of Ahl-us-Sunnah in the society and prove their false allegations.
The official website of the Sunni community in Iran, SunniOnline, had a talk with Shaikh Abdol-Hameed Ismaeelzahi to bring the facts in notice of public opinion.

SunniOnline: Some elements criticized your absence in the rally of the revolution anniversary; why you have not taken part in the rally?

Shaikh Abdol-Hameed: Due to some reasons, as the provincial authorities know, I have not been participating in the rally for some years. But I encourage others to take part in such rallies; as a considerable number of people including some teachers and students of Darululoom Zahedan has taken part in the recent rally.

SunniOnline: Some websites mentioned assassinated “Sardar Taj-Muhammad Gamshadzahi” as a ‘miscreant’ and they criticize your presence in his funeral ceremony. These elements claim that you and even your ‘associates’ did not take part in funeral prayers of [pro-state] Molawi Jangizahi. What do you say?      

Shaikh Abdol-Hameed: As far as Sardar Taj-Muhammad’s case is concerned, he was not a miscreant as we know. He was a fugitive; there must be a difference between simple fugitives and miscreants. The slain tribal chief was negotiating with the security officials to return home. According our information, Mr. Taj-Muhammad was not involved in any murder and insecurity case. He was elder of a prominent tribe (Gamshadzahi) of the region.

The second point is that, I participated in his funeral ceremony to show my protest over his assassination and the way he was killed. Although I do not know yet, why he was assassinated and who is behind his murder? But assassination of him was wrong according Shari’ah and people’s customs. It is a sort of desert trials and partial act which destabilize the peace of region.

Regarding slain Jangizahi, I must make it clear that he was not any eminent and famous cleric. I had no acquaintance with him. Despite it, we sent a delegation to take part in his funeral prayers and express regret and sympathy with his relatives. His assassination was condemned in Friday gathering of Zahedan strongly.