The outstanding Iranian Sunni leader, Shaikh Abdol-Hamid Isma’eelzahi, termed “meetings and conferences for unity fruitful but not enough to overcome the crises in the slim world” on Sunday, 19 Jan. 2014 in Tehran.
Talking to dozens of Muslim religious thinkers and intellectuals from 58 countries in the final session of the 27th‘International Islamic Unity Conference’ in the Iranian capital, Tehran, Khateeb of Sunni Muslims in Zahedan, southeastern Iran, began his speech by reciting two Qur’anic verses: «وَإِنَّ هَذِهِ أُمَّتُكُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَأَنَا رَبُّكُمْ فَاتَّقُونِ» [المؤمنون:52]، «وَاعْتَصِمُواْ بِحَبْلِ اللّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلاَ تَفَرَّقُواْ» [آل عمران:103], (Surely, this is your creed, a single creed, and I am your Lord. So fear Me.Hold fast, all of you, to the cord of Allah, and be not divided.)
He said, “This conference has been held while the enemies of Islam do not want to see us sitting together; they wish to witness Muslims confronting each other all the time.”
Expressing his views on the prophecy of the last messenger of Allah, Shaikh Abdol-Hamid said, “Allah Almighty has mentioned the prophet hood of His messenger, peace be upon him, the biggest blessing for mankind. He, peace be upon him, taught us the lesson of humanity leading us toward advancement in material and spiritual life. Islam is the gift brought to us by the prophet Muhammad; this is the thing makes people prosperous.”
The member of the International Union for Muslim Scholars shed light on the importance of unity in the light of the Noble Qur’an, saying the Qur’anic verse, 03-103, commands all Muslims with their different tendencies and opinions to hold fast to the cord of Allah and be united. This noble verse shows ‘division’ is forbidden and illegal. Whoever creates disputes and divisions among Muslims, Allah Almighty will punish him in this world.
“Shias and Sunnis have many mutual tenets; both of these sects believe in Ka’bah as Qibla, the last messenger of Allah and his households. It is the part of Sunnis’ tenets to love and respect the family members of the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. If any Muslim denies to love and pay honor to the households of the prophet, he will be considered mobtade’ (innovator in Islam),” he added more.
Talking about the stances of the Iranian Sunni community, the top Sunni leader said, “The Sunni community of Iran has been taking steps on the path of proximity and empathy. Sunnis have been active in various public fields after the revolution. I can claim strongly the rate of Sunnis’ turnout in elections has been more than Shia citizens in Iran. They (Sunnis of Iran) are against violence, division and extremism. Be sure, if any one dares to attack the country, our people would be in the front line of defense as Sunnis mainly live in frontier regions.”
The rector of Darululoom Zahedan pointed out to the necessity of examining the ways which lead to fraternity and unity. He said, “Both Shia and Sunni minorities in Muslim countries want ‘respect’, ‘religious freedom’ and ‘justice and unbiased behavior’. Religious minorities are afraid of their religious rights and liberties so they will not be free to worship Allah as their sects.”
He urged on the scrutiny of religious minorities’ circumstances by Ulama and Muslim elites, saying, “In the developed countries minorities receive respect and they are welcomed. I personally call on Muslim rulers to take care of their minorities too. Muslim states must pay particular attention on Shia and Sunni minorities without any discrimination. Execution of justice and impartiality bring fraternity approximating the hearts.”
The eminent Islamic scholar called on the followers of all Muslim sects to ‘preserve the respect of Muslim clans’, saying Sunni and Shia sects have many things in common; they should hold fast to the mutual points leaving differences for the pertinent sect. unity does not mean the differences between Shia and Sunni seminaries and mosques should be terminated; rather followers of each sect can practice on the verdicts of their schools of thought without violence.
Mawlana Abdol-Hamid went on to say more about the ongoing unrest in the Middle East, “Unfortunately, people in the Middle East suffer from extremism, Takfir and many other problems. I do urge on avoiding extremism and Takfir, on the same time I would like to suggest governments and rulers to provide people their due rights. I think the only solution for restive and unsafe states is dialogue and negotiation. The power holders should listen the voice of their opponents, establish nonethnic and nonsectarian governments giving chance to all to take part in their fate.”
The rector of Darululoom Zahedan addressed the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought at the 27thInternational Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran, “I would like to recommend the forum to form a delegation of influential Shia and Sunni Ulama for dialogue and paving the way for negotiations in Iraq, Syria, Bahrain and other Muslim countries where disputes have affected peace of Muslims. The crises of the Muslim world cannot be resolved only by issuing Fatwa and statements; there must be comprehensive practicalsteps.”
He expressed his wish at the end of his speech for fruitfulness of such conferences as Muslims would be together everywhere.
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