Extremism, Fruit of Discrimination

The most influential Iranian Sunni scholar urged on equality between Shia and Sunni communities terming discrimination the main reason of extremism in the region.
Talking to daily Aseman-e-Abi (Blue Sky), he said: “Extremists could not find any place in our province because our people are vigilant. They know Islam is a religion which opposes extremism. It shows the power of temperance.”
When the journalist asked Mawlana Abdol-Hamid that what he had done for the Shia minority in Sistan-Baluchistan province, he replied: “We have repeatedly announced Shias and Sunnis are equal for us. Even we think there should more attention to minorities. We do not want any harm for non-Muslims who live here, too. There were hostages from non-Sunni citizens and we could play role to free them, for example.”
Expressing his viewpoint on the roots of extremism among the Shia and Sunni communities, the president of Darululoom Zahedan said: “People go to extremism due to some cruelties, discriminations and inequalities. These factors make people angry and provoke them to carry out violent acts.”
“If we study the roots of Takfiri and violent extremism, we will conclude that the start of this phenomenon in the oubliettes of Egypt. When some Islamists were imprisoned, it radicalized them and then they began declaring rulers and Ulama ‘non-Muslims’ as they had less knowledge. They cite the textual meanings of the religious texts without looking at other verses of the Qur’an,” Shaikh Abdol-Hamid pointed.
In response to a question about the conditions of Sistan-Baluchistan after the letter of the supreme leader, he said: “The conditions have not been changed to better yet. We are thankful to the supreme leader on his clear letter, but we still have not seen any result.”
The popular Sunni scholar also said: “People want changes in the country. The reformists should fulfil their promises to the ethnic and religious communities. Otherwise they will be disappointed. Recently a Zoroastrian compatriot in Yazd has been dismissed due to his religion. We should see the whole world where Muslims live. We should behave in a way that Muslims in other parts of the world will get their rights easily.”
At the end of his speech, Mawlana Abdol-Hamid urged on the execution of justice and equality. He also called on the president Rouhani to fulfil his promises to decrease problems of people.