SunniOnline: the critical situation of Iran and various kinds of crises which have affected both the country and nation are obvious for everyone. Unjust sanctions and recently military threats of the US have intensified these problems and anxieties. The ongoing situation needs solutions free of partial and factional tumults.
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid, one of the most important Sunni figures in Iran and compassionate personalities with moderate viewpoints on political, social and cultural issues, recently talked with \u201cSunniOnline\u201d, the official website of the Sunni community in Iran, expressing his views on the ongoing domestic and foreign crises of Iran and their solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iran should support minorities in Muslim countries only diplomatically Military support intensifies foreign crises Middle East needs peace & reconciliation Why Iran needs a U-turn? The country’s economic problems have political reasons Both principlists, reformists disappointed people Iranian Sunnis still suffer from discrimination Don\u2019t persist on the previous wrong strategies SunniOnline: the critical situation of Iran and various kinds of crises which have affected both the country and nation are obvious for everyone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9994,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[87,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editors-choice","category-c55-interviews"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/strong> The most influential Iranian Sunni leader termed the current domestic and foreign crises in Iran \u201cunprecedented\u201d and said: \u201cIf we conduct a political pathology, we will see that the best way to support minorities in Muslim countries or majorities who have been deprived of their rights, is political and diplomatic support. If the Islamic Republic of Iran wants to support nations, it should via political and diplomatic channels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong> Mawlana Abdol-Hamid went on to say more: \u201cMilitary support of any foreign regime, movement, political or religious party is not good for any country. It damages national interests. The military option has not been useful for any country, but it has given birth to more foreign crises and political, economic and security damages and strokes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong> Khateeb of Sunnis said that \u201cpeace and reconciliation\u201d was the urgent need of the Muslim countries.
\u201cThe best solution for differences of the Muslim countries is \u201creconciliation\u201d. The holy Qur\u2019an forbids Muslims from disputes and enjoins them to show patience and tolerance. Muslim masses and leaders should tolerate each other\u2019s viewpoints, schools of thought and cultures in order to prevent exacerbation of differences and clashes,\u201d he added more.
Member of the executive board of the MWL told SunniOnline: \u201cThe Islamic Republic of Iran and the rest crisis-hit Muslim countries in the Middle East need peace and reconciliation urgently. The European and Western powers have been struggling to ensure peace for Israel by bringing Muslim countries against each other and introducing them enemies of each other. We should be vigilant and apply a strategy to forbid some Muslim countries going towards Israel. The Zionist regime is an occupying usurper country which has occupied the first Qibla of Muslims and it has been oppressing Palestinians and it is not ready to accept any negotiation and reconciliation which recognizes Palestinians\u2019 sovereignty.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong> Mawlana Abdol-Hamid recommended the Islamic Republic of Iran to make a U-turn in domestic and foreign policies. He said: \u201cThe ongoing circumstances of the world require a revision in the strategies and policies. The country needs a U-turn in the foreign policy. We should behave wisely and change or modify the failed policies which have had no fruits or they jeopardize the country.\u201d
He termed \u201clack of due political freedoms\u201d as one of the important crises in Iran and said: \u201cLack of due freedoms such as: freedom of speech, parties, associations, intolerance of constructive criticisms and legal freedoms are among the most important domestic crises.\u201d
\u201cIt is a big fault to not tolerate opponents which has caused challenges for the country. Release of political prisoners, lifting the siege of 2009\u2019s presidential election\u2019s opposition leaders put under house arrest and listening to people\u2019s demands and negotiating with the opposition can help us to get rid of these crises,\u201d president of Darululoom Zahedan said.
He said that the country was away from \u201cpolitical stability\u201d which can be obtained by ensuring legal freedoms, focusing on constructive criticisms, minorities\u2019 due rights, paying attention to the nation\u2019s demands and foreign d\u00e9tente.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong> In another part of his interviews with \u201cSunniOnline\u201d, Khateeb of Sunnis said: \u201cThe main reason behind ongoing economic crises is political and absence of political stability. For contest in economy with the neighboring countries we need political stability and good relations with other countries.\u201d
\u201cThe main problem in the country is not economic, rather it is political; if we resolve our political problems, despite the confrontation of the US and Israel, the economic crises will decrease.\u201d
The most outstanding Iranian Sunni scholar addressed armed forces and said: \u201cWe recommend the dear military to avoid from political and economic competition. They should go back to their original job and duty and of course it will increase their popularity.\u201d
Neglecting \u201cmeritocracy\u201d in core selections; another domestic crisis
Mawlana Abdol-Hamid expressed his anxiety over neglecting \u201cmeritocracy\u201d in different fields of the country and said: \u201cUnfortunately, meritocracy has no place in selection of directors and individuals in different levels and segments. Thus we have no strong and capable managers and officials.\u201d
\u201cEmbezzlements and financial abuses in the country prove well that selection and employing of personnel have not been carried out properly. This is a fact that both officials and people confess,\u201d he added more.
Shaikh Isma\u2019eelzahi told \u201cSunniOnline\u201d: \u201cIf there is any legal obstacle for entrance of capable and specialized managers, such regulations should be modified and changed. If some sides impose their illegal views to affect selection process, such acts should be stopped. We have lost many intellectuals in the decades-long brain drain whose specialization is the need of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong> The most influential Iranian Sunni leader criticized two major political wings of the country and said: \u201cThe political history of the country shows that the reformists and principlists have been failed to resolve Iranian nation\u2019s problems and get the country out of the ongoing crises. People have been disappointed from both of these wings.\u201d
\u201cWe are not hopeful about the reformists that they will make a U-turn towards people and get their satisfaction. Political wings should sit together and find solutions for the crises,\u201d he added more.
Mawlana Abdol-Hamid further said that the Islamic Council Assembly (parliament) has been failed, too, to remove obstacles which have been before the nation.
\u201cMaking the circle of approving candidates and individuals by the Guardian Council is another reason behind the ongoing crises in the country. Due to this policy, strong capable individuals cannot be elected as the assembly members and other posts like presidency,\u201d he underlined.
Khateeb of Sunnis said: \u201cSome problems in the cabinet and government return to the Guardian Council\u2019s behavior and policy. This council needs a fundamental reformation. Statesmen and decision-makers in the Islamic Republic of Iran should not have limited religious sights and views; rather their approaches should ne national and international.\u201d
\u201cWe should show an example for others in this regard. Until now, we could not attract the world and present a modern example of Islam which is in accordance with the conditions of the time,\u201d he added more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong> President of the biggest Islamic endowment educational center of the Iranian Sunnis shed light on the problems of the second religious majority of Iran and said: \u201cAfter four decades passed since the revolution, still the Sunni community suffers in this Islamic country facing different pressures and discriminations.\u201d
\u201cIranian Sunnis have been generally away from power offices and they only have some elected representatives in the national assembly. In regional and provincial levels, presence of the Sunnis is also limited and there is no any balance. The Sunni community is strongly angry with this attitude and they persistently expect their elites should be engaged,\u201d he urged.
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid told \u201cSunniOnline\u201d about the problems and restrictions of the Iranian Sunnis: \u201cThe Sunnis have no mosque in Tehran while the Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians have their own worship places and we are happy with it, but the question is that why Sunnis cannot have their own mosques?\u201d
\u201cUnfortunately in some regions and provinces like Khorasan, Bam and Kerman and other regions we witness interference in religious issues of Sunnis. This attitude cannot be seen anywhere even in Russia.\u201d
He said: \u201cMuslims have mosques in all capitals in the non-Muslim countries and offer Friday and Eid prayers freely. In Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, Shia Muslims have their own mosque. There is limitation for offering prayers in no place in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong> Mawlana Abdol-Hamid addressed the higher officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran and said: \u201cIf we continue the past policies and strategies, we cannot be hopeful about future. Future may be in the interest of those who want a fundamental change.\u201d
\u201cThe pressures, bottlenecks and restrictions which do not exist in Islam should be removed from the Islamic Republic of Iran and the vast view of Islam and Qur\u2019an should rule.\u201d
He concluded his points with the talk with SunniOnline: \u201cBy changing these problems domestic and foreign crises can be resolved. Some of the changes can be carried out by the supreme leader and some others by changing the constitution. Negotiation with the US is not the major problem; the most important thing is to change strategies. It is the way to maintain the Islamic Republic of Iran. \u201c <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"