The Statement of Ayatullah al-Udhma Sistani(HA) on the Subject of Islamic Unity and Against Sectarian Strife
In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
“And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; ”
(Quran, Surah Aal-i-Imraan (#3), Verse 103)
Iraq’s top Shia cleric has renewed his call for an end to sectarian violence in the country and for Sunni and Shia Muslims to unite. Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, the highest Shia authority in Iraq, called on Shia Muslims to defend the political and social rights of the Sunnis before defending their own rights. Sayyed Sistani’s calls for unity came as a delegation consisting of prominent Sunni scholars and leaders from across Iraq arrived at his office in the southern Iraqi city of Al-Najaf to further the cause of unity and promote collective efforts to defuse sectarian tension within Iraq. Under the title of “the first national conference of Shias and Sunnis” the event kicked off Tuesday with several leading Shia leaders such as; Ayatollah Mohammad Saeed Al-Hakim, Ayatollah Ishaq Al-Fayyadh and Ayatollah Bashir Al-Najafi, in attendance. Sayyed Sistani also warned against the plans of the enemies who wish to plant seeds of discord among Iraqis.
Iraq’s top Shia cleric has renewed his call for an end to sectarian violence
in the country and for Sunni and Shia Muslims to unite.
Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani’s calls for unity came as a group of Sunni
and Shia clerics met in the holy city of Najaf in a bid to stem violence in the
war-torn country. A delegation consisting of leading figures from the Sunni
Association of Muslim Scholars as well as prominent Sunni scholars and leaders
from across Iraq arrived at the office of Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani in the southern
Iraqi city of Al-Najaf to further the cause of unity and promote collective
efforts to defuse sectarian tension within Iraq.
Under the title of “the first national conference of Shias and Sunnis” the event
kicked off Tuesday with several prominent Shia leaders including; Ayatollah Mohammad
Saeed Al-Hakim, Ayatollah Ishaq Al-Fayyadh and Ayatollah Bashir Al-Najafi, in
attendance.
Ayatollah Al-Sistani, the highest Shia authority in Iraq, called on Shia Muslims
to defend the political and social rights of the Sunnis before defending their
own rights.
“I am a servant of all Iraqis … I love everyone as religion is love … I
wonder how enemies could split between Islamic sects”, the statement said
quoting al-Sistani.
“These meetings between the Shia and Sunni scholars are important and useful as
there are no real differences between Shias and Sunnis, yet there are
philological differences that exist even inside the same sect.
“We are united under one Kaaba, prayers and fasting.
“I am with all Iraqis when demanding their rights and will not prefer one to
another as Shias and Sunnis are equal.”
Meanwhile, chief of the southern Iraq branch of the Baghdad-based Association of
Muslim Scholars Khalid Al-Mulla hailed the conference as “a new opportunity for
exchanging views and unifying the ranks of Iraqi Sunnis and Shiites.” “We
believe that some major powers targeted the Iraqi national unity and used armed
groups such as Al-Qaeda, to perpetrate violent attacks against Samarra, Karbala,
Talafar and elsewhere,” he added.
Sayyed Sistani also warned those in attendance to guard against the plans of the
enemies who wish to plant seeds of discord among Iraqis.
The visiting delegation voiced their full support of Sayyed Sistani’s stance and announced the importance of the conference.
The Grand Ayatollah, Ali al-Sistani, during a meeting with a delegation of Sunni clerics from the southern governorates and the Kurdistan region and a representative of the Sunni Endowment, on the sidelines of the first national conference of religious scholars Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq to be held in the city of Najaf, issued Fatwa in sanctity of Iraqi blood in general and Sunni in particular, emphasized spilling the blood of Iraqis in general, and Sunnis in particular, is forbidden.
Ayatullah khomaaini on shia sunni unity
Message of Peace 
What can be better than live and let live
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