Publish date23 Jul 2015 - 12:05
Story Code : 199138
Ayatollah Araki:

"We aim at popularization of Islamic proximity."

There has been a wide range of criticism on the world forum mainly on not following serious efforts on the diplomacy of Islamic unity, not involving the Sunni community in the affairs of the world forum, lack of involvement in regional crises as a diplomacy center, not fulfilling the mission to popularize Islamic unity and also unscheduled involvement in cultural and artistic arenas like holding a film festival.
"We aim at popularization of Islamic proximity."
Three years have gone since the Supreme Leader of the Islamic republic issued a message appointing grand Ayatollah Mohsen Araki as the secretary general of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of thought. The message obliges the new secretary general to follow the diplomacy of "Islamic Unity".
 
There has been a wide range of criticism on the world forum mainly on not following serious efforts on the diplomacy of Islamic unity, not involving the Sunni community in the affairs of the world forum, lack of involvement in regional crises as a diplomacy center, not fulfilling the mission to popularize Islamic unity and also unscheduled involvement in cultural and artistic arenas like holding a film festival.
 
On the other hand though, some viewed the center in regards to observation on cultural and social activities of the world forum and also confrontation with anti-unity behaviors.
 
Iranian state Fars News Agency, in an exclusive interview with the secretary general of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, has discussed the aforesaid criticisms.
 
Q: Three years ago and in the message by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, grand Ayatollah Khamenei has pictured the world of Islam where the enemies try to turn the equation of Jihad and Resistance into Takfir (excommunication) and terror of the Muslims, an effort to wage war between Shia and Sunni. Do you think that the image by the Supreme Leader has realized and have we made it to prevent the issue?
 
A: The message proves the amazing tactfulness of the Supreme Leader. The present issues in the world of Islam had not existed then and Takfir and terrorism did not use to be so extensive. Almost all parts of the Muslim world is harassed with intrigues, from Indonesia to Mauritania, nowhere in the world of Islam is free of these issues.
 
This is the arrogant powers and Takfiri movements
which have involved both Shia and Sunni in the issue.
 
This intrigue is not only expanded geographically but also in its depth and complexity. And the bases of this intrigue are two: first the clash between Islamic and Zionist nations has drifted into the clashes among Islamic communities, a war of Islamic denominations and the aim of the politicians and initiators of these sectarian wars was to drag the confrontation between Muslim and Zionist fronts to a confrontation of Muslims amongst themselves, a front within the world of Islam.
 
This shift in the opposite fronts has happened based on religious motivations, first a Shia Sunni front and then a Sunni-Sunni front to the point that Sunni-Ibadi clashes have recently broke out in Algiers and in some countries they have turned it into a Islam-Christianity; therefore, the aim is to tear the whole world of Islam apart and creation of different fronts among Muslims, to turn the front battling the arrogant powers and Zionists into a front for civil wars.
 
On the other hand though, they aimed at weakening the Islamic society by undermining the solidarity and Islamic unity, the solidarity among countries, nations and different Islamic denominations.
 
At present as you see the plot is to disintegrate Libya, to involve Egypt, Iraq and Syria in civil wars and to expand their plots into other parts of the Muslim world. Certainly Turkey will not be safe although Turkish politicians have played the role of antagonists. I mean, in regards to the Islamic mottos shouted by Turkish authorities, we expected them to help with alleviation of the issues though they fueled the fire. This is what you can easily feel in the issues in Iraq, Syria and some other parts of the Muslim world.
 
We do not expect Arab rulers to help with the issues of the Muslim world because since the beginning they have partly belonged to the arrogant powers though we were optimist on Turkish authorities.
 
Q: What has the world forum done to prevent the issue?
 
A: There has been a wide range of schedules both for prevention of the threat and also for promotion of the
Islamic objectives. World forum has a three-phase program the first of which is on dialogues of proximity, rejection of Takfir and dispersion of Muslims. This discourse has extended so that Muslim elites, university students, artists, intellectuals and thinkers start to grow concerns for unity is the world of Islam, a concern for confrontation with Takfir and understand the depth of this threat; therefore, the world forum has played an influential role in expansion of this discourse.
 
Before the appearance of Takfiri groups and terrorism we used to receive faded green lights to invitations for Islamic proximity though these green lights have increased recently.
 
At present we are witness to a great current of supporters and harbingers of unity who move parallel to all intrigues and Takfir. World forum was quite active long before the expansion of Takfiri movements though it did not receive as wide acceptance to its invitations as it is doing at present. We are witness to higher motivations and more supports.
 
We are also witness to louder calls for unity from Al Azhar, in comparison with past. We are witness to more pursuit of Islamic solidarity by elites from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Egypt and Algiers as well as non-Muslim world. Although many have worked for the objective the main part of the mission has been carried out by the world forum.
 
The second phase of our job has been in the field of theories, compilation of a theory of proximity related to the needed strategies and the origins of the idea. There has been wide range of work by the world forum and the study center of the world forum, secretary generals and also experts in this field.
 
We do not lack programs, strategies or ideas. We are quite facilitated. A proof for our struggles is the program provided by the policy making deputy of the world forum.
 
The third phase which might be more critical than the other two is the phase for realization of proximity. After the discourse of proximity and compilation of the theory of proximity, it is time for practicing the theories. This third phase is practiced in the form of projects
including the University of Islamic denominations, conference of the Resistance Scholars of the Muslim World, Union for Muslim world Women, Union of Proximity Media and also Union of Muslim Students.
 
Q: Following your appointment as the secretary general of the world forum you have added some departments to the organization including strategy deputy, executive deputy and even announced that you intend to submit a 5-year plan to the Parliament as well as an executive deputy. They all seem to structuralize the world forum. This seems to move the world forum into a national and Iranian chart rather than a world forum. Does the world forum recognize itself as an international or Iranian forum working in international aspects?
 
A: Naturally the world forum must be active in international arena. I mean it is impossible to perform proximity missions independently. If we follow Islamic proximity only in our country and ignore the world or even if we fail in our international efforts then a wave of anti-proximity will penetrate into our country. If we are active outside our borders and forget about our own country, then the anti-proximity current within our borders will ruin our efforts in other countries.
 
Proximity is in relation with the whole world of Islam and even beyond that to the whole world and the world forum is the only institution which is in charge of carrying out its missions both in and out of the country.
 
Q: The mission of the social deputy seems to be more important in regards to the range of its addressees. Could you elaborate on the objectives of this deputy?
 
A: The main part of this deputy is to involve people from different walks of life with the issue of proximity. Previously, the main efforts of the world forum were in relation with the seminary, religious leaders and prayer leaders. Based on our studies proximity does not confine to scholars. There are other walks of life, which have to join scholars, so that proximity really happens. No matter how seriously scholars pursue Islamic proximity, if the idea is not followed by others, then Islamic proximity will not truly realize.
 
One of the most important groups of the people is the academicians including university students, professors and cultural figures.
This great potentiality must be used in order to expand the ideology throughout the society.
 
Still another group is the women who comprise a great part of our community. There has to be programs to involve women in the proximity programs of world forum.
 
There are also the media activists. Media is quite important for realization of proximity objectives. In fact a major part of anti-proximity activities are performed by the media affiliated with the arrogant powers. There must be some independent and loyal media who support the benefits of the nations and carry out some organized missions in this line. And this is exactly what is called as popularization of proximity.
 
Q:  So what is the mission of the social deputy for popularization of proximity? Does it intend to produce something in the cultural and artistic atmosphere?
 
A: Generally our policy is to manage the proximity-related affairs rather than doing them all by ourselves because that is not within the capabilities of one organization. Prevalence of Islamic proximity is something which demands all social organizations and people from different walks of life to participate.
 
What must be done by the world forum is to manage the proximity in general. Our mission is to launch the proximity activities in institutes, universities, seminaries and other centers and then support them to continue the activity by themselves; therefore, our mission in the world forum is to propose our idea and then support it indirectly though whenever needed we can offer our aid.
 
For instance it was high time that we launched a university where all Islamic denominations could be taught and not merely one specific Islamic school of thought. He who intends to study Qur'an exegesis has to study the interpretation of different denominations.
 
Q: You have recently met with a group of renowned directors and producers to discuss Islamic proximity in cinema and you have recently issued an announcement for holding the film festival of Islamic unity. This festival, in regards to lack of enough products in the field of Islamic unity, does not seem to be a promising one. Is this festival meant to support products or is it meant to be a starting point for producing movies on Islamic proximity?
 
A:
It is meant to do both. I think we do have proximity films which have not been introduced yet. Experts think that we have enough resources of films and this festival will both produce and support the previous products.
 
On the other hand a film festival will inspire new motivations to move and we have heard that other institutes are also making similar moves to hold film festivals on Muslim unity.
 
I think that we are going to witness a great art movement in the next couple of years.
 
Q: Do you have any observation over possible anti-proximity products? Are the cultural authorities warned over the issue?
 
A: Yes we have previously sent messages to cultural authorities and it is noteworthy that they have truly been caring though there have been cases of lack of observation or disagreeing views. Some of the points that are taken as a proximity issue is not so in our view and vice versa. Some cultural organizations are in need of finding a shared strategy on Islamic proximity but this is not included in our mission. It is a responsibility of the government to pass a bill on the issue if needed.
 
Q: There has recently been a proximity charter for the television products. What is your view on the function of the television in regards to the proximity charter?
 
A: We have held several meetings with the previous and new head of the IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran's Broadcasting) and have made agreements for supporting programs on Islamic unity though there are shortcomings and lack of commitments to the aforesaid agreed principles. The problems is either in observation over the programs or in a common view on proximity.
 
For instance I do not agree with a recently aired program interviewing a Sunni converting to Shia Islam. If he has done so it is his choice but to broadcast a program is not fair enough.
 
This is a view that widens the gap, to announce that Shia Muslims intend to convert Sunnis into their denomination or the other way round. This is a big damage to proximity. Shia has the right to defend its ideology and Muslims from any denomination might convert to another denomination but as a manager we should not encourage or highlight such moves since it is not to the benefit of the whole movement of proximity.
 
To be continued
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