Challenges ahead of World of Islam from Supreme Leaders’ standpoint

Taqrib News Agency (TNA) - For the past three decades Islamic Republic of Iran has invited seasoned Islamic religious leaders and renowned clerics from all over the globe, laying the ground for them so as to open dialogue over the standing challenges and setbacks World of Islam wrestles with.

Iran Capital City of Tehran is about to host the 28th Islamic Unity Conference under the banner of “Islamic United Ummah, Challenges and Strategies” during the Unity Week which is just around the corner. Needless to say, to arrive at the unwavering goals and objectives set in this arena, unity activists and religious clerics take the cognizance of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s standpoints. His remarks and advices in this realm pave the way for Muslims in a bid to brave the existing Problems they are mired in.

What follows here are some of selected lines, stressed by Supreme Leader, which draw attentions to standing challenges so as to provide a solid foundation for furthering unity and forming the bedrock of Muslims’ attempt in this area.

First Challenge and Offered Strategy: Issue of Palestine

“The issue of Palestine is the main issue of the World of Islam,” (Supreme Leader's Speech in Meeting with Hajj Officials, 07/09/2014)

“Not only do arrogant powers - who are happy about the presence of Zionism in the heart of the Middle East region in order to pursue imperialist goals in this way - not support the oppressed, but they also support the oppressor with complete shamelessness. It is the responsibility of the world of Islam to do something in this regard.”

(Supreme Leader's Speech in Meeting with Officials and Ambassadors of Islamic Countries, 29/07/2014)

“What Zionist officials do is a real genocide; it is a historical disaster,” (Supreme Leader's Sermons at Eid ul-Fitr Prayers, 29/07/2014)

“Both the [Israeli] criminals and their arrogant backers must be condemned and tried at the international level,”

(Supreme Leader's Sermons at Eid ul-Fitr Prayers, 29/07/2014)

“Imam Khomeini supported the issue of Palestine and stated in his testament that the people of Iran and the officials of the country should not forget about this issue. Helping the oppressed, showing resistance against the oppressor, condemning his transgressions, rejecting his power and grandeur in an outspoken way and shattering this grandeur are among the parts of this system and this new version presented by our magnanimous Imam (r.a.).”

(Supreme Leader's Speech on 25th Demise Anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) 06/06/2014)

“The recent victory in Gaza demonstrated that Muslims are powerful and have great capabilities and can challenge any enemy and defend themselves,” Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out.”
(Supreme Leader's Speech in Meeting with Hajj Officials; 07/09/2014)

"The first and foremost issue of the Islamic world and, perhaps, humanity today is Gaza," (Supreme Leader's Sermons at Eid ul-Fitr Prayers , 29/07/2014)

Second Challenge and Offered Strategy: Dispersion and confliction

“What part Muslims from each other are policies. Political Intent, power-seeking intentions” (Supreme Leaders says in a visit with Islamic countries’ officials and ambassador 1393/07/05).

“Islamic unity, Islamic brotherhood and Islamic solidarity is one of the most necessary and urgent responsibilities for all Islamic societies. All of us should be committed to this responsibility.”

(Supreme Leader's Speech on the Occasion Eid al-Ghadir,
13/10/2014)

“We should not underestimate our power. Power of Islam, power of Quran, Power of faith and power of Islamic Ummah are considerable. Such powers should not be underestimated. They can root out oppression.”
(Supreme Leader's Speech in Meeting with Hajj Officials , 07/09/2014)

“For many years, there has been an effort to create discord between Muslims. This is because the existence of discord between Muslims will make them spend their efforts, energy and motivation on domestic fights. This makes them ignore foreign affairs and their great enemies. This has been the major policy of colonialism for many years and after the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the formation of the Islamic Republic.”

(Supreme Leader’s Speech on the Occasion Eid al Ghadir, 13/10/2014)

“In the past, the world of Islam and Islamic nations experienced difficult times, they passed difficult tests and they had many problems. Today, the world of Islam is in a critical situation. However we can witness a bright future amid these difficulties. This future should be seen and dangers should be identified. Promoters, activists, language experts and ordinary hajj pilgrims should do their best to solve the problems of the world of Islam. This should be done by holding discussions and organizing meetings and with exchange of opinions and information.”

(Supreme Leader's Speech in Meeting with Hajj Officials
07/09/2014)

Third Challenge and Offered Strategy: Takfiri Movement

“Extremist measures are adopted by the hidden hands of intelligence and security services. That is why we have constantly said that we do not consider these foolish groups - who confront the Islamic Republic in the name of Salafism, takfiri and Islam - to be our main enemy.”

(Supreme Leader's Speech on 25th Demise Anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.), 06/06/2014)

“The movement of Takfir has an Islamic cover, but in practice they serve the goals of Arrogant and political powers which are against the World of Islam,”
(Supreme Leader's Speech in Meeting with Participants of International Congress on Takfirism, 25/11/2014)

“Today, some people in different parts of the world of Islam - which go by the name of takfiri, Wahhabi and Salafi groups - are adopting bad and inappropriate measures against Iran, Shia Muslims and Shia Islam. But everyone should know that they are not the main enemies. They show enmity and they adopt foolish measures, but the main enemy is the person who provokes them, who gives them money and who motivates them with different means when their motivation is weakened to some extent”

(Supreme Leader's Speech in Meeting with Participants of International Congress on Takfirism, 25/11/2014)

“The frontline of Muslims’ struggles in this region was occupied Palestine, but the Takfiri movement changed this frontline and took it to streets and cities in Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, and Libya.”

(Supreme Leader's Speech on 25th Demise Anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.), 06/06/2014)

Forth Challenge and Offered Strategy: American Islam

“The important matter is the wise view that activists who wish well for the world of Islam have to take, regarding the difference between pure "Mohammadean Islam" and "American Islam". They have to caution themselves and others from confusing these two with each another.”
(Supreme Leader’s Hajj Message, 02/10/2014)

“American Islam is putting the clothes of Islam on servitude to foreigners and enmity with the Islamic Ummah, the Islam that stokes the fire of division among Muslims, instead of trust in divine promises, it trusts in the enemies of God, instead of fighting with the Zionists and arrogance it fights with its Muslim brothers, it unites with arrogant America against its own people or other peoples. It is not Islam, it is a dangerous and deadly hypocrisy which every sincere Muslim has to fight against.”
(Supreme Leader’s Hajj Message, 02/10/2014)

“Today, the world of Islam is achieving wisdom. And the events that are taking place in the world of Islam will help the Islamic Ummah to achieve wisdom. These events make us wiser and they will clarify our responsibilities. The enemies of Islam are afraid of the existence of this foresight in believers and the Islamic Ummah. We should strengthen this foresight on a daily basis. The first stage is to know these challenges.”
(Supreme Leader's Speech at Annual Ramadan Quranic Meeting, 29/06/2014)

“Pure Islam is the Islam of tolerance and spirituality, the Islam of piety and democracy, the Islam of being "forceful against the unbelievers, merciful towards the believers".
(Supreme Leader’s Hajj Message, 02/10/2014)

“We have heavy responsibilities towards the general issues of the world of Islam and the Islamic Ummah as well. Today, the world of Islam is going through a sensitive time. It cannot be said that it is more difficult than previous eras in history. “
(Supreme Leader's Speech in Meeting with Hajj Officials , 07/09/2014)

“What is witnessed in the world of Islam is that the enemies of Islam are confronting Islam in the name of Islam and in Islam's clothing. This is the same thing that our magnanimous Imam (may God bestow paradise on him) said: American Islam versus the original Islam introduced by the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.).”
(Supreme Leader's Speech at Annual Ramadan Quranic Meeting , 29/06/2014)

“American Islam is the kind of Islam that compromises with taghut and Zionism and that it is at the service of America's goals. It is Islam on the face of it and it is referred to as Islam. They may observe a number of Islamic obligations. Of course, according to what we have heard, those who have emerged in some countries - recently in Iraq and before that in other countries - in the name of Islam and by behaving in a biased way are not completely committed to religious obligations and practices. But we do not have precise information in this regard. What is clear is that they definitely move in the opposite direction of Islam.”
(Supreme Leader's Speech at Annual Ramadan Quranic Meeting, 29/06/2014)

“There is no other option. In fact, attending to the issue of takfirism is something that has been imposed on the ulama, activists and scholars of the world of Islam. The enemy has brought this to the world of Islam as a custom-made product and problem. Therefore, we have to attend to it. However, the main issue is the issue of the Zionist regime. The main issue is the issue of Quds. The main issue is the issue of the first qiblah for Muslims which is al-Aqsa Mosque. These are the main issues.”

(Supreme Leader's Speech in Meeting with Participants of International Congress on Takfirism, 25/11/2014 )

/SR