“U.S. is not after fighting with ISIL: Top cleric

Speaking at a ceremony marking the beginning of the new academic year at the Centre for the Study of Mahdawiyah of the Islamic Seminary of Qom on Saturday night, Ayatollah Ja’far Sobhani discussed Takfirism and Mahdawiyah.

The renowned source of emulation argued against the American’s claim that they want to fight and defeat the so-called Islamic State, saying that the truth is that they do not want to fight the Islamic State, formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), because it is their child which they gave birth to and want to take advantage of them to destroy Shi’ism and its power, reported Rasa News.

He explained that the West, Wahhabis, Salafis and Takfiris, and all the terrorist groups which they created are the common enemies of all Shi’ite Muslims. Takfiri groups consider Shi’ites to be their foremost enemies, even placing them before Jews and Christians. Ayatollah Sobhani stated that Takfiris seek to destroy awareness of Mahdawiyah (Mahdism or Islamic messianism) among Muslims. He explained that this is because knowledge of Mahdawiyah prevents the enemies of Shi’ism from realizing their political objectives. This has been the case throughout history, and was especially common during the Abbasid era, where the caliphate martyred many Shi’ites in an attempt to wipe out all remaining traces of the school of thought of the Holy Family (A) of the Prophet Muhammad (S).

Referring to the false claimant of Mahdawiyah in Iraq, Sayyed Mahmoud al-Hasani al-Sarkhi, Ayatollah Sobhani said those who claim to be Imam al-Mahdi (AJ) are part of a conspiracy by the enemies of Islam to promote sedition through the creation of false sects in order to break Muslim unity. He further said that the enemies know that the only religion which does not reconcile with the West is Shi’ism. It is also the only religion which does not commit acts of oppression or injustice. Because they realize this to be true, they seek to create divisions and sects to destroy Shi’ism.

Ayatollah Sobhani explained that the system of Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the Jurisprudent) is the cause of the success of the Islamic system of governance. It is a branch of the government of Imam al-Mahdi and the enemies want to cut this branch off and destroy it. He added that the Iranian revolution is the originator of all modern revolutions and the enemies trying to destroy the revolution and the Islamic system of governance.
/SR

“U.S. is not after fighting with ISIL": Top cleric