Publish date22 Oct 2017 - 14:38
Story Code : 288179
Iraqi member of Union of Proximity Youths:

Opening a dialogue, first key step towards building Islamic unity

Opening a dialogue, first key step towards building Islamic unity
Member of the Union of Proximity Union referred to the most important issues on the way of Islamic unity saying that to provide the new generation of Muslim youths in the west with the accurate information on Islam as the special mission of Islamic centers in non-Islamic countries.
 
Mohammad Bagher Al Esia, member of the Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission (AIM), in the UK in an interview with Taqrib News Agency (TNA) related his views on promotion of Islam in the west, unit of Shia and Sunni communities and also necessity of steps to boost unity among Muslims.
 
Q: Please elaborate on the main objective of Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission (AIM).
 
A: Islamic Shia organization established in 2003 that caters for the youth in the UK for English speaking people who try to establish knowledge and understand the school of Ahlul Bayt (AS). This is because a new generation is coming up whose sole language is English and has no knowledge of Islam, Ahlulbayt
(AS), Qur’an or Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). Therefore we are trying to establish a framework to provide that information for those youths.
 
Q: How is Islam accepted among the people in Europe in regards to the terrorist attacks and Islamophobia propagated in Europe? Has the number of Muslims seen a reduction?
 
A: Actually it has increased on the other hand. People want to know why such things are happening why some people want to blow themselves and what is behind all these events.
This comes from a terrorist concept and a Wahhabi concept; so, it has become more of a wajib (necessity) to explain what is happening and what does the school of Ahlul Bayt (AS) think and that how we should be kind or caring to people therefore we have to establish work to make people aware.
 
Before the people did not used to care so much but the media is so concerned. Media and papers are writing more on Islam, women’s right, Hijab, so it is our responsibility to reply and provide them with correct information because there is a lot of information but it is not the correct one.
 
If we fulfill our mission than people will see that there is a school of thought which is not extremist and that is why you have a lot of reaction in London
that, for example, following a terrorist attack a woman in Islamic Hijab or a man with beard might be attacked but that is only because of lack of knowledge. Or for instance, they see a man with beard who kills people but they do not understand that Islam has nothing to do with this though saying the fact is not enough and you have to explain why Islam has nothing to do with terrorist attacks.
 
You have to explain that there are people who put a lot of money in Saudi Arabia and want this division more and more. That is why our work is more and more important for organizations like us to convene both Shia and Sunni people and explain our issue, that is to make sure that the information is the right information. It does not matter if it us Shia or Sunnis as far as it is not a Wahhabi School of Thought.
 
 We all agree that Islam does not involve killing people, rather it involves mercy to mankind and there is no force that you become a Muslim.
 
Q: What are the most important issues for the world of Islam at the moment and what are the necessary measures to settle those issues?
 
A: One of the most important issues is the opening of dialogue between people of different cultures, different languages especially in western countries.
 
It
is not a world that people are unaware of what happens in Iran. If something happens in Iran people in London would know same way that when something happens in America, people in Iran will know through internet Instagram and facebook. It is a very small world so our dialogue should reach the same level and have a dialogue that is open to everyone and more inclusive and not exclusive.
 
Muslims need to open up much more to understand each other because in the last ten years people have understood that hating or killing someone is not the answer. We have to come to the point that we should have a dialogue and that is the main issue to have a dialogue between faiths, religions, countries and cultures.
 
Q: What is the necessity of Islamic unity conferences?
 
It is a very important conference because it has brought scholars from different cultures, religions and countries on the same bases which are Qur’an, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
 
We have to find a solution for the people who speak on behalf of Islam but they are very far away so these conferences are very important to say we have numerous intelligent people, scholars, professors and philosophers who say this should be the right way and I think that sends a strong message to
the world, to western and eastern countries to inform others that something is happening in Iran, a very important step that we should build up but not the final step. It is the first step that you talk and the second is to practically have those in effect.
 
Q: What are your suggestions or message for gatherings on Islamic unity?
 
A: One of the suggestions for the Union of NGOs is to invite other NGOs to events like Islamic unity of convention of proximity unions. For instance humanitarian aid, welfare, Shia and Sunni NGOs around the world should be brought together because if we want to move forward we have to bring people into this.
 
If you intend to bring the world of Islam together you need to bring the NGOs too because each NGO is doing one thing and they are not working on the same thing they are doing very well but they are not under one goal and this is where the proximity conference can become beneficial.
 
 
Originally from Iraq, Mohammad Bagher Al Esia is a member of Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission (AIM) in UK and a member of the union of Proximity Youths in the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought.
 
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