Iran's martyred leader played a prominent role in Islamic proximity and unity
A prominent Al-Azhar scholar from Egypt emphasized that the martyred leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei played a prominent role, in various forms and methods, in creating a kind of convergence, proximity, and closeness among Arab and Islamic countries, and in this path, he utilized his eloquence and rhetorical skill.
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Sheikh "Mansour Mandour," one of the scholars of Al-Azhar in Egypt, on the sidelines of the 40th Islamic Unity Conference, in an interview with the Taghrib News Agency (TNA), in response to the question of how he assesses the role of the foreign policies of the Islamic Republic under the leadership of the martyred Imam Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in proximity and bringing the views of Islamic countries closer together, said: "In truth, I must say that the martyred leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei played a prominent role, in various forms and methods, in creating a kind of convergence, rapprochement, and closeness among Arab and Islamic countries, and in this path, he utilized his eloquence and rhetorical skill. He had mastery of the Arabic language and spoke Arabic very well, and using his eloquence and power of expression, he translated a number of books by Egyptian scholars into Persian."
He noted: "All his writings, statements, speeches, and what we heard from him in the press and media merely expressed his desire and enthusiasm for Islamic unity and bringing Muslims closer to one another. This matter is clear and evident in his method of work, thought, and the legacy he left behind. The reality is that this method continued practically and comprehensively until his martyrdom."
This prominent Egyptian scholar emphasized: "We today ask the Islamic Ummah to preserve this legacy and capital that the martyred leader left for us – a legacy that emphasizes Islamic tolerance and the moderation of this religion: that this religion creates bonds, not division; unites, not disperses; takes the hand of the weak so they may become strong; takes the hand of the ignorant so they may become knowledgeable; takes the hand of the doubter so their heart may attain certainty in the manner God has willed."
The method and manner about which God has said: "And indeed, this is My straight path, so follow it; and do not follow other ways, for they will separate you from His way" (Surah Al-An'am, 6:153).
If we reflect on this verse, we see that the word "path" (Sirat) is mentioned in the singular, but when speaking of other ways, it is mentioned in the plural, "ways" (Subul) – as if the Islamic path is only one single path and not multiple, while other paths are different, multiple, scattered, and contradictory to one another, whereas the Islamic path is a known path.
Sheikh Mandour noted: "God says in the Quran: 'This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion' (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:3). Therefore, the entire Islamic Ummah has a duty to preserve the legacy of the martyred leader and the values, ethics, and moderate approach to which he always called."
In response to Taghrib's question about the role of religious institutions and Islamic scholars, especially Al-Azhar scholars, in the rapprochement of Islamic schools of thought and unity among Muslims, he said: "The noble Al-Azhar institution has been a pioneer and forerunner in this field. Since the era of Sheikh Shaltut, when Dar al-Taqrib (the House of Rapprochement) of Islamic schools of thought was established in Egypt, Al-Azhar has been a pioneer in this field. Al-Azhar has been the herald of unity and rapprochement. Al-Azhar, even to emphasize that its words are not merely slogans and fabricated speech, recognized the Ja'fari school (Shia) as a practical proof of this, and pointed out to scholars that they can take fatwas from the Ja'fari school (Shia) for Sunnis. This is clear evidence and documentation that Al-Azhar has been a pioneer in the field of unity and rapprochement and has insisted on this matter."
However, some seditions and problems that are spread in the name of Sunnis and in the name of Shia have caused this rift and act in the direction of distancing the two great schools of thought.
Sheikh Mandour emphasized: "The truth is that the Zionists do not want unity and solidarity among us Muslims, and night and day they sow sedition to create division among Muslims and keep them away from one another."
