RNA – “This was my first visit to Najaf. I was struck by the warm welcome and fantastic hospitality I received whilst I was there,” Ambassador Baker explained.
During the course of his trip, Ambassador Baker had the opportunity of meeting some distinguished personalities such as the Governor of Najaf, Adnan al-Zurfi, to discuss politics and economics including the current political state in Iraq and discussed some of the improvements that could be made with regards to security.
In addition to this, He also had the pleasure of visiting the Secretary General of the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (A), His Eminence Shaykh Dhiyauddin Zaynuddin, to discuss ways to improve global cultural links.
The holy city of Najaf is well-known for its extensive golden mosque which hallows the grave of Imam Ali, the successor after the Prophet Muhammad. “I was privileged to visit the shrine of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (A), the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad (A) and honoured to be invited for lunch with the Secretary General of the shrine,” said Ambassador Baker.
After visiting the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (A), he stressed the universality of Imam Ali’s (A) teachings, quoting the famous saying of Imam (A): “A person is either your brother in faith or your equal in humanity.”
He proudly informed the press about how he took the opportunity to tour the golden monuments of the country, find out more about its history and speak with its “diverse and peace-loving people.” In Baker’s own words, this was the “greatest privilege” he experienced there.
Students studying in the Holy Seminary of Najaf including many from the UK had the opportunity to meet the Ambassador and talked to him about their aim of returning home and spreading the true teachings of Islam to counter the many misconceptions currently abound. “We talked about how to improve global links with the religious establishment in Najaf. I had the pleasure of meeting young Western clerics – including some from the UK – studying Islam in Najaf. All of whom spoke about how they wanted to promote the peaceful nature of their faith when they returned home,” Ambassador Baker stated.
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