RNA – At the beginning of his Ba’th al-Kharij class at Qom’s Holy Shrine of Lady Fatimah al-Ma’sumah, Grand Ayatollah Ja’far Sobhani discussed the Takfiri phenomenon.
“The basis of the formation of some Islamic sects dates back to follow some individuals who followed incorrect narrations,” the revered source of emulation said in reference to Wahhabism, the extremist and intolerant official religion of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He stressed that the Takfiri tsunami that has hit many Islamic countries has become a disaster for the Muslim world. “The Takfiri phenomenon is a great strife afflicting Muslims. The Takfiris seeks to form an Islamic caliphate and return society to the era of the caliphate. But they are unaware of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad’s sunnah [tradition],” Ayatollah Sobhani stated.
In the wars fought during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, only 800 people were killed from both sides, but we see today that Takfiris are kill more than 800 innocent people in one event, without the slightest thought or reflection.
Ayatollah Sobhani pointed out that Takfiri groups do not know the limits of faith and heresy and blasphemy. “Their logic is that anyone who supports them is a Muslim, and anyone who opposes them should be stoned or killed, for he is an apostate,” he stated.
He continued, saying that the logic of Takfiri groups is the same as the logic of the infidels and polytheists of the Era of Ignorance before Islam. How can they judge an [innocent] individual, group or state on in disbelief or apostasy and find them guilty of murder? They are either ignorant or tools to implement a certain agenda,” he stated.
He stressed upon the incorrect beliefs of Takfiris, which are far from the teachings of Islam and he condemned collective excommunication as illegitimate, saying the agreement of all Muslim scholars is that excommunication should be done in a competent court of law by a just judge.
Ayatollah Sobhani explained that even the heretical 13th century scholar ibn Taymiyyah did not call for collective excommunication. The origin of the Takfiri phenomenon is in extremist religious schools located in some of the Gulf states, where students study the ideas of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab. I we want to eliminate and eradicate the Takfiri phenomenon they must change the curriculum taught there.
111/112