RNA – Speaking at a conference of provincial Friday prayers’ leaders at Qom’s al-Quds Musalla, Ayatollah Ali-Reza Arafi, Qom’s temporary Friday prayers’ leader said: “From the time of the Noble Prophet [Muhammad] until before the Iranian Islamic Revolution, Friday prayers has have explained Islamic sciences to the masses and fulfilled the needs of Muslims."
The president of al-Mustafa International University stated that among Sunnis, Friday prayers have always been ceremonial, but due to the blessings of the Islamic Revolution, they have found a second life and their original purpose has been revived.
His Eminence pointed out that the numbers of believers attending Friday prayers are increasing weekly, and added: “For this reason, the enemy is trying give the Friday prayers’ pulpit to the Takfiris.”
Ayatollah Arafi stressed that Saudi Arabia is now trying to use the Friday prayers pulpit to promote the Takfiri ideology. “This regime spends a lot of money to direct Sunni-led Friday prayers toward the Takfiri ideology,” he said.
The renowned scholar said much of the Sunni Friday prayers’ network is on the correct path, but warned that their pulpits are highly susceptible to distortion and have been led toward the Takfiri ideology due to Saudi influence.
Qom’s temporary Friday prayers’ leader stressed that the Muslims’ weekly gathering on Friday has showcased Muslims and their positions to the people of the world. “The enemies are striving to turn this influential base of global Islamic unity into a base of divisiveness and Takfirism,” he said.
He pointed out the duties ahead in terms of quality and increasing the quantity of attendance at Friday prayers, saying: “The culture of Friday prayers requires public activism, especially in regard to administration and propagation.”
“During Friday prayers, we should witness a form of religious propagation which has a central focus on culture building, Islamic solidarity and promoting understanding and religious thought,” Ayatollah Arafi explained.
His Eminence added that educational and training centres, including universities and seminaries, as well as administrative organs, must have good insight, especially in regard to Friday prayers, because of the influence they have on Friday prayers.
Ayatollah Arafi added that Friday Prayers serve many functions, including: liturgical and ethical functions and they help build awareness, solidarity, political insights, solve the people’s problems and explain the government’s positions. “Together these functions are a huge obligation which are the responsibility of the organizations responsible for administering Friday prayers and Friday prayers leaders,” he said.
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