RNA – The following is an official statement from the representatives of the non-Iranian students and scholars of the Regional Consultants of al-Mustafa International University in condemnation of the recent incidents during the Hajj pilgrimage in Makkah and Mina by the ruling Saud dynasty which led to the deaths of hundreds of pilgrims to the Holy Ka’bah.
In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
“And [remember] when We made the House a place of reward for mankind and a sanctuary, [declaring], ‘Take the venue of prayer from Abraham’s Station.’ We charged Abraham and Ishmael [with its upkeep, saying], ‘Purify My House for those who go around it, [for] those who make it a retreat and [for] those who bow and prostrate.” [Holy Quran 2:125]
May the peace and blessings of God Almighty and his angels be upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) who came as the harbinger of monotheism to save mankind from polytheism, superstition and ignorance.
Peace be upon the Infallible Imams of guidance who explained the majestic dimensions of this lofty place and conveyed the divine wisdom and commandments related to the pilgrimage to the Sacred Mosque to their lovers.
Peace be upon all the Hajj pilgrims who responded to the call of the Lord to participate in this Abrahamic tradition just as the thirsty go to the source of water and like doves, the pilgrims sought refuge in the House of Monotheism to walk in the footsteps of the divine prophets and the angels and to circumambulate the divine throne.
“And it is the duty of mankind toward God to make pilgrimage to the House” [Holy Quran 3:97] and in the worlds of the Commander of the Faithful: “God has made obligatory upon you the pilgrimage [Hajj] to His Sacred House which is the turning point for the people who go to it as beasts or pigeons go towards spring water... They stood in the position of His Prophets and resembled His angels who surround the Divine Throne securing all the benefits of performing His worship and hastening towards His promised forgiveness” [Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon 1].
This painful catastrophe and heart-wrenching tragedy in Makkah’s Sacred Mosque and in Mina which led to the deaths and injury of many of the Guests of God transformed the Eid celebrations throughout the Islamic ummah and the joy of many families throughout the Islamic world into grief this year. No committed Muslim with a conscience can forget the sorrow and heartbreaking scenes of the deaths of men and women who were still in the holy clothes of ihram. The people of every race and colour from every Islamic denomination, and especially the large numbers of follows of the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (A), who lost their lives with dry lips while oppressed and without refuge in a foreign land.
In addition to the bad record of incompetence and mismanagement in previous years among the Saudi rulers, who claim to be the servants of the Two Holy Mosques, this year there have been increased divisions within the royal family and a struggle for power, the engagement of experienced and trained forces in the ongoing war, fratricide and crimes in Yemen, operations by Takfiri terrorists groups in many Islamic countries and the appointment of incompetent and uncommitted individuals to positions of power which have turned the majestic epic Hajj pilgrimage into a turbulent and horrific scene.
They cannot manage this Abrahamic assembly which should be the focus of Islamic unity, the embodiment of honour, integration and strengthening the foundations of faith and the power and glory of pure Muhammadan Islam against the oppressors and Zionism and which is the treatment centre of pain and wounds to the body of the Muslim ummah. Rather the House of Saud has prevented these practices and unfortunately, their incapability to providing physical security for the guests of God is becoming more and more obvious.
We represent the students and scholars of the Regional Consultants of al-Mustafa International University.
First: We offer our condolences in regard to this tragedy overwhelming to Imam al-Mahdi (AJ) and the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Community, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei (HA), and to the grieving survivors in all Islamic nations. We ask God Almighty to grant the highest ranks to the victims and to grant the wounded a speedy recovery and also grant the families of the victims great patience and divine rewards.
Secondly: We call for the Islamic community, especially the academics, scholars and officials of Islamic countries, conferences, academic and legal institutions to all speak with one voice to defend the great station of Hajj from the intellectual and doctrinal attacks of the atheists and egoists and to realize efforts to manage the Abrahamic pilgrims who represent the dignity, unity and cooperation of all governments and the elites of the Islamic community.
Thirdly: We also advise the Saudi rulers and warn them that that they are on the brink of collapse due to their allegiance to the arrogant powers of the world, the influence of Israel’s open and hidden conspiracies, their reliance on the dollar, their rule by force and deception and their arrogant conflicts, their pride and reliance on reactionary ideas, Takfirism and terrorism.
It is in the interest of the pilgrim’s lives in this world and in the hereafter that they adopt a path of cooperation with the guests of the House of God and to accept responsibility for this tragic incident, to apologize publicly and officially to the Islamic community (especially to the victims) to at least compensate their material and spiritual damages and to accept the moral consequences over the adverse consequences of this incident and not to expose themselves to more problems.
“And peace upon the righteous servants of God”
The Representatives of the Non-Iranian Seminarians and Scholars of the Regional Consultants of al-Mustafa International University,
September 28, 2015
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