RNA – "The content of Supreme Leader's letter reflects his long-standing concerns in regard to the younger generation of European and North American youth," Hujjat al-Islam Mohammad-Hoseyn Mokhtari told an Iranian news source.
In a letter released on Sunday, Ayatollah Khamenei once again addressed the Western youth asking them to open their eyes about Islam and the current events taking place around the world.
The letter follows a similar message to the Leader's message written in the aftermath of the January 2015 attacks on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket that killed 17 people in Paris.
Hujjat al-Islam Mokhtari stated that this letter offers clarification and guidance in order to enlighten the thoughts and opinions of the international community.
The head of the Taqrib Research Institute stated that the recent terrorist events in France presented an important opportunity to explain several important issues, including urging discussion on the roots of terrorism in the world, to the youth of Europe and North America, and Ayatollah Khamenei made use of such an opportunity.
The former Friday prayer leader of Newcastle upon Tyne (UK) said this letter was written in a very friendly and compassionate tone and warmly explains the issues facing contemporary society, especially those problems that Western youth are suffering from.
Stating that the Iranian Leader’s letter is intended to appeal to human nature, especially that of the younger generation and noted that this letter warns of the dangers of extremism and the negative ideology that gave which gave rise to the ISIL Takfiri terrorist group and other Takfiri/Salafist groups which increased the supremacy of the colonial powers in the world.
Hujjat al-Islam Mokhtari stressed that the current generation of youth in Europe and North America are different from the youth of couple of decades ago, noting that today’s generation has grown up with technology and developments in the field of media which have increased awareness in regard to the events occurring Palestine, Yemen, Bahrain and Lebanon.
He stated the Western youth needed to hear emphasis and clarification on this important issues from a Muslim leader, which Ayatollah Khamenei has provided in this regard. “This letter can cause a revolution and a transformation in the minds of the youth of the West,” he stressed.
The Iranian scholar stated that Ayatollah Khamenei’s first letter addressed to the youth of the West yielded very positive results and its global impact has been obvious and the second letter was also a balanced approach to the events which are occurring throughout the world in the current era.
Hujjat al-Islam Mokhtari added that the violent and painful actions which radical thinkers have done while claiming to follow the Prophet Muhammad have proved the necessity of enlightening the minds of the younger generation.
He said that in response to the terrorist events in Paris, Ayatollah Khamenei reminded the whole world that Salafist groups have certainly separated themselves from the true followers of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, who brought mercy and compassion to the world.
His Eminence said that Iran’s Supreme Leader stressed on the conflict and sectarianism among the Muslim community, saying that the arrogant powers support Salafist groups in order to implement their expansionist policies in the Middle East and take advantage of such extremist groups to introduce Islam as a religion of violence in the minds of Western youth, but Ayatollah Khamenei focused specifically on this issue and explained true Muhammadan Islam to this audience.
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