RNA – Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi underlined that Islam is a religion of peace that favours peaceful coexistence with non-Muslims who are not at war with Islam.
In a message to a regional conference on “Takfir: Challenges Ahead and the Responsibilities of Muslim Scholars,” Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi described Takfiri terrorism as a major problem gripping the Muslim world and the entire humanity.
He regretted that while Islam favours peaceful coexistence with others, a group of so-called Muslims who are unaware of Islam’s teachings and are supported by certain sides (the imperialist powers) describe themselves as true Muslims and consider anyone else, including Shi’as and Sunnis as infidels.
The senior cleric noted that these individuals have committed terrible crimes and tarnished the image of Islam.
He underscored the responsibility of Muslim world scholars to spread the fact that Islam is a religion of peace and mercy not violence and bloodshed.
Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi further hailed a recent proposal by the Grand Imam of Egypt’s renowned Sunni institute of learning, al-Azhar University, Shaykh Ahmad al-Tayyib who called on Muslim scholars to issue fatwas against shedding the blood of fellow Muslims.
Takfiri terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda and ISIL, have in recent years committed heinous crimes in different parts of the world in the name of Islam, whereas Islam condones no such atrocious acts but considers killing innocent people as one of the gravest sins.
R111/112/E