Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi to Vatican representative:

“Muslims condemn events occurring in Iraq and Syria”

Rasa - Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi has met with an Italian university professor and Roman Catholic scholar from the Vatican City in Qom.

News ID: 1207

Date: 22 September 2014 - 17:51

RNA - Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi has met with an Italian university professor and Roman Catholic scholar from the Vatican City in Qom.

His Eminence stated that moral corruption, wars and are some of the most significant risks to society in our era. He said the heavenly religions can prevent a lot of this corruption, provided that there is cooperation between the different religions and they rely on a common plan to combat corruption, war and sin.

This distinguished teacher of jurisprudence in the Islamic Seminary of Qom has hosted several meetings with scholars and representatives from different faiths as he believes that by working together the various faiths can have a greater impact on transforming society compared to each religions’ individual work.

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi told his guest that Islam has much in common with the heavenly religions, including Christianity, stating that all of us are opposed to sin and moral corruption and believe in virtue or morality. We believe that man should have faith and morals and that all divine religions are against the shedding of innocent blood.

In regards to the Takfiri threat to peace and stability in the region, Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi said that the entire world is threatened by the ISIL and Takfiri terrorists. His Eminence emphasized that they are not Muslims and that all Islamic scholars of Islam agree that these people have left Islam, which is religion of mercy, compassion and peaceful coexistence. He emphasized that the religious leaders of the world must loudly condemn the atrocities taking place in Syria, Iraq and other areas of concern.

He also stressed that in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jewish, Christian and Zoroastrians and other religions co-exist together in peace. Religious minorities have representatives in parliament and are completely free to conduct their religious services. Meanwhile, Iran’s enemies falsely propagate that Iran limits other faiths’ freedom of religion.

Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi pointed to a letter he sent to Pope Francis, said that when the Vatican announced that Christians are being killed in northern Iraq and that Muslims defended them, he wrote a letter to the Pope emphasizing that Muslims will always condemn these crimes, whether the victims are Muslims or non-Muslims, as these actions are against Islam. He emphasized that the perpetrators cannot be considered Muslims.

The great Shi’ite scholar also stated that people are tired of materialism and seek another path: “We have good opportunities before us to preach our religious messages to society. The youth are especially at risk of falling into danger. Thus, we need to help the youth to accept God and to live an ethical life and save them from the clutches of corruption and sin.”

At the end of his speech, Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi addressed the Vatican representative and said: “We hope that you deliver our message to your friends and tell them that we are ready to cooperate to discuss these pressing issues and to counter corruption with you.”

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