Lebanese Sunni Scholar:

Takfiris use Sunni Islam to further goals in region

Rasa – Shaykh Ahmad al-Qattan, a renowned Lebanese Sunni scholar referred to the dangers of the Takfiri phenomenon to the Middle East and stressed that ISIL and other Takfiri groups have misappropriated Sunni Islam as a tool to accomplish their goals in the region.

News ID: 3056

Date: 01 August 2015 - 17:00

RNA – Speaking on the Lebanese satellite channel al-Mayadeen, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qattan, the head of Lebanon's Qawluna wal-Amal (Say and Act) Society noted the important points made in the secretary-general of Hezbollah, Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah’s recent speech.

Quoting Sayyid Nasrallah’s truthful words, Shaykh al-Qattan said that some people assume that religious minorities, including the Shi’ites, have no legal rights and governance should be managed with the views of the majority Sunnis and Shi’ites should not have a say.

The Lebanese Sunni scholar said that Sunnis should accept responsibility for their work in society, but in reality, they refuse this action. “Unfortunately today, certain groups invite people to Islam and to the Sunni school of thought, but in fact the Sunni school of thought has become a cover for them to achieve their criminal objectives,” he warned.

He pointed to the misuse of Sunni Islam by ISIL and the al-Nusrah Front and noted that these terrorist groups claim to defend the Sunnis in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, but what actually happens on the ground is contrary to their claims.

His Eminence said that the Future Movement is just like ISIL and the al-Nusrah Front because of their extremist discourse based on hatred, deceit and prejudice. This discourse says that anyone who is not with them is their enemy and for this reason, they always accuse Hezbollah, although it has been a great honour for Lebanon and accomplished an important victory in the 2006 war.

Shaykh al-Qattan said that the methods used by the Future Movement are not Sunni methods and the political party is a secular movement which considers Lebanon as more important than Islam. The March 14 Alliance, which the Future Movement is part of, considers the Shi’ites and Hezbollah as its main enemy and for this reason, ISIL is hiding behind the Future Movement and their allies. For this reason, this coalition of political parties has not acted against the Takfiri terrorist group.

He requested those who claim to be Sunni leaders to follow Sayyid Hasan Nasrallah and stated that the Future Movement and Takfiri groups who are fighting against Shi’ites and Iran have listed Hezbollah as a top priority and has forgotten their true enemy, Israel.

Sayyid Nasrallah, along with Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei and other Iranian leaders always speak highly of Palestine and emphasize that Israel is the main enemy of Muslims.

Shaykh al-Qattan also emphasized that the Zionist regime and Takfiri terrorists are two sides of the same coin and noted that terrorist organizations are implementing the American-Zionist plots. They are misusing the name of Islam under the pretext of supporting the Sunnis with the slogans of “la ilaha illa-llah [there is no god but God]” and “Allahu Akbar [God is the Greatest]” to kill Muslims, create dissention and enflame tribal divisions.

“Those who are accustomed to murder and cutting open another’s body and biting into their heart and liver are not the follower of the Holy Prophet (S) or his companions (A),” he stressed.

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