Najaf Friday Prayer Leader:

Ayatollah al-Sistani’s position on Kurdistan’s independence is final

Rasa – Hujjat al-Islam al-Qubanchi referred to the statement issued by Ayatollah al-Sistani regarding the separation of the Kurdistan region, saying, “Ayatollah al-Sistani’s position on Kurdistan’s independence is final.”

News ID: 432922

Date: 07 October 2017 - 00:11

RNA – In his Friday prayer sermon delivered to a large and fervent crowd of believers in the Iraqi city of Najaf’s al-Fatimiyah al-Kubra Husayniyah, Hujjat al-Islam Sayyid Sadruddin al-Qubanchi offered his congratulations to Iraq on the liberation of the village of al-Hawijah, which is located in Iraq’s northern Kirkuk Governorate, from the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group saying, “We appreciate the al-Abbas Battalion, which is affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces, for their liberation of the village of al-Riyadh [located near al-Hawijah].”

The Iraq Shi’ah cleric explained that the unity of the Kurds and Arabs protects Iraq from any political disagreements and added, “The Federal Court should express its positions to protect the constitution and legal rights of the country.”

Referring to the agreement between Iran and Turkey to oppose the separation of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Hujjat al-Islam al-Qubanchi expressed regret at the criticism of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs regarding the Popular Mobilization Forces and al-Azhar University.

He referred to Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani’s statement regarding the Kurdistan Region’s referendum which was issued by the revered source of emulation’s representative, Hujjat al-Islam Sayyid Ahmad al-Safi, at Friday prayers in Karbala.

Through his representative sermon, Ayatollah al-Sistani called on the Kurdistan Regional Government “to return to the constitutional path” pursuing self-determination for the Kurds and for the preservation of the unity of the Kurds and Arabs.

He also warned against the unfavorable repercussions of separation and division in the Iraqi nation, stressing that this would pave the way for foreign interference in the affairs of the country.

Hujjat al-Islam al-Qubanchi welcomed the efforts of the University of Baghdad to ban the promotion and teaching of Wahhabi books at universities and also welcomed the free examinations for the families of martyrs.

His Eminence condemned the terrorist in the American city of Las Vegas on October 1 which led to the deaths of 59 people and the injury of 489 others and stressed, “We are against any act of terrorism.”

Referring to a statement by Hans-Georg Massen, the head of Germany’s domestic security service, statement about the presence of 1,800 terrorists in Germany, the Friday prayer leader of Najaf, said, "The world needs to be prepared to deal with terrorist acts."

Hujjat al-Islam al-Qubanchi said that more than six million pilgrims visited Karbala to participate in the Ashura commemorations and stated, “We appreciate and thank the people, the security officials and service centres for the magnificent commemoration of this commemoration. The authorities of the Husayni tents offered the best service to the pilgrims.”

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