Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom:‎

Unwise and insulting actions will not extinguish the bright light of the religious ‎authority

The Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom issued a statement in response to the Saudi ‎newspaper’s insult against Ayatollah al-Sistani.‎

News ID: 450356

Date: 06 July 2020 - 19:27

RNA – The Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom reacted to the publication of a cartoon ‎which insulted the revered religious authority Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani in the ‎Saudi-owned London-based daily “al-Sharq al-Awsat” newspaper.‎

The text of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom’s message is as follows:‎

In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

‎“Worldly life has been glamorized for the faithless…” [The Holy Quran 2:212] ‎

The insulting and indecent act of the Saudi newspaper “al-Sharq al-Awsat” in insulting ‎the High Shi’ah Authority (marja’ al-taqlid/source of emulation) in Iraq, Grand Ayatollah ‎Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, has caused regret and sorrow.‎

This despicable insult is, in fact, an insult to the religion and sanctities of Islam and ‎demonstrates corruption and anti-religion.‎

While announcing their disgust toward the insults perpetrated by the Saudi ‎mercenaries, the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom declares: The role of the Shi’ah ‎religious authorities and Islamic scholars in protecting the religious and national ‎identity of Iraq, as well as consolidating the political unity and solidarity of this nation ‎plays a lasting and undeniable role in history.‎

With years of struggle against British colonialism and arrogance, the Shi’ah religious ‎authority has strengthened the foundations of Iraq’s independence and freedom and ‎the brave Iraqi nation has overcome crises through wise management. Meanwhile, the ‎obligatory jihad fatwa of Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani, which mobilized the people and ‎strengthened the Islamic Resistance Axis in the fight against Daesh, is also of great ‎importance.‎

The great Shi’ah authority is respected by the people and the sacred Islamic Seminaries ‎throughout the Islamic world, and these irrational movements will not find fault with ‎the sacred and luminous jurisdiction of the religious authority and will not extinguish ‎their bright light. “…But God will perfect His light though the faithless should be ‎averse” [61:8].‎

Muslim nations around the world will respond to this affront to morals by behaving in ‎the manner of the righteous scholars and they will not fall into the trap of such ‎sedition. However, it is necessary to follow the demands of the Iraqi people, Islamic ‎scholars and sympathizers of the Islamic ummah in dealing with the insults to the ‎religious authority, and the wrongdoers should be reprimanded.‎

May God protect the existence of the great and honourable religious authorities for the ‎Iraqi nation and the Shi’ahs of the world and may the scholars of Islam and the ‎reformed and vigilant jurists continue to be in the shadow of the attention of Imam al-‎Mahdi. God-willing‏.‏

May the peace, mercy and blessings of God be with you,‎
Mohammad Yazdi ‎
Head of the Supreme Council of the Society of Seminary Teachers of Qom

Rasa News Agency

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