AhlulBayt News Agency: The Friday prayer leader of Najaf Ashraf, Hojatoleslam Sayyed Sadruddin Qabanji, has stressed that Iran’s Islamic Revolution is neither ethnic nor nationalistic, but a global Islamic movement, declaring that Iraq will stand firmly alongside Iran in the face of any aggression.
Delivering his Friday sermon at the Fatimiyya Grand Husayniyya in Najaf, Hojatoleslam Qabanji said the Islamic Revolution of Iran represents a civilizational project rooted in Islam and resistance, not a narrowly defined national agenda.
“We openly declare that in the face of any act of aggression against Iran, we will stand by its side,” he said. “This is not merely a political confrontation; for us, it is a battle over identity and existence.”
In another part of his sermon, Qabanji condemned what he described as an attack on Iraq’s religious and social fabric through the dissemination of a Takfiri publication titled Hal Ataka Hadith al-Rafidah, authored by the late al-Qaeda-linked militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
He called on the Syrian government to respect the principles of good neighborliness and to refrain from reviving extremist rhetoric that targets the identity of Iraq’s majority population. “Such language belongs to a dark and destructive past and must not be allowed to resurface,” he warned.
Addressing internal Iraqi issues, the Najaf cleric criticized delays in salary payments across several government ministries, urging authorities to resolve the crisis without further delay. “Our people deserve dignity, service, and appreciation—not hardship and prolonged uncertainty,” he said.
He also addressed the ongoing delay in the election of Iraq’s president, noting that responsibility currently lies with Kurdish political factions. Qabanji stressed that Iraqi Shiite forces do not interfere in Kurdish affairs but called on Kurdish leaders to reach consensus and resolve the constitutional deadlock through unity and dialogue.
Regarding the selection of a prime minister, he expressed confidence that Iraq would ultimately overcome its political challenges, urging members of the Coordination Framework to intensify efforts to stabilize the situation. He made reference to the exposure of corruption files linked to a “disgraced individual,” saying such revelations underscore the urgency of political accountability.
In the religious portion of his sermon, Qabanji emphasized the importance of piety, citing passages from Munajat Sha‘baniyya attributed to Imam Ali (peace be upon him), highlighting four essential spiritual principles: constant remembrance of God, loyalty to divine covenants, gratitude, and unwavering commitment to God’s commands.
Marking the birth anniversary of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance), he quoted a narration from Imam Musa al-Kadhim (peace be upon him) praising steadfast believers during the period of occultation and reaffirming their elevated status on the Day of Judgment.
Qabanji praised the successful organization of the mid-Sha‘ban pilgrimage to the shrine of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) in Karbala, expressing gratitude to the Iraqi people, religious seminaries, volunteers, and service groups for ensuring the event’s success.
He also paid tribute to the historic fatwa of jihad al-kifa’i issued by Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali al-Sistani in response to the Daesh terrorist threat, stating that Iraq would have collapsed had it not been for that decisive religious ruling. “We are indebted to the author of that blessed fatwa, and so will future generations be,” he said.
Concluding his sermon, Qabanji reflected on the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, noting that two competing visions had existed in Iran: one advocating “Iran for Iranians” and another promoting “Iran for Islam and Muslims.”
He stressed that Iran’s leadership chose the latter path, transforming the revolution into a global Islamic movement. “The Islamic Revolution is not ethnic; it is Islamic and universal,” Qabanji said. “That is why we say clearly: any aggression against Iran is an aggression against our identity, our faith, and our future.”
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