ABNA24 - The Mufti of Zambia, emphasizing the necessity of unity among Muslims, said: "We must not allow religious differences to lead to division and takfir. Rather, by referring to the Quran, the conduct of the Prophet (PBUH), and mutual respect, we must pave the way for the convergence of the Islamic Ummah."
Sheikh Asadullah Muwaleh, the Mufti of Zambia, on the sidelines of the 40th Islamic Unity Conferencespoke about the role of the thought of the martyred Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in strengthening Islamic unity, the consequences of division among Muslims, and the necessity of confronting takfir.
Referring to the place of unity in Islamic thought, he emphasized that the way to confront the differences and challenges of the Islamic world is to return to the Holy Quran, the conduct of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), and to strengthen mutual respect among Muslims.
What role has the thought of the martyred Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei played in strengthening Islamic unity and confronting contemporary challenges?
The thought of the martyred Imam Ali Khamenei was not a thought that originated from himself; rather, he took it from his noble grandfather, the Holy Prophet (PBUH), because the Prophet (PBUH) did not speak from desire, and what he said was divine revelation.
This thought has also been transmitted from the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), and the issue of Islamic unity is of great importance.
Today in Africa, even some Islamic names that were previously known are heard less. For example, the name "Khadijah," which is a well-known name in Islam, is heard less today in some regions of Africa, and other names are used more.
The martyred Imam Ali Khamenei raised this thought because the world has reached a stage where we must take actions that benefit the Islamic Ummah.
This thought is a good thought, because Muslims have become divided. Sometimes when Islam is mentioned, alongside it, error, takfir, killing, and other matters are also mentioned.
But the martyred Imam Ali Khamenei did not tell any country or individual that because you are Shia, you must be with me; rather, he said: come, let us gather around the word of God and Islamic unity.
In Islamic unity, no separation should be created between Shia and Sunni and other titles. If there is a difference or ambiguity about an issue, we must return it to the Book of God and the Prophet (PBUH). We must sit together, talk, and see where we have gone wrong. This is the very thought that the martyred Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei emphasized.
The martyred leader of the revolution emphasized the youth's reference to the Holy Quran and the Ahl al-Bayt (AS). Given that many African countries have been under the pressure of colonialism and global arrogance for years, have these countries been freed from these pressures?
Sometimes a person has facilities and money and says, "I want to help you so that your country progresses." But when you accept this money, other demands are made in return.
The martyred Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei emphasized that you should not become dependent on the world, but should remain steadfast in your position, whatever conditions arise.
Today, we are also witnessing the steadfastness of the Iranian people and the Islamic Republic of Iran after the war. What is your assessment of this resistance?
Today, the whole world sees this steadfastness and says, "Masha'Allah." They have set aside the problems and differences between Sunnis and Shia. The main problem is not in the heavenly books; the problem is in human thought.
The human being wants to impose something on what the Quran has said, and this very issue has become a problem.
What is the most important message you have as a Muslim scholar from Zambia and the African continent for this conference?
The message I have is that we do not want to fall into division and dispersion, and we do not want takfir to exist.
Every individual can have a viewpoint based on what they have understood and read. You have read this, and another has read something else; we must respect one another.
The most important issue is that we read and study the books. We should not read Islamic books only with the aim of going to Paradise; rather, we should read them to understand where the truth is.
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