8 June 2012 - 19:30

Reacting to international conspiracies against Iraqi government, several Shia religious authorities or sources of emulation and religious scholars of Iraq have declared that efforts to topple Nouri al Maliki-led government are forbidden.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Grand Ayatollah Syed Ali Hussaini Sistani has said in a message to Moqtada al Sadr that he opposed differences between Shia Muslims and was of the view that the differences should be sorted out through talks.

Grand Ayatollah Sistani also advised Iraqi government to rectify its shortcomings and asked them not to adopt policies under any circumstances that caused division among Shiites.

Another Grand Ayatollah Syed Kazim Hussaini Haaeri has issued a religious decree in which he said that efforts to weaken the Iraqi government and cooperation with those making such efforts are forbidden.

He said that any step against the government and to impede the political system of Iraq and measures to create differences are also forbidden.

Religious decree of fatwa of Ayatollah Haaeri is important because it is said that he has many followers in Iraq and Moqtada al Sadr also follows him.

On the other hand, Ayatollah Shaikh Mehdi al Asefi, a noted scholar based in Najaf said that present government’s formation was fruit of those hundreds of thousands of martyrs who sacrificed their lives. He said that the government was formed after broad-based efforts.

He said that efforts to weaken Maliki-led government are not legitimate. He said plots against the government are tantamount to betray the blood of martyrs. He urged that all should desist from differences and follow legal course and adopt the way of constructive and positive negotiations.

/smh_