Ayatollah Taskhiri's way, best method for promotion of Islamic proximity: Senior cleric

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The former representative of Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Hajj and pilgrimage affairs hailed late Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Taskhiri as a devout defender of Islam and Shiism and said his way of promoting Islamic proximity was the best.

Hojat-ol-Islam Seyed Ali Qazi Askar was speaking Monday at a memorial service held in Tehran on the 7th day after the death of Ayatollah Taskhiri.

It was attended by scholarly, seminary, academic and cultural figures with social distancing and other measures in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The program began with recitation of verses from the Holy Quran by prominent Qaris Karim Mansouri and Hamid Reza Ahmadi Vafa.

Next, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei’s message of condolence was read out and elegy recitations were performed.

In his address, Hojat-ol-Islam Qazi Askar described Ayatollah Taskhiri as an erudite Faqih (jurisprudent) and a pious man.

He knew politics and domestic and international issues very well and had consequential presence in the international arena, Hojat-ol-Islam Qazi Askar said.

He also underlined the late cleric’s role in promoting proximity among Islamic schools of thought.

Ayatollah Taskhiri died of a heart attack at a hospital in the Iranian capital Tehran last Tuesday at the age of 76.

A renowned religious figure in the Muslim world, Ayatollah Taskhiri also served as head of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization and advisor to the Leader on Muslim world affairs.

During the time he served as secretary general of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, he made great efforts towards reinforcing unity among Muslims.

He wrote and translated tens of books on Islam and the Muslim world.

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