AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): On Thursday, June 4, 2024, the unveiling ceremony of the book “Barelvi School, Genealogy, Principles and Knowing the Movement” was held by ABNA News Agency in collaboration with the Islamic Propagation Office of the Qom Seminary, with the presence of the book’s author and a group of professors and researchers, in the Conference Hall of ABNA International News Agency.
The strong opposition of the Barelvi School against the Wahhabi sect
In this ceremony, Mohammad Ali Soleimani, advisor to the head of the Islamic Propagation Office of the Qom Seminary, stated, “Changing the approach of functionalism to problem-solving is one of the most important missions of the Islamic Propagation Office. For this goal and under the four intellectual and cultural departments, tasks were assigned to different departments of the Office. One of these department is the “Deepening Religious Faith” headed by Professor Mohammad Taqi Sobhani. It is also worth mentioning that Professor Sayed Mahdi Alizadeh Mousavi has also made many scientific and cultural efforts in this regard.”
Considering the knowledge about schools and thoughts as an undeniable necessity in human societies, he said, “This knowledge plays an important role in how to interact with schools and schools of thought, and the opportunities, threats, weaknesses, and strengths recognized in this field will provide the basis for correct policymaking and decision-making facing these thoughts and ideas.”
“The Barelvi school is trying to leave behind the extremism of contemporary extremist movements and show itself to be loyal to Islamic traditions. This school strongly opposes Wahhabism and commemorates teachings such as recourse (to Infallibles), Ziyarat, building shrines, and religious ceremonies, especially the birth of the Prophet (p.b.u.h),” Soleimani stated.
At the end of his speech, the adviser to the head of the Islamic Propagation Office of Qom Seminary stated, “In addition to the book about Barelvi School, other books have been authored by Hojat al-Islam Alizadeh Mousavi such as “Deobandi School and Jamaat Tabligh Movement” and “Political System in the Thought of Abul A'la al-Maududi” which were published by Bustan Ketab Institute.”
We have neglected the Sunnis who love AhlulBayt (a.s.)!
Further in the ceremony, explaining the Barelvi School, Hojat al-Islam Sayed Mahdi Alizadeh Mousavi, the author of the book “Barelvi School, Genealogy, Principles and Knowing the Movement” and the Representative of the Supreme Leader’s International Communications Office in Bangladesh, stated, “This school is a sub-branch of the Hanafi school. In the countries of the Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan and India, there are about 600 million Muslims who are classified under the Barelvi, Deobandi, or Ahl al-Hadith schools. In the last forty years, we have neglected a group of Sunnis who can be called “Twelver Imami Sunnis”. They are very fond of AhlulBayt (a.s.) and mourn in the month of Muharram. Perhaps due to their lack of familiarity with the issue of the caliphate of the AhlulBayt (a.s.), we have distanced ourselves from them, while they are very close to us and can even join us.”
In the continuation of his speech, he mentioned the capacities and potential of the Islamic world. “About 80% of Sunnis in the world are Sufis, and the lineage of Sufis in the Indian subcontinent and North Africa reaches one of the AhlulBayt (a.s.). When I visited their Sufi Lodges in the subcontinent, I noticed that they had circles for Dhikr of AhlulBayt (a.s.) and praised AhlulBayt (a.s.). Unfortunately, we are not related to this school of thought, and we are not familiar with them. This group of Sunnis is strongly opposed to Wahhabism, and they have written many books against them. Also, the ceremonies of Sunni Sufis show their affinity with Shia and their difference with Wahhabism.”
The belief of the followers of the Barelvi School in the issue of recourse to AhlulBayt (a.s.)
While referring to his research on the Barelvi school, the Representative of the Supreme Leader’s International Communications Office in Bangladesh, stated, “During my stay in India, I did comprehensive research about this school. 60 to 70 percent of Pakistani, as well as many Indian and Bangladeshi Sunnis, are Barelvi. During a visit to the office of Tahir al-Qadri, one of the main Barelvi ulama in Lahore, I saw a large photo of the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza (a.s.), which indicated their devotion to the Imam (a.s.).”
“Barelvi School believes in recourse and intercession,” Hojat al-Islam Alizadeh Mousavi continued, “I saw nearly 300 works related to the Barelvi School in different languages, including Persian, Arabic, and Urdu; the number of works in Persian and Arabic regarding this school was much less.”
At the end of his speech, the author of the book Barelvi School emphasized the importance of identifying the Sunni schools that related to the Shia and considered the neglect of these schools to be the cause of problems for the Shiites.
In another part of the ceremony, Hassan Sadraei Aref, head of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) International News Agency – ABNA – appreciated the participants for their presence in the ceremony and emphasized the readiness of the news agency to host book unveiling ceremonies.
At the end of the ceremony, the book “Barelvi School, Genealogy, Principles and Knowing the Movement” was unveiled, and Hojat al-Islam Alizadeh Mousavi, the author, signed a copy of the book and presented to the International News Agency of AhlulBayt (a.s.) – ABNA.
It is worth noting that the book “Barelvi School, Genealogy, Principles and Knowing the Movement” was compiled in 328 pages in the Religious Faith Deepening Department of the Islamic Propagation Office of the Qom Seminary and published by Bustan Ketab Institute. This book has presented a comprehensive explanation of the Barelvi School in three chapters: history, beliefs, and knowing this school in the contemporary era, relying on library and especially field studies.
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