Grand Ayatollah Sobhani’s six practical suggestions to deal with Takfir and religious violence

According to Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA), Grand Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ja’far Sobhani, made the remarks in a closing speech of the World Congress on Extremist and Takfiri Movements in the Islamic Scholars’ View, which kicked off in the Iranian holy city of Qom on Monday.  Having the scientific responsibility of the Congress, at the beginning of his speech he welcomed the participants of the congress and thanked them, adding:

“Scholars and thinkers accepted our invitation and presented great articles at the congress and if we publish them in different languages will be more effective globally, as can Fatwas (religious decrees) of religious leaders in this field be. May Allah reward you for your efforts.

He added: In some articles, strategies for dealing with the Takfiri phenomenon [such as ISIS, ISIL, al Nusrah…] are presented. We heard fulfilling lectures indicating that the dear guests present in the Congress condemn all forms of Takfir and believe that neither God nor Ulamas of Islam will accept it. We as a Muslim believe only the Islamic court can call a person “infidel” [nor a person or a forged group for personal proposes].

Addressing the audience in Arabic, with the emphasis on the issue of Takfir as "totally condemned" and "inconsistent with the rules of Islam" he added: the Takfir is a disaster, tragedy and a disease that has emerged in Muslim societies. What is its treatment?

Grand Ayatollah Sobhani, noting the treatment to the Takfir phenomenon cannot be limited only to the articles and Fatwas, said: “It is necessary to present plans to root out this phenomenon; therefore I suggest ways to overcome the Takfiri movements”.

He considered "informing the citizens of Islamic countries through the media and mosques about the dangers of Takfiri tendencies" the first practical proposal to deal with Takfir and said: if there is evil in society, we must stand against it. Today, excommunication of people who say prayer and perform Hajj is considered the greatest evil, for because of this evil, Muslims consider other Muslim brothers and kill them, whereas evil should be associated with Zionist regime.

The great master of the Qom Seminary School announced "promotion of the true Islamic culture" as his second proposal and said: Islamic Culture invites people to brotherhood and solidarity among Muslims and not only among Muslims but also among all communities. In this culture, Muslim blood is reverent, but Takfir and Takfiri movements with their atrocities distort the image of Islam as if Islam is the religion of the blood-thirsty.

Ayatollah Sobhani considered "scholarly meetings" another way to eradicate Takfiris and explained: to ascertain the purpose such meetings should continue. Such congresses should be held free from personal bias and egoistic desires to form the link between scholars of Islam. There are currently a large number of scholars gathered at the congress and upon returning their country they will point the serious nature of these issues to their people. Scholarly delegations participating in the congress should provide their country’s media with anti-Takfir content to inform younger generations and different groups of people and stand against the Misleading information the Takfiris release through their own media.

His eminence’s fourth proposition was “Reference to the original sources of sects”. He said: no doubt there are ideological and juridical differences between Muslims, and each group has its own reasons. But if we want to become familiar with a sect we must refer to the original sources, which are written by the great scholars of that sect. one of the reasons we move away from each other is that we do not refer to the original sources and texts of each others’ sects. In this issue, we should not have negligence.

“Modification of the provocative content of texts which have Takfiri tendencies " was another practical way offered by his eminence. He said: there are seditious content in junior and high school textbooks of some countries. You can see in their religious textbooks of schools that: “predecessors’ Shirk (polytheism) was less than today’s Shirk". In the school lessons in some countries it is written that "recourse to prophets is Shirk". Supervisory departments and ministries also allow the publication of these seditious contents and our young generations are affected by these misleading contents, thus terrorism will continue to exist.

Ayatollah Sobhani, pointing out that the roots of Takfir are misunderstanding of faith, infidelity, monotheism, Shirk and innovation, proposed "holding a conference for these five concepts" as the last proposition and said: it is necessary to be done; for the leaders of Takfiri groups direct the verses of Holy Quran which were revealed towards infidels, toward the believers.

With a passing reference to the duality of global arrogance in dealing with Takfiri terrorists, his eminence said: one of the wonders of our time is that at some time the Western countries’ ministers condemn terrorism in a country and consider it un-Islamic and at another time, they support the terrorist acts in another country.

His eminence in conclusion said: we ask God Almighty to save the participants of this congress; and God is aware of our intentions.

The congress was held under supervision of “Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi” and “Grand Ayatollah Sobhani Tabrizi” in association with “Ahlul Bayt World Assembly”, “World Forum of Proximity of Islamic Thought”, “Management of seminaries”, “Daralalam Institute” (studies of Wahhabism) and “Almostafa International University” on November 23 and 24 at “International conference hall of the Prophet (PBUH)” located at “Cultural Complex and Seminary School of Imam Kadhim (A) in Qom, Iran.