Shaikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdol-Hamid began his speech by the Noble Qur’anic verse: «ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ», (Calamities have appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of the people have earned, so that He (Allah) makes them taste some of what they did, in order that they may return (to the right way).) in the 23rd graduation ceremony of Darululoom Zahedan.
Talking to tens of thousands Sunni citizens in Zahedan, southeastern Iran, on Thursday 29 May, 2014, he termed ‘sins and misdeeds’ the main cause of Muslim world’s crises and ‘repentance and acting upon Islamic Shari’ah’ the only remedy for Muslim Ummah.
Khateeb of Sunnis in Zahedan alluded to the ongoing situation of the Muslim world and said, “The entire world suffers from various kinds of troubles. Meanwhile Muslim world has been suffering from civil wars and sectarian clashes. Masjids get destroyed while worship places of both Muslims and non-Muslims must remain safe. Some rulers use weapons of mass destruction and massacre Muslims. Women and children, who should be respected and receive mercy, are subjected to insult and murder. Imagine if the Last Messenger, peace be upon him, and the Companions, may Allah be pleased them, were alive witnessing this condition; what they would react?”
He added more, “It is so regrettable there are sectarian and blind conflicts in many Muslim states; people lose their lives just because of their religion, sect, tribe, language and family.”
“Muslim countries face a deadlock and Muslim rulers cannot sit together to resolve their differences. Ulama and elite Muslim men also do not enjoy a good power to advance and unanimously present solutions to the crises of Muslim states. There is a drastic rupture in the Muslim world in social and individual levels. Even the UN cannot offer any effective and remedial to resolve international crises. Despite stupendous advancements in science and technology, the world is in dilemma and deadlock,” Shaikh Abdol-Hamid pointed out.
Indicating to the root cause of the current crises and problems, he went on saying, “By turning the pages of the Noble Qur’an, we can easily understand the main reason behind those crises is committing sins and misdeeds as people go to opposite direction of their intact nature.”
The rector of Darululoom Zahedan said, “Unfortunately, today’s Muslims show negligence and different classes of the society are involved in various big and small sins. This laziness includes prayers, Zakah and other Islamic commands. Sins have attacked the society and efforts of the preachers and scholars cannot prevent misdeeds and iniquities. All complain of their ‘lost’ rights; nations are discontented with governments and governments are displeased with nations.”
The senior member of the International Union for Muslim Scholars mentioned the only remedy of Muslim Ummah in the light of the Noble Qur’an and said, “The Great Book of Allah suggests the only remedy for crises is returning to Allah. So all of us should return towards Allah who is our Creator and Owner. This is the way to get rid of personal, social, economic, political and other kinds of crises. The Sublime has promised Muslims’ mass repent makes them prosperous; «و توبوا إلی الله جمیعا أیها المؤمنون لعلکم تفلحون», (And repent to Allah O believers, all of you, so that you may achieve success.) [Noor: 31].
Pointing out to the great status of the Noble Qur’an in the 23rd graduation ceremony of Darululoom Zahedan, he said, “The Noble Qur’an is the best and most comprehensive book that is the proof of Islam’s truthfulness. Teachings and Sunnahs of the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, are explanations and glosses of the Qur’an. Allah Almighty has bestowed Muslims the blessings of the Qur’an and Islam; I swear the ‘civilized’ world needs this religion. The only way to get salvation is returning to the Qur’an and Sunnah, and embracing Islam.”
“It is regretful, we, as Muslims, have gone away from Islam instead of acting upon the directions of it and presenting Islam to non-Muslims. That is why, Muslim societies suffer from various punishments and crises. All Muslims can get their due position and respect in the world by repentance and exercising on the blessed teachings of Islam. It was Islam which made the Companions perfect and they reached to the peak of respect by Islamic Shari’ah. Islam has been experienced; there is no need to examine it again,” Shaikh Abdol-Hamid concluded his points.
Iran’s Sunnis want Rouhani to fulfil his promises
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid has urged in the second part of his speech before more than one hundred thousand Sunnis gathered in Darululoom Zahedan to participate in the graduation ceremony of the seminary “the Iranian Sunni community preserves fraternity and wants the president to fulfil his promises on the rights of ethnic groups and sects.”
The rector of Darululoom Zahedan said, “The votes of Sunni citizens to Dr. Rouhani have made it clear that Sunnis want full and equal implementation of the national constitution. They want removal of discrimination in all levels; there must not be any partial or personal execution of law. Sunnis cost their votes in favor of Rouhani to see freedom of speech and get other liberties stated in the constitution. They want to be participated in the management of their country and stop of discriminative rules in employment.”
“These are the main demands of Sunnis; they are our due rights not more. If we get our due rights and respect, it will be in accordance with the interests of the ruling regime, and Shia and Sunni communities; this is the way to strengthen fraternity and national unity. We ask the ‘government of hope and discretion’ to fulfill its promises regarding the matters of ethnic and religious groups. The Sunni community will play a key role in bringing brotherhood and national unity in future as the past,” Mawlana Abdol-Hamid underlined.
He called on Muslim sects to focus on common points and said, “All Muslim sects believe in Islam; this perfect religion gathers us. Shia and Sunnis must avoid sectarian disputes; instead they should focus on their common tenets and points. The Noble Qur’an asks the followers of other divine religions to gather and agree upon the common tenet of monotheism. Muslim sects have much more for unity.”
The outstanding Sunni leader shed light on stances and viewpoints of the Iranian Sunni community and said, “The Iranian Sunnis agree on some points unanimously; they believe in unity and fraternity of Sunnis and Shias. It has roots in Islamic teachings, thus different classes and communities of the Sunni community have no differences in this regard. This unity is not any political unity as the European Union countries have; Muslims’ unity is ‘Islamic’ which has root in the Qur’an.”
“Secondly, they (Sunnis) have consensus on the constitution. Although there are some weak points in the national law which can be rectified by referendum but it is one of the best constitutions across the world. Sunnis take part in different elections that is a clue Sunnis accept the rule of the Islamic Republic of Iran. They respect the leader and follow his orders,” he added more.
Shaikh Abdol-Hamid urged on ‘pursuit of demands by dialogue’ and went on to say more, “The Iranian Sunnis unanimously urge on peaceful ways to pursue their demands and get their rights by dialogue. They refuse assassination, murder and violence. We endure imprisonment but do not take arms and violent ways to resolve our problems. All Sunni Ulama in the country refuse and denounce violence in any shape and way. Thus, I would like to call on all armed men inside or outside of the country to give up their weapons and follow the matters by dialogue.”
Khateeb of Sunnis in Zahedan reminded the audience, “There is no any difference between Baluch and non-Baluch communities in our view, as we do not see any discrimination between Shias and Sunnis. The murder of a Baluch or a Persian is equal in our viewpoints. We are sure about the accuracy of our opinion.”
Alluding to the problem of Islamic education of Sunnis in Iran, Mawlana Abdol-Hamid stated, “Sunnis of Iran live in different provinces and cities including metropolises; they need education and some places for establishing prayers. There should not be any restriction or ban on the education of our children. I would like to request my Sunni brothers and sisters to establish their prayers fraternally; the constitution allows them to offer prayers freely.”
In another part of his speech, the chairman of the Coordination Council of Sunni Seminaries in Sistan-Baluchistan addressed Ulama and people of Sunni-populated Kurdistan and Golestan provinces, saying, “I have a message for Sunnis especially their Ulama in Kurdistan and Golestan to make plans for Islamic education of sisters. The bone contention of many problems in the society returns to education. We are ready to help and share our experiences with Ulama of these regions in this field.”
At the end of his speech, Shaikh Abdol-Hamid urged on respect of Ulama regardless to their sects and said, “Sanctity of scholars whether they are Sunnis or Shias must be preserved; nobody should insult them. Offense of one scholar is, in fact, offense of all Ulama. The respect of all Muslim sects should be protected; brotherhood can be protected if sanctities are respected.”