Shaikh Abdol-Hamid warned on monopolization of universities and educational institutes and criticized discriminative policies which deprive Sunnis from education.
He said in a part of his Friday speech of 21st Sep. 2018: “It is the worst kind of meanness to not allow children of any particular sect, race or tendency to develop in education; it is a mere misery and Allah does not forgive such mean people.”
“Universities are among the most important educational centers for training and upbringing educated individuals. There should not be sectarian thoughts in the Ministry of Education and its provincial bureaus and universities. Rather national thoughts should rule in such offices and all sects should have share in them,” Shaikh Abdol-Hamid underlined.
“The way should be paved for all equally and fairly to get education. Employing teachers and directors also should be fairly without any discrimination in Sunni-populated areas,” he added more.
The most influential Iranian Sunni scholar expressed his regret over lack of university graduates among the Sunni community and said: “Unfortunately, the Iranian Sunni community, especially in Sistan-Balochistan, has been victim of sectarian discrimination in education and getting higher degrees in universities. Discrimination deprived our children from continuing their education process.”
“We also show negligence and we have not planned and invested on our children’s education as we should have done. Families should not allow their children to drop out of schools. If it is needed, sell out home stuff for school expenses of your children,” he stressed.
Equality is strategy of the prophet, his companions and households
Shaikh-ul-Islam Mawlana Abdol-Hamid went on to say more: “By slogan nothing can be done. There should be acts. We have been hearing lots of slogans since the revolution in the past 40 years but few acts. There should not be any discrimination among ethnic and religious sects.”
“It is the strategy of our enemies to create disputes and provoke us against each other. We should prove by act that there is no difference between Shia and Sunni communities in the country,” he added more.
Khateeb of Sunni said: “The correct and divinely approved strategy is the one which is away from discrimination and injustice. Allah does not accept a strategy which creates differences among communities. Equality is the strategy of Islam followed by the prophet, peace be upon him, and his companions and households.”
He informed that there were offices and bureaus run by one family. He said: “There must be a resistance against monopoly. Some directors employ only their relatives and family members. There are familial offices run by those who proclaim to be loyal to the supreme leader.”
“Those who claim to be loyal to the supreme leader/Velayat-e Faqih, they should know the supreme leader does not belong only to any particular sect. if he is restricted to one sect, then where should go the other ones?” Shaikh questioned.
He said: “When rulers and higher authorities trust on any director and engage him on any post, he should see all ethnic and religious sects. This can make us united. Short-sightedness is against the interests of Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Mawlana Abdol-Hamid urged on religious freedom of Sunnis in Iran and said: “When people want to build a mosque or offer prayers, they should not be forbidden. No one is allowed to restrict people’s due freedoms and ban on the prayers.”
At the end of his speech, he expressed his happiness with admission of 17 students of one high school of Saravan in medical sciences and medicine major and applauded Abdullah Raisi, a student from Saravan who stood second in the whole country in humane sciences entrance exams of the current year.