Should any Sunni Nation Get Invaded, Shiites are Obliged to Defend It

It is incumbent upon any Muslim especially Shiites to defend Sunni nations should they ever be invaded by the atheists, preventing the enemies attacking the invaded nation(s). Shiites must treat them this way under any circumstances.

Reiterating on his previously issued fatwa, Grand Ayatollah Wahid Khorasani raised some clear invaluable points regarding how to interact with Sunni Muslims and how to treat those who try to divide the Muslims in a meeting with Ayatollah Mohsen Araki, the Secretary General of the World Forum for the Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought.

Suggesting that those Shiite scholars and/or clergies who provoke divisions among the Muslims are so far away from being experts in Islamic Jurisprudence, the Grand Ayatollah said: such schools of thought and or individuals lack any expertise in Islamic Jurisprudence. Such a things cause some innocent bloods to be shed for no reason. But the infallible Imams have ordered us to do totally the reverse i.e. to interact with Sunni Muslims peacefully and amiably in order to keep the Muslim World united; the fact that has seriously been emphasized in religious teachings. Moreover, there is a valid Hadith from one of the Imams which reads: Perform your daily prayers in their (Sunni’s) mosques, visit their sick ones, and participate in their (Sunni People) funeral processions.

“There is another Hadith which reads: become an ornament for us, do not be a disgrace for us (کونوا لنا زیناً و لا تکونوا علینا شیناً). There are two distinct points implied in this hadith: a confirmatory one and a negatory one, the latter of which suggests that Shiites are not allowed to bear any animosity towards the followers of other Islamic sect;that they should not insult their sacred beliefs, and that cursing their respected elders are not permitted at all as it may drive them away from the AhlulBayt (P.B.U.T) and their teachings. On the other hand, the confirmatory point of the hadith which asks the Shiites to be an ornament for the AhlulBayt (P.B.U.T) (کونوا لنا زیناً) recommends a number of practical friendly measures to be done by Shiites including participating in the Sunnis’ communal prayers, treating them kindly, visiting their sick ones and teaching them the words of AhlulBayt (A.S)”, he added.

“The main problem is that we don’t know how to propagate the words and knowledge of the AhlulBayt (A.S) in the best way, i.e. through a confirmatory method. For instance there are volumes of great points in Nahj al-Balagha which needs to be properly understood and explained. Makasib and Jwaher-al-Kalam are two other great books in Shiite Jurisprudence for which there are no likes in all Islamic sects. Therefore, if such materials get spread and propagated, the Sunni people would accept the truth because they all possess a truth seeking nature and it is not logical to deny the truth when it is made clear. To sum it all up, we need to work more on the confirmatory aspect of propagating the words of AhlulBayt (A.S), as our early religious scholars such as Allameh Helli did. We had better look into their behaviors, their books, their debates etc. in this regard. In Short, I believe that the only correct approach for spreading Shiite beliefs and the teachings of AhlulBayt (A.S) is moderation”, said the Ayatollah.

As concluding remarks in his meeting with Ayatollah Araki, the Grand Ayatollah Wahid said that the Almighty Allah says in the holy Quran that “do not let your hatred for a group makes you depart from justice; be just, that is nearest to piety” (ولا یجرمنّکم شنئان قومٍ علی ألّا تعدلوا اعدلوا هو أقرب للتقوی). Once I was asked through Istifta that some radical Sunni believe that Shiites are atheists and consider shedding their bloods as Halal. How should we treat them in response? My answer was that when someone declares the Shahada, i.e. by mere expressing these two statements, his blood and properties gets protected. It is incumbent upon any Muslim especially Shiites to defend Sunni nations should they ever be invaded by the atheists, preventing the enemies attacking the invaded nation(s). Shiites must treat them this way under any circumstances. ولا یجرمنکم شنئان قومٍ علی ألّا تعدلوا، أعدلوا هو أقرب للتقوی. The Sunni Ulama (scholars) greatly welcomed and praised such fatwa and it was recorded in history as a document).