Ijtihad Network Being Wise and Faithful Muslim in the Contemporary World
The book “Humanitarian Impacts of Supreme Religious Authority in Defending Christians and Religious Minorities” was written in Arabic by Dr. Sheikh Imad al-Kazemi, translated and published by Kadhimain Holy Shrine Intellectual and Cultural Affairs Dept.
The religious authority, over its long history, had shown open and transparent attitudes in dealing well with non-Muslims, who live in Muslim countries, by calling to protect their properties and their rights and defend them. Those were the important attitudes in expressing their interest in peaceful co-existence, and their protection for other minorities such as Christians. I will try in the coming pages to shed light on bright aspects in stressing the significance of maintaining peace and security in all the conditions that the Nation may live, including maintaining rights from loss or transgression. It is a mission of great importance, highlighting the greatness of the Islamic legislation that covers all aspects of life.
To explain this, we will give some examples that emphasized the humanitarian role of the Religious Authority and its recommendations to the believers as stated by his Eminence Sayed Ali Sistani in their fight against ISIS in 2014, and even before that, following the collapse of the Baathist regime in 2003. This clearly illustrates the unified methodology adopted by the Religious Authority in dealing with the Islamic Nations issues. The attitudes, Fatwas, and statements of his Eminence Sayed Ali Sistani had tremendous impacts on protecting the community from total disintegration, after the US occupation of Iraq in 2003.
All the statements passed by his Eminence, in addition to those declared by his agents and representatives, on maintaining the Muslims rights, and peaceful co-existence in general, and the rights of non-Muslims and minorities, in particular, were very expressive. I will mention ten examples that will give a bright image for those attitudes that history will always remember. They will be mentioned chronologically as issued, referring to the most trustworthy resources which documented the same period, i.e. “Declarations of Sayed Sistani on the Iraqi Issue”, compiled by Haj Hamid Al-Khaffaf, besides the official website of his Eminence Sistani.
These excerpts, though brief, pave the way before researchers for more detailed studies on those attitudes that stemmed from the Holy Islamic teachings calling for maintaining human dignity and mutual respect between all religions on the basis of their commonalities. It represents a universal message to the whole world and the different religious authorities urging for peaceful co-existence, maintaining commonalities and setting aside the differences that the enemies try to use to divide peoples. A researcher will see in the excerpts included good human examples on maintaining the unity of the Iraqi people to be taken as a practical lesson by other people living in countries of different religions and sects in their confrontation of the difficulties they experience. As the papers that I wrote earlier were published in an electronic form, and are now ready to be produced in a paper form, I would like to mention something about the Pope’s important visit, just for documentation purposes for any prospective researchers, besides the important views expressed about this visit, which underlined the role of the Supreme Religious Authority in protecting the nation.
I pray the Almighty for the best acceptance of my work, and to help us all follow this approach that preserves the dignity of the Islamic Nation in its struggle against misfortune.
Bibliographic Information
Title: Humanitarian Impacts of Supreme Religious Authority in Defending Christians and Religious Minorities
Author(s): Dr. Sheikh Imad al-Kazemi
Translator: Riadh alHasan
Publisher: Kadhimain Holy Shrine Intellectual and Cultural Affairs Dept
Length: 60 pages
Pub. Date: November 2021
