Qadir & Islamic Unity Forum Held in Athens
A forum titled “Qadir and Islamic Unity” was held in the Greek capital on Thursday, October 24.
It was organized by the Iranian Cultural Center in Athens, on the auspicious occasion of Eid Al-Qadir.
In an address, Iran’s Cultural Attaché Mohammad Hossein Mozaffari said in the media and even in some scientific forums the idea is spread that there is a religious war going on between Shia and Sunni Muslims.
They try to portray the clashes in the Muslim world as being religious whereas these clashes are all rooted in extremist ideologies and caused by radical groups who make up a small minority in the Muslim world, he said.
Mozaffari said these groups consider no difference between Shias and Sunnis and that is why they kill Sunnis in Syria, Somalia, and Libya just like they massacre Shias in mosques in Pakistan and Iraq.
He described these killings by a small deviated Wahabi group as the re-emergence of Khawarij in the 21st century.
Also speaking at the forum was Iran’s Ambassador to Greece, Behnam Behrouz, who said Qadir is one of unifying teachings of Islam.
He said Qadir is not a Shia teaching per se but is a manifestation of unity and fraternity among all Muslims.
Anna Estamo, a spokesperson for Greek Muslims, who was among the guests at the forum, regretted that radicalism has done a great deal of harm to the unity of Muslim world.
On Thursday, October 24, Muslims celebrated the Eid Al-Qadir, marking the event of Qadir on which the Holy Prophet (PBUH) announced Imam Ali (AS) as his successor.
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In an address, Iran’s Cultural Attaché Mohammad Hossein Mozaffari said in the media and even in some scientific forums the idea is spread that there is a religious war going on between Shia and Sunni Muslims.
They try to portray the clashes in the Muslim world as being religious whereas these clashes are all rooted in extremist ideologies and caused by radical groups who make up a small minority in the Muslim world, he said.
Mozaffari said these groups consider no difference between Shias and Sunnis and that is why they kill Sunnis in Syria, Somalia, and Libya just like they massacre Shias in mosques in Pakistan and Iraq.
He described these killings by a small deviated Wahabi group as the re-emergence of Khawarij in the 21st century.
Also speaking at the forum was Iran’s Ambassador to Greece, Behnam Behrouz, who said Qadir is one of unifying teachings of Islam.
He said Qadir is not a Shia teaching per se but is a manifestation of unity and fraternity among all Muslims.
Anna Estamo, a spokesperson for Greek Muslims, who was among the guests at the forum, regretted that radicalism has done a great deal of harm to the unity of Muslim world.
On Thursday, October 24, Muslims celebrated the Eid Al-Qadir, marking the event of Qadir on which the Holy Prophet (PBUH) announced Imam Ali (AS) as his successor.
1308240
