Al-Azhar Statement about War on Iran Far from Reality: Iraqi Analyst
In recent days, the Fatwa Council of Al-Azhar Islamic Center issued a statement, condemning Iran’s military actions against American and Zionist bases and interests in Arab countries as “a violation of the sovereignty of these countries” and calling it “a step towards regional instability”.
This stance was met with widespread and critical reactions in Iran and eslehwere; reactions that were announced by official religious institutions, scholars, and media circles through separate statements and messages.
In many of these analyses, it was emphasized that hasty and unilateral stances could lead to a decrease in convergence in the Islamic world and a weakening of the common front against external threats.
Some analysts also believe that such disagreements among religious institutions in the Islamic world double the need for greater dialogue and interaction between religious centers and, if they continue, could affect religious and political relations between Islamic countries.
Meanwhile, Alaa Al-Khatib, an Iraqi political analyst, media activist and editor of the London-based newspaper Al-Mustaqbal described al-Azhar’s statement as being far from reality.
Following are some of his remarks about the issue:
It seems that Al-Azhar’s statement, which condemned what was called the aggression against the countries bordering the Persian Gulf, was influenced by media propaganda, and in it the American and Zionist bases and the number of soldiers that these countries host and were used to invade the Islamic Republic were forgotten; just as Al-Azhar forgot the criminal act of the United States and Israel in assassinating Imam Khamenei and other Iranian commanders.
The United States and Israel initiated this cruel aggression, and because during the aggression American bases in the region were used, Iran also attacked them. From the very beginning and before the war began, Iran had warned that American interests in the region would be targeted, and these would be legitimate targets.
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This issue should have been fully addressed by the Persian Gulf countries and they should have pressured the US not to use these bases as instruments of war. The existence of such bases as an alliance with the US means that these countries are, as Washington says, US allies.
The Persian Gulf countries themselves are responsible for this situation and have become US partners in this war. The same thing they did in Iraq and prepared the process of occupying and destroying this country for the US army.
The role that these countries have played is a dangerous role and despite Al-Azhar’s awareness of all these issues, the statement of this center was far from the reality and the genuine Islamic spirit.
It can be said that what Ayatollah A’rafi (an Iranian scholar) announced in a message to the Sheikh of Al-Azhar was sufficient and complete. Al-Azhar's responsibility as a genuine religious institution is not to issue condemnatory statements; rather, it is to bring Muslims together and encourage them to unity and brotherhood and condemn the aggressor.
Al-Azhar is a great Islamic center whose role should be active and motivating for the condemnation of America and Israel. Finally, it is necessary to recall the prophetic hadith that says, “Whoever believes in God and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.”
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