Seminar in Karbala Hails Ayatollah Sistani’s Role in Enhancing Unity, Countering Foreign Meddling

TEHRAN (IQNA) – A seminar was held in the holy city of Karbala, Iraq, this week in which the speakers lauded the role of senior Shia cleric Ayatollah Seyed Ali al-Sistani for his role in boosting unity and confronting foreign interference.

The seminar was held under the title of “role of good leadership in nations’ progress” by Al-Warith Human Development and Strategic Studies Institute, which is affiliated to the Astan (custodianship) of Imam Hussein (AS) holy shrine.

It aimed to study the role of revolutionary leaders in history, especially those following Islamic rules and teachings in their leadership strategies.

It was attended by the custodian of Imam Hussein (AS) holy shrine, Sheikh Abdul Mahdi Al-Karbalayi, head of the Shia Awqaf Department Haidar al-Shammari and other senior clerics, scholars, and researchers.

Al-Shammari in his speech said the Shia Marjaiya (religious authority) has faced many crises over the centuries but they have not been able to undermine it because of the firm belief of the faithful in the need to refer to the Marjaiya.

Referring to Ayatollah Sistani’s leadership, he said the top cleric has taught the lesson of firm resistance against foreign forces and their plots.

He also highlighted Ayatollah Sistani’s emphasis on the importance of unity among followers of different faiths in Iraq and their respect for one another’s beliefs as well as his support for religious minorities in the country, which greatly helped to prevent disunity and discord among the people.

Hassan Rashid al-Ajayabi, the secretary general of the Astan, was another speaker who said Ayatollah Sistani has always rejected any foreign interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and underlines the country’s all-out independence.

Another cleric Seyed Ahemd al-Eshkevari in his address at the seminar elaborated on the role of religious leadership during the time of occultation of Imam Zaman (may God hasten his glad advent).

He said the issue of religious authority is an important one in Shia school of thought because it shapes people’s relationship with the religion.

Al-Eshkevari said the Marjaiya is not just a scholarly and Fiqhi (jurisprudential) source of reference but it is a firm, fundamental, robust, independent, and traditional religious-social system.

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