‘Arab NATO’ is currently being formed

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi referred to the creation of an ‘Arab NATO’ and warned against an enemy alliance against Shi’ahs noting, “by creating this alliance, the US seeks to do the same thing that they are doing in Syria, Iraq and Yemen in other countries.”

Speaking during a meeting of representatives of the holy shrines at Qom’s Imam al-Kadhim Seminary, Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi said that unity and solidarity between the holy shrines is a blessed act and has many effects and added, “We live in a time when individual actions have little effect and community work has a very impressive effect.”

According to Rasa, the revered source of emulation said that despite the efforts of the enemies, the people are turning toward the Ahlul-Bayt in greater numbers and added, “On the eve of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, I was exiled to Mahabad and became friends with the Sunni scholars there and I told them the whole country is seething in rage and asked them why they’re not angry and have remained silent.”

He continued, saying, “They answered and told me, ‘you have two means of capital that we don’t have – the first is that you have organizations which have been established in the name of Imam Husayn and the Ahlul-Bayt and when you raise their flags, the people gather around them. The second is that you have independent scholars but we are on the government payroll. You’re also independent and can express your own thoughts.”

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi said that it was in Mahabad that he realized the blessings of the Infallible Imams that God has given us in order for us to develop and said, “During the movement of Arba’in al-Husayn, millions of people from around the world gathered in Karbala, without the advertising and media resources. This is a great source of capital and we should appreciate this.”

His Eminence said the enemies of the Shi’ah are in alliance with each other and the issue of the “Arab NATO” which was suggested by US President Donald Trump and added, “They want to do the same things that they are doing in Syria, Iraq and Yemen in other countries too.”

The teacher in the Islamic Seminary of Qom said that in such circumstances, we should be united with each other and the unity of the Holy Shrines is a plan which invites more people toward unity and should be implemented along with pilgrimages, cultural issues, beliefs, ethics and Islamic education in a guaranteed and sufficient manner.

Ayatollah Makarem-Shirazi added. “I would say to the pilgrims ‘if you want to know if your pilgrimage has been accepted or not, look and see if after your pilgrimage whether you have changed or are still as you were before. If you have a new spirit and a clean heart, it means that your pilgrimage was accepted.”