Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani: Enemy created ISIL, Boko Haram to tarnish image of Islam

Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Nouri-Hamadani noted that the enemy has created the Takfiri phenomenon and supports Salafis and Wahhabi terrorist groups, such as ISIL and Boko Haram, in order to tarnish the image of Islam.

The Grand Ayatollah made the remarks in a gathering of seminarians in the holy city of Qom.

Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani explained that with [seditious] plots the enemies seek to prevent the authentic knowledge of Islam from spreading throughout the world.

“They are well aware that the spread of authentic Islamic knowledge prevents them from draining the wealth of nations. Therefore, they seek to intimidate Muslims in order to keep them away from Islam,” he added.

Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani pointed message to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution (Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei) to the European and North American youth, saying: “As the Supreme Leader said, it is necessary to understand Islam from its original sources, otherwise young people will fall victim to extremist ideologies which claim to be Islamic but are [in reality] factions of Wahhabism and ISIL.”

He stressed that during the current era, it is necessary that scholars are aware and vigilant and to be among those who struggle against the various issues faced by society. “It has become very necessary to prepare individuals to fight against the extremist and deviant groups,” the revered source of emulation stated.

Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani cited the verse of the Holy Quran wherein God Almighty states: “Yet it is not for the faithful to go forth en masse. But why should not there a group from each of their sections go forth to become learned in religion, and to warn their people when they return to them, so that they may beware?” [9:122]

His Eminence explained this verse, saying that it is necessary for a group of people to learn about Islam and gain religious knowledge, and then go back to the people and preach the religion to others. This is the responsibility of seminary students as God has stated in the Holy Quran: “Go forth, whether [armed] lightly or heavily, and wage jihad with your possessions and persons in the way of God.” [9:41]

Ayatollah Nouri-Hamadani stated that it is the duty of some people to defend Islam with their pens in the soft war, as Shaykh Tusi and Shaykh Mufid did, and some people must go forth and defend Islam on the battlefield, following the example of Malik al-Ashtar.