Scholars of Levant in Support of al-Quds Urge Defending Al-Aqsa, Supporting Syria

Under the title ” al-Aqsa A Cry of Right in the Nations’ Conscience”, the Syrian capital hosted Tuesday the gathering of “Scholars of Levant in Support of al-Quds.”

The conference was established by the Ministry of Syrian Awqaf [Religious Endowment] and in cooperation with the gathering of Muslim Scholars in Lebanon.

Various religious scholars from Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon participated in the conference that was held under the patronage of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

In their final statement, the conferees called the Arab and Islamic figures to confront the serious Zionist practices of Judaizing al-Quds and destruction activities of al-Aqsa Holy Mosque.

They also urged “Arab and Islamic media to expose and shed light on these practices.”
Moreover, the participants stressed that the Arab and international silence towards what is taking place in al-Quds is considered a participation in this horrible crime.
They further rejected terrorism, emphasizing the need to differentiate between it and the legitimate resistance.
In addition, the scholars called for exposing the Zionist crimes against the Palestinian people.

“We call the scholars in the Arab and Islamic nations to revive the culture of resistance among their people in order to defend rights and the holy sacred places, in addition to devoting religious discourse to support resistance in Palestine, South Lebanon and the occupied Syrian Golan,” the statement went on to stress.

The participants confirmed the right of the Palestinian people to resist the occupation, considering that “supporting the resistance in Palestine is a legitimate and humanitarian duty.”
They also highlighted “the importance of unity and rejection of sedition,” warning against the “instigative calls of some satellite channels that stoke sectarian sedition to fragment the united nation.”

“We call these channels to be realistic and credible serving joint issues in the interest of all sides,” the statement added, urging “the people of the Arab and Islamic nations to be united regardless of their racial and sectarian affiliations to face attempts of spreading sedition and fragmentation.”
The conferees further underscored that “Zionism has created fictitious enemies for Arabs with the aim of drawing their attention from their real enemy which is “Israel” and its supporters.”

Regarding the developments in Syria, the scholars expressed “support to Syria’s national line and efforts to preserve its territorial unity against all conspiracies which aim at undermining its security and stability.”
“We condemn instigative fatwas by some Muslim scholars in the Arab countries which violate the principles of Islam,” the statement stated adding that “it was better for those scholars if they stress stopping the bloodshed and getting out of the crisis.”

It also called “the people of the Islamic countries and the free people to defend justice,” urging “the international organizations to shoulder their responsibilities in protecting the rights of the Palestinians and the sacred sites in Palestine from the Zionist crimes to desecrate the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.”
In parallel, the participants denounced the terrorist sabotage acts in Syria which violates human ethics and all religions,” viewing that “these acts will enhance the people’s determination to overcome the crisis.”.

They also hailed the courageous and resistant stances of Syria’s people and government in support of the Palestinian cause to end the “Israeli” occupation.
Earlier, the first session of the conference entitled “al-Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque” started with announcing the formation of the Scholars of Levant Union and electing Dr. Mohammad Said Ramadan al-Bouti as its president.
Similarly, Sayyed Abbas al-Mousawi from Lebanon and Sheikh Tayssir al-Tamimi from Palestine, who didn’t attend because of the practices of the “Israeli” occupation, were elected as deputies.

The union included 60 members from Syria, 20 members from Lebanon, ten from Occupied Palestinian and five from Jordan.
The second session, was under the title “the Role of Levant Scholars in this Stage.” It discussed the conspiracy against Syria and the dangers of extremism and provocative fatwas (Rulings made by Muftis) on the Islamic nation in addition to the role of scholars in facing the conspiracy against Syria.
The third session was allocated for the final statement and recommendations.