Political Commentator: No Conflicts between Muslim Countries in United Muslim Ummah

Commenting on the practical steps Islamic countries should take to unite, he mentioned the duty of Muslim spiritual leaders to rise and walk in Imam Khomeini’s path of uniting Muslim nations.

Ahmad Haj-Ali is a Lebanese Moscow-based journalist and political commentator. He attended the 32nd International Islamic Unity Conference in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in late November 2018.

FNA has conducted an interview with Ahmad Haj-Ali on the necessity of unity among Muslims countries and the role Tehran’s Islamic Unity Conference plays to this end.

Below is the full text of the interview:

Q) How do you believe promoting unity and interfaith dialogue among Muslims can counter the onslaught against Islam?

A) Hegemonic powers initiated the crisis among Muslim nations, using a fascist doctrine alien to Islam: the doctrine of “ISIS”, “al-Nusra” and their affiliated groups. Takfiris killed and slaughtered Sunnis as well as Shiites. Hegemonic powers wanted them to dominate the Islamic world, targeting all traditional Islamic schools and sects. The United States, Zionist regime and Persian Gulf so-called kingdoms want to put the confrontation between Sunnis against Shiites. A united Muslim Ummah avoids confrontation between its parts; hence no more conflicts or crisis between Muslim countries.

Q) “Unity cannot be achieved with words and requires collective action.” What steps are needed to be taken to unite the Muslim Ummah?

A) We have to be closer to the spirit of Imam Khomeini’s revolution, to avoid Sunni Vs. Shiite communities. We need every effort to be implemented to fight Takfiris and hegemonic powers. Now, it is the duty of the Spiritual references to do what Imam Khomeini did decades ago. Imam Khomeini’s revolution was neither a Shiite nor Sunni revolution, but it was and still is an Islamic revolution uniting the Muslims. Arab Sunni world should rise and join the axis of resistance. It should get involved in the resistance against world’s hegemonic powers.

Q) Some Arab countries pay billions of dollars buying arms from the US, which in return, regard them as a milk cow which had to be milked. Why do they get the support of the West rather than a united Islamic nations to guaranty their security?

A) As far as the Arabic capitals and economic assets all over the world are in the hands of the United States and the Zionist lobbies, these marionettes so-called Arab Kings and princes are slaves to their western masters. So, majority of Arab leaders are not free in their political choices.

Other Muslim countries should break the western economic hegemony, for instance, by using their national currencies instead of US dollars. There will be some tough years, but it will bring freedom of political choices as well as freedom of our future generations.

Q) What role did Tehran 32nd International Islamic Unity Conference play in uniting Muslims? What was the significance of the conference?

A) In spite of the US-imposed sanctions, the Unity Conference witnessed more and more people attending the event, 32 years after it was first launched. The attendants were leaders of the Islamic world and well-known activists with progressive ideologies. They are part of the global resistance against the unipolar globalization and hegemony. The conference got more significance after Americans and Saudis threatened the guests of this round of the conference not to travel to Tehran; however, the attendants came to say they are a part of Imam Khomeini’s revolution and a support to meet his call to free Palestine.

Q) Is there room for non-Muslim countries to have ties with a united Islamic Ummah?

A) We have to work for unity not only among Muslims, but also among all conscious powers opposed to hegemony. Muslims have their allies all over the world, in all continents. Any resistance to the unipolar globalization can rely on the Muslim Ummah’s help and collaboration.

An instance is Russia, with the population of over 10 million Muslims. They were attacked by Wahhabi ideologies after the fall of the Soviet Union. Later, Russian Muslims started to realize the danger of Wahhabism. This made the historical pivotal event which was when the Russian Air Force came to the field to fight along with powers of resistance against the same enemy in Syria. Russian Muslims are partners in victories against Takfiri groups in Syria and Iraq.