Hawzah News Agency (Qom, Iran) – The text of Grand Ayatollah Safi's message to Ilhan Omar, the Muslim American politician, is as follows:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Mrs. Ilhan Omar, Minnesota State Representative

Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani, a Shia source of emulation in Iran, hereby congratulates you on being elected as the state representative of Minnesota; The cleric further thanks you for swearing in on the Holy Quran in your inauguration to congress.

 The senior cleric added, "Swearing into congress with the Holy Quran proves your great wisdom as well as your high respect for this divine book and its heavenly verses.  It's an honor for the Muslim community to inform the world about the fact that through adherence to invaluable Quranic teachings mankind are able to reach true salvation and peace; we could realize the idea of a world free of violation, oppression and injustice by following Quranic verses. There is hope that the hearts of Quran enthusiasts are enlightened by the guiding light of the Quran and all mankind reach the utmost level of happiness and felicity in life."

The Office of Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah Safi Golpaygani

Qom, Iran; January 7, 2017