Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, a Shia source of emulation, addressed a group of seminary clerics in Qom, Iran on Monday, February 20.  During the meeting, the senior Shia scholar said, “Islam is a religion that values cultural promotions; this fact contradicts what our enemies claim that Islam is a religion of militarism; they falsely claim that Islam has been spread through the use of weapons; Take Indonesia as the largest Muslim country as an example to prove them wrong; not even a single Muslim soldier has invaded Indonesia , yet the Indonesians themselves were eager to learn Islamic teachings and they openly embraced Islam as their religion.”

The Shia source of emulation further reiterated, “Islam would have been promoted much more rapidly throughout the world, had Takfiri terrorists not damaged its face in recent years.”

Advising the clerics on how to carry out their religious duty of promotion of virtue and prevention of vice, Grand Ayatollah Makarem concluded,” In order for the clerics to promote Islam as well as to perform their duty of promotion of virtue and prevention of vice in the society, they need to observe certain conditions such as treating those who commit vice with kindness, respect and an appropriate language so that they are able to influence the wrongdoers. “

End.