Hawzah News Agency- Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, the director of Iran’s seminary schools, addressed Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, urging him to reconsider Al-Azhar’s latest communiqué. In his letter, Ayatollah Arafi described the act of ignoring US and Israeli crimes against the Iranian people as a “confiscation of justice and Sharia standards.”
The cleric’s intervention came in response to a statement issued by Al-Azhar on Tuesday, which had condemned Iran’s military response to US and Israeli aggression and called on Tehran to halt what it termed “unjustified attacks on Arab and Islamic countries.”
A Call for Historical Context
Ayatollah Arafi emphasized that any understanding of the current conflict must be placed within its proper historical and civilizational context. He categorically stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran was not the initiator of hostilities.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has not been the initiator of any war or conflict among Muslims in its history,” the letter reads. “We have always adhered to good neighborliness and refrained from aggression. Today, we are subjected to clear aggression and obvious oppression.”
He noted that the world witnessed that Iran was not the one who started the all-out war, stressing that the country’s current actions are a defense of its sovereignty and national dignity after repeated attacks on its territory and interests.
The Centrality of Palestine and Overlooked Crimes
The director of Iran’s seminaries underscored that the issue of Palestine remains the central cause of the Ummah, and any reading of events that ignores this reality is “distracted from the main cause and focuses on symptoms.”
A significant portion of the letter was dedicated to what Ayatollah Arafi described as a systematic campaign of silence regarding heinous crimes committed against the Iranian people. He pointed to the destruction of infrastructure, targeting of thousands of civilian sites, and the assassination of key scientists and leaders, including a foiled plot against the Leader of the Islamic Revolution.
“Is it fair to ignore the fact that the American and Israeli occupying forces initiated this aggression with widespread and horrific destruction?” the cleric questioned.
“These forces destroyed tens of thousands of safe homes of Iranian citizens and martyred and wounded thousands of defenseless children, women, and men. Overlooking this reality is regrettable and indicates a departure from the simplest principles of justice and fairness.”
Condemning Double Standards
Ayatollah Arafi took aim at a clear double standard in Al-Azhar’s statement, which he argued addressed the symptoms of the conflict while ignoring its root causes.
“On one hand, heinous crimes against the Iranian people are ignored, and on the other hand, Iran’s defensive reaction is condemned,” he stated, calling such behavior “injustice and a departure from Sharia standards.”
He reaffirmed the Islamic Republic’s unwavering commitment to Muslim unity and brotherhood, stating that this is not a slogan but the foundation of its policies. He expressed deep regret that some Islamic countries are neglecting their moral, human, and religious duty by refraining from condemning the “clear oppression” against Iran.
A Call for Dialogue and Unity
In concluding his letter, Ayatollah Arafi proposed a renewed and comprehensive connection between scholars of the Islamic world, particularly between the scholarly centers of Qom and Al-Azhar. He advocated for fair scientific dialogue and calm intellectual debate as a path to formulating common understandings that would help the Ummah navigate the current “catastrophic vortex” and move towards progress and comprehensive development.
“We ask Almighty God to preserve Al-Azhar as a symbol of knowledge and justice, to guide everyone to the right path, and to unify the Ummah on the axis of truth,” the letter concluded.
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