Hawzah News Agency- Ayatollah Seyyed Yasin Mousavi, Friday Prayer leader of Baghdad and a senior professor at the Najaf Seminary, stressed during his July 17, 2026 Friday sermon that the current conditions in Iraq and the Islamic world demand that scholars and thinkers not remain silent on fateful matters and fulfill their religious and social responsibilities.
Pointing to the status of the duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil, he declared: "This divine obligation is a religious responsibility that must never be abandoned in the face of society's deviation, corruption, and degradation."
The Friday Prayer leader of Baghdad noted that while silence during certain periods—such as the era of the former Iraqi regime or the years of sectarian strife—was justifiable due to exceptional circumstances, no such justification exists today. Citing Islamic traditions emphasizing the role of enjoining good and forbidding evil in upholding all other religious obligations, and referencing the conduct of Abu Dhar al-Ghaffari in standing against rulers, he stated: "Abu Dhar endured exile and torture for speaking the truth, and this model must always remain before the eyes of scholars."
In another segment of his address, Ayatollah Mousavi described pursuing the corrupt and recovering public assets as a national duty incumbent upon judicial, executive, and legislative bodies. However, he warned that the fight against corruption must not become a tool for deceiving public opinion or covering up the cases of major corrupt figures.
He also criticized certain proposals to close the cases of some defendants in exchange for returning a portion of stolen assets, stating: "Such actions not only fail to achieve justice but constitute a form of money laundering and pave the way for the return of defendants to centers of power."
Addressing the recent visit of some Iraqi officials to the United States, the Baghdad Friday Prayer leader rejected reliance on Washington to solve Iraq's problems, criticizing meetings with Tom Barrack, the American envoy. He stressed: "Iraq must not turn American officials into decision-making authorities for its domestic affairs."
Ayatollah Mousavi also pointed to remarks by US President Donald Trump during a meeting with an Iraqi delegation. Criticizing what he described as "boasting about the assassination of Iraqi commanders and demanding gratitude from Iraqi officials," he declared: "It is regrettable that no response befitting the dignity of the Iraqi nation and the blood of this country's martyrs was given to these statements."
Stating that Iraq faces not merely an economic crisis but a structural crisis in the political, administrative, and economic spheres, he asserted that the country is experiencing a form of economic disorder resulting from an unskilled transition from a state-led economy to a capitalist one.
The Friday Prayer leader of Baghdad added: "A country cannot be administered solely on the basis of the success of some private sector economic actors, because governance is built upon institutions, macro-policies, and state structures, not merely individual experiences."
He characterized genuine reform as requiring the fusion of efficiency and integrity, stressing: "The financial probity of officials is not proven by claims; rather, the origin of their assets and financial records must be precisely scrutinized." Ayatollah Mousavi also criticized the non-implementation of these criteria regarding certain senior officials.
Further noting that Iraq continues to suffer from the absence of an institutionalized and stable political system, the Baghdad Friday Prayer leader said: "Governing the country must not be based on political quota-sharing or personal relationships, but on expertise, political experience, and managerial competence." He added: "Reform of institutions, including the military institution, is only possible through professional reform and the assignment of responsibilities to qualified individuals."
In another part of his sermon, Ayatollah Mousavi criticized the conduct of some Iraqi officials during foreign visits, declaring the defense of Iraq's dignity, national honor, and the blood of its martyrs to be a national duty.
Referencing the late Seyyed Abdul Aziz al-Hakim's meeting with former US President George W. Bush, he stated: "Officials must safeguard Iraq's standing and dignity in international negotiations and meetings. Weakness in political positions must not be portrayed as diplomatic success, for continuing this approach will bring wide-ranging negative consequences for the country."
In concluding his sermon, the Friday Prayer leader of Baghdad emphasized: "The million-strong funeral of Martyr Imam Seyyed Ali Khamenei was not merely a mourning ritual; it carried clear political messages to the Iraqi government, the most important of which is the Iraqi nation's rejection of dependence on foreigners and its loyalty to leaders who sacrificed for their ideals and their people."
He warned against continued reliance on America and ceding a role to American envoys in determining Iraq's decision-making path, asserting: "The legitimacy of officials stems from serving the people, safeguarding national sovereignty, and loyalty to the blood of martyrs—not from the approval of foreign powers."
Ayatollah Mousavi concluded by urging officials to heed the messages embedded in the million-strong funeral. Reminding them that no position endures forever, he stressed: "It is the nations that, by preserving their dignity, independence, and honor, grant legitimacy to officials."
He closed with prayers for Iraq, for security, stability, national sovereignty, and the unity of all segments of the people.
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