Grand Ayatollah: Defending Iraq, Religious Duty

Qom, June 24, IRNA – Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi said on Monday that defending territorial integrity of Iraq, its holy shrines in particular, is a religious duty for all Muslims and requires Jihad (holy war). The Marja (a source to imitate/follow) made the announcement referring to Quranic verses which say God loves those who enter holy war for the love of the Almighty to defend Islam and Muslims like an iron barrier. The Ayatollah said that present situation in Iraq ˈis an opportunity for the Iraqi people to form a popular army which acts along with the countryˈs formal Army.ˈ He added that the takfiri terrorists and their allies including the US, the Zionist regime and certain Arab countries, have decided to retaliate their defeat in Syria by attacking Iraq. Referring to recruitment of about two million Iraqis to fight against terrorists, the grand ayatollah expressed hope that all Iraqi ethnic and religious groups will stay united against terrorists. ˈThe Islam-loving youth have to be prepared to stand up against terrorists if it becomes necessary or when they are asked to by the government of Iraq,ˈ said the senior cleric. The terrorist group called Daesh (Islamic State in Iraq and Syria) has occupied areas in northern and western Iraq during the past weeks after being defeated in Syria. The Iraqi Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has issued a call for fighting against the Daesh terrorists in Iraq. The call was welcomed by a large number of Iraqi people. In another development, Qom Theological School on Monday issued a statement supporting the firm stances of Ayatollah Sistani against the terrorist group./end