Sistani Issues Fatwa Against Sectarian Violence in Iraq
Amid rising sectarian rhetoric and violence in Iraq, Iraqi Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has issued a fatwa condemning anti-Sunni violence.
Amid the rising flames of sectarianism, occasionally there are people and groups that hurl insults at other religious sects, fueling the fire and stoking the cycle of violence and hatred. In contrast, moderate Iraqi clergymen make every effort to thwart this trend and try, as much as possible, to limit its influence.
Among the latest developments of the sectarian crisis that rages in Iraq, dozens of young men organized a provocative march in the predominantly Sunni al-Adhamiyah neighborhood of Baghdad on Oct. 7. They did not chant for a return to unity and the rejection of violence, nor did they condemn bombings and terrorism. They, in fact, hurled insults and cursed Sunni holy historical figures, labeling them “nawasib,” a derogatory term used against Sunnis.
A video clip shows that the group marched with the protection of members of Iraq’s security forces, leading many to doubt the spontaneity of the act. This also raised hypotheses as to the existence of political motives behind the march on the part of parties affiliated with the regime.
This same faction previously established satellite TV channels, such as Fadak and Sawt Alitraa, that transmit from European countries, as well as YouTube channels on which they publicly air insults and curses against some of the Prophet Muhammad’s female relatives and companions who are revered by Sunnis. The faction belongs to an extremist Shiite movement that believes insulting the aforementioned figures is a duty prescribed by their faith.
