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Marjaiyah convenes emergency meet, leaders appeal for calm

By: Ismail Zabeeh

HOLY NAJAF, Iraq: Al-Marjaiyah Ad-Diniyah, which centers in the City of the Gate of Knowledge - Al-Imam Ali (peace be upon him) -, as well as Shia, Sunni religious scholars regardless of any differences, officials of different religions and parties, social and political figures, and cultural foundations have strongly condemned terror attacks in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.

Meanwhile, Ayatullah Sayyed Ali As-Sistani has summoned all Marjiyaat Diniyah for an emergent meeting in his office in Holy Najaf in the wake of worst terrorism that rocked the holy cities leaving at least 70 people martyred and over 200 injured. The meeting would take in to consideration the terror blasts.

Ayatullah Muhammad Bahr-ol-Uloum said Shias - the majority in Iraq - were committed to peaceful participation in next month's election. “The Shias are committed not to respond with violence, which will only lead to violence. We are determined on elections,” he said.

Ayatullah Sayyed Muhammad Said Al-Hakim, one of Holy Najaf's four Grand Marajay i.e. Ayatullah Ishaq Fayaz, Ayatullah Hafiz Bashir An-Najafi and Ayatullah Sayyed Ali As-Sistani, denounced the bombings and said “Evil forces have continued their criminal course against innocent Iraqis in the holy cities and other cities of Iraq, whereas they targeted with car bombs in the holy month the innocent citizens in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala aimed at destabilizing peace and inciting sectarian sedition.”

Condemning the attacks, Ayatullah Al-Hakim urged believers to remain vigilant demanding from the government immediate arrest of the culprits.

He said: “We extend condolence to our master Qaem-i-Aal-i-Muhammad (may Allah hasten his reappearance) on these tragedies” and also to the bereaved families. He expressed sympathies with the wounded, and prayed for the departed souls to be blessed and patience for their families.

Al-Hizb Al-Islami Al-Iraqi and Muslim Scholars Association, which represents Sunnis, have strongly denounced the violence in which “scores of people are being martyred without any crime… as it was happened to our nations’ sons in Najaf and Karbala.”

The association “puts hands in the hands of her brothers from the two cities in their suffering and the sufferings of Iraq in order to curb heinous conspiracy which the enemy wants that its fuel be the blood of innocent on the soil of the shrines of Auliya.”

Head of Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq Sayyed Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim while addressing a news conference on Monday in Baghdad said the blasts were aimed at fanning sectarian sedition in Iraq and creating hurdle in the process of elections. He vowed that Iraqis’ steadfastness would foil the designs of terrorists.

END