HOLY KARBALA, Iraq: Large number of distinguished clerics, religious scholars and representatives of Ayaat from the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala graced a conference on Iraq’s new constitution with their presence.

The conference was held on Thursday in the Holy Karbala, which houses the holy mausoleums of Al-Imam Al-Hussein (p) and Al-Abbas (p).

In his inauguration address, Al-Allamah Sheikh Faris Ash-Shibani highlighted role of Al-Marja’iyah (top religious authority) in Iraq.

Envoys of Ayatullah Al-Modarresi in Baghdad, Ayatullah Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yacoubi and Shahid-ol Mehrab Foundation addressed the gathering focusing on the new constitution.

The conference in its final communiqué called for inclusion of principles of freedom, justice, dignity and peace, and urged three fundamentals for the new draft namely:

1- Holy Quran should be the main origin for legislation,

2- Unity of Iraqi soil from north to south and its non-division under any name or mean,

3- The new constitution should protect human self-esteem and his freedom.

Prior to the conference, a delegation representing Holy Karbala’s Ayatullah Al-Modarresi visited the holy city of Najaf to invite religious scholars, notabilities and clerics for the convention.

The delegation headed by Sheikh Faris Ash-Shibani held meetings in holy Najaf with Ayatullah Sayyed Ali As-Sabzavari, Ayatullah Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yacoubi, and Ayatullah Sayyed Ali Al-Baghdadi.