In the name of God the most gracious and merciful

Grand Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi’s very important remarks about the execution of Ayatollah Sheikh Baqir al-Nimr at the beginning of the classes of extra jurisprudence

Wahhabi’s enmity against our Sunni brothers has a historical background. Islamic scholars of different religions, especially Sunni has to be more sensitive about the danger of Wahhabis and their political system namely Saudis.

Grand Ayatolla Hashemi while expressing deep regret over the execution of Sheikh Baqir al- Nimr and three other Shia Arab citizens, he considered the action of Saudi government as a sign of their weakness and cowardice against the deep logic of Ayatollah Sheikh al-Nimr.

He also pointed another felony of the Saudi government that they showed him one of the comrades of al- Qaida terrorists and ISIL and said: Sheikh Nimr did nothing other than inviting to Islam and Shia school of thought.

Grand Ayatollah Hashemi Sharoudi expressed deep regret over the silence of Al-Azhar University’s scholars as well as the important unions of Sunnis against this unforgivable crime of Saudi government. He noted that this silence and inaction against the overt crimes of arrogance would be the reason to strengthen the extremism and destruction of illustrious history of Al-Azhar and great scholars. He added that this hostility and hatred of Wahhabis and Saudi government is not only against Shia but this kind of Salafiism and extremism was against the sects and Sunni Sufis more than Shia in the beginning and the majority of Sunni belonged to the mystic and spiritual Sufism.

The first and foremost work of the extremists and excommunication was to excommunicate the Sufism. Wahhabis considered the mystical and spiritual Sufism as polytheistic and blasphemous. According to their believe Islamic  meetings, supplication groups, monasteries, God’s saints were pagan even saying salaam to Holy Prophet was pagan as well, let alone the solicitation to the saints of God who had died years ago. Therefore, this was the beginning of excommunicating Wahhabis attacks on the masses of Sunni brothers.

The prominent Professor of the Qum seminary, while pointing the money that Saudi government is spending in the region and Muslim world said: if Saudis are spending money in Sunni seminaries infect they want to develop extremism among the student of different sects. Certainly the new generation of the students which is being bred by the budget and program of Saudis would excommunicate their ancestors and present their ideas void and false.

He added: Saudi Arabia doesn’t want to develop the Islamic knowledge and Quranic sciences according to the authentic Sunni religion but they want to develop the thought of Wahhabis and extremism. Muslim scholars, Sunni and Shia brothers have to be unite to deal with Wahhabi thoughts.

His Excellency referred to the brutal and inhuman activities of Saudi government by comparing with the tyrannical behavior of Yazid bin Muawiyah. By referring to the brutal action of the Yazid’s army with the people of Medina who had refused to give the oath of allegiance, enslavement, killing and looting, raping, and burning of Kabaa, he introduced all these crimes as a result of non- Islamic rule of excommunication and extremism who didn’t have mercy on anyone and kill of them.

Grand Ayatollah Hashemi Shahroudi, at the end of his remarks said: we invite all Islamic scholars of all Islamic religions to deal with Saudis and the evil thoughts of Wahhabis. We pray to God for overthrowing the non-Islamic government of Saudis as well as elimination of extremist thoughts of Wahhabis. He said we hope that unjustly spilled blood of the great martyrs would capture them very soon and wipe them off from the earth.