Sunni, Shiite scholars urge unity among Afghans

KABUL (Pajhwok): Hundreds of religious scholars on Monday attended a conference in capital Kabul, stressing unity among the Afghans against elements out to separate them in the name of Sunni and Shia.

This was the fifth Ulema in Kabul.

The joint meeting of scholars from the two sects follows recent attacks on Shiite mosques in Kabul and in Herat province. Some people believe the attacks had sectarian motives.

However, Mualvi Abdul Hadi Amin, a member of Jamiat-i-Eslah Afghanistan.

“Followers of both branches of Islam have long been living together in peace in Afghanistan and their interests are mutual and no one can divide them”, he said.

He added it was responsibility of religious leaders to aware people and keep unity among them.

Mualvi Sultan Murad Seddiq, head of Ulema Brotherhood Council of Afghanistan from Baghlan province, called the meeting as important and said such gatherings could help strengthen unity among the Afghan people.

Pointing to the title of the conference, he said: “We (scholars) ourselves do not feel safe, so how would we be able to ensure security for others, unfortunately when a cleric is killed, the government calls it a coward attack, but never condemns it.”

Calling peace a primary need of Afghans, he said: “The Ulema can do nothing until they have government support, we are ready to sacrifice everything we have for peace, but the peace should not be based on politics.”

He hoped the Afghans irrespective of their religious, regional and tribal associations would stand united against their enemies.

Refugee and repatriation minister Sayed Hussain Alami Balkhi, who joined the conference, said encouraging people towards unity was the best service to the Muslims.

“Islam emphasizes on unity among Muslims and prohibits divisions, but unfortunately today we are burning in the fire of differences”, he said.

“We are witness to the emergence of new groups among Islamic communities and they kill fellow Muslims in the name defending Islam, tragedies that create differences in Islamic societies should be ended with our unity,” he said.

He urged unity among Muslims and said no one defended Muslims massacred in Myanmar, a matter he said needed attention.

mds/ma

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