Sayyid Kashmiri Lecturing at Iowa University About Religion and Violence

November 20, 2015

At the invitation of the University Club at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, His Excellency Sayyid M. B. Kashmiri lectured about the peacefulness of divine religions. He explained that terrorism is the result of personal and group interests of those who use religion as a means to achieve their evil goals, giving those goals an aura of sanctity and giving false promises of heaven and bliss.

His Excellency also explained how Muslims veered from the right path after the departure of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh&hp), from this world, and how terrorism was born among hypocrites who legitimized killing and slaughter and eradicated freedom of opinion by killing al-Zahra’, may peace be upon her, the beloved daughter of the prophet, then slaughtered Imam Husayn, may peace be upon him, while he was thirsty in Karbala.

Several participants showed their delight and appreciation for what His Eminence had to offer, asking for more meetings of this type for a better understanding of the Imamia school and its role in the advancement of human knowledge.

The ideology of terrorism was then enhanced by Ibn Taymiyah and executed by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, and this school of thought is still well and alive, embodied in ISIS, the Taliban, al-Nusra Front, etc.

His Excellency concluded his speech by presenting practical solutions to exterminate terrorism, including cultural and ideological dialogue and using targeted media.

The lecture was followed by a question and answer session and was praised by many attendants who acknowledged that it changed their previous erroneous convictions.