Sayyid Mohammed Baqir Kashmiri at 51th Annual ISNA Convention

September 10, 2014

The honorable Sayyid Mohammed Baqir al-Kashmiri attended the dialogue on Sunni-Shia relations at the 51th Annual ISNA Convention in Detroit, on Labor Day weekend.

M. B. al-Kashmiri introduced a practical solution for real unity, apart from political and emotional influence.  He stated, “There is no expectation from anyone to convert. To follow a great and wise leader does not necessitate the belief in the ideologies of that leader. Allah(sa) states that we shall continue with different opinions and ideas, and has created mankind to test us on our dealings with one another.” He emphasized on “All of these struggles stem from a political agenda, ignorance and emotions. While Allah(sa) requests of us to follow our minds and logic”; are we truly looking for unity?

Sayyid Kashmiri advice that “High-ranking officials such as the UN Secretary General and the Prime Minister of Italy, have spoken noble words about the Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, stating that he is a remarkable and talented man, modeling the essence of the religion in his authority which represents true Islam. It should then be incumbent upon the Muslim Umma to follow such a leader for the sake of maintaining unity.”

In the end he comment on a question which mixed between political matter and religious authority role with stating: “Tehran, Riyadh, Baghdad and Islamabad do not represent Islam. Islam is truly represented only by the great scholars produced within the religious seminaries, exercising the utmost knowledge and piety”.