Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Saturday lack of scientific progress has been the main reason behind western domination over Muslim countries in the past, adding that fostering unity among Islamic Ummah and progress in science can buck this trend.
“The main reason behind the Islamic world being dominated by the West is scientific backwardness. The West–after centuries of scientific backwardness–could increase its wealth, scientific and military power using Muslin scientific advancements, and later through colonization caused the current situation for the Muslim nations,” his official website reported.
Addressing a group of religious scholars, the Leader called on the Muslim elite to help create “an intellectual movement and public demand for scientific progress” that would help Muslim nations once again reach the pinnacle of knowledge.”
He said “If Muslims accelerate their progress in science, the enemies of Islam and the United State cannot dictate to heads of Muslim states ‘you must do that and you mustn’t do that’,” he said.
The Leader’s remarks were in reference to a letter–a copy of which he said was obtained by Iran–sent recently by Donald Trump to heads of Persian Gulf littoral states where he orders them to carry out US demands.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to Trump’s letter, saying “In the letter to these countries, the US president says he has spent seven trillion dollars in the Middle East and orders that [rulers of Persian Gulf Arab states] must do these things and must not do other things.” He then concluded that one of the roots of US hostility toward Iran is the fact that Washington cannot order Tehran in the same way.
Muslim Disunity a Hindrance
Ayatollah Khamenei called on the religious scholars to double their effort in line with preventing chasm among Islamic groups, saying unity and solidarity are key if Muslim are to become scientific powerhouses. He criticized enemies for their repeated attempts to pit Muslims against one another, adding that “under such circumstances, any measure that can help Muslims get to know each other better will contribute to unity among the Ummah.”
Pointing to the US efforts to create inter-Muslim tensions, the Leader last month said, “The Americans provoke the Saudis–I say Saudis only as an example–against the Islamic Republic.”
“Why doesn’t the US provoke the Zionists,? Why do they provoke the poor Saudis?” the Leader asked, adding that “they want to create a war of Muslims against Muslims.”
