Hundreds of scholars and thinkers from around the globe have gathered in the holy city of Qom to discuss the threats posed by takfiri terror movements.
More than 600 Muslim scholars from over 80 countries are attending the two-day event entitled “The World Congress on Extremist and Takfiri Movement in Islamic Scholars’ View.”
Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, who is the chairman of the congress, said in his opening speech that takfiris harm both Islam and the human society, adding that efforts should be made in order to confront the extremist ideology.
A takfiri is a Muslim who accuses another Muslim of being an unbeliever.
The senior cleric condemned the atrocities of takfiri groups in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere and said by committing such actions takfiri militants are “harming the image of Islam.”
“It is unfortunate that such actions have been used as an excuse by enemies of Islam to portray it as a barbaric and violent religion,” the ayatollah lamented.
Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, whose country has been suffering from the violent actions of the self-declared Islamic State (IS) militants for months now, was present in the conference.
Jaafari said, “The culture of terrorism and takfirism allowed the blood of other Muslims to be spilled for petty disputes and it was this way of thinking that led to the emergence of groups such as Daesh (IS).”
He said in Iraq no religious group was immune from the crimes of IS terrorists, adding, “Many of those who have been killed by IS militants were (in fact) Sunni Muslims,” which IS claims it represents.
“It is incumbent upon us all to gain a true understanding of takfiri groups since they pose a threat to the whole world in the name of Islam.”
