Ghazi Hanineh

Ghazi Hanineh is one of the Sunni scholars of Lebanon, head of the Assembly of Muslim Scholars in Lebanon, Imam and Khatib of the Hamza Sayyid al-Shuhada Mosque in the city of Sidon, Lebanon, head of the al-Nahda Approximation Movement, and member of the Leadership Council of the Islamic Action Front. Sheikh Ghazi Yusuf Hanineh is recognized as a respected figure among various ethnic groups, religions and denominations of Lebanon and the Islamic world, who has always opposed Takfiri movements, and calling for unity, Islamic Awakening against the arrogant powers, and defense of Hezbollah are among his views.

Viewpoint

Sedition, the Source of Takfiri Fatwas

Takfiri Takfiri fatwas are formed in the atmosphere of major seditions. In early Islam, Commander of the Faithful Ali (peace be upon him) stood against the Khawarij, who issued fatwas of disbelief for the entire Islamic Ummah, and fought them. This group considered only themselves Muslims and condemned Ali (peace be upon him) for exiting the religion of Islam and ruled for his murder; to the extent that Ali was martyred by this same group. This thought sometimes manifested and sometimes faded; until it became prevalent again in the last hundred years. This thought began to grow and develop by relying on certain jurisprudential viewpoints, which most scholars did not agree with. These anomalous and rare viewpoints regarding Takfir stem from the discussion of absolute and specific takfir; whereas in the speech of Maliki jurists, it is well-known that if a Muslim says something that is considered disbelief from multiple aspects, but has only one justification that is not disbelief, that person will not be condemned to disbelief and that single justification is accepted for them. This group, which has appeared in the Islamic Ummah in the last hundred years, has relied on anomalous viewpoints and excommunicates general Muslims and has created corruption in the Islamic society. I say to the whole world, especially Muslims, that "the Takfiri flow" is a phenomenon that will end sooner or later. This group is by no means a representative of Islam. This group does not speak on behalf of the true Islam that the Messenger of God brought. This Takfiri group is not the representative of Muslims nor the expresser of our views and beliefs. What is issued from this group and attributed to Islam has no relation to the religion whatsoever. This group commits these acts based on their own whims and desires, and we declare innocence and disavowal from such behaviors.

Insult to the Quran in America Indicates a Hostile Approach

The recent insult to the Holy Quran by one of the American citizens who introduced himself as a Senate candidate is a clear example of this hostile approach against the sanctities and religious rituals of Muslims. The selection of a political figure to commit such an insulting action cannot be considered separate from the efforts of some extremist flows in America. This candidate tries to show himself in the view of extremist groups as someone who challenges Islamic sanctities, which his actions are in line with the effort to attract the votes of the extremist Christian Zionist flow in America.

Solutions for the Unity of Islamic Countries

God has explained the solutions for the Union of Muslims in clear verses that do not even require interpretation. There are numerous verses in the Quran that invite to the unity and integrity of the Islamic Ummah and are as clear as the sun in a bright day. So where is the problem? The problem is in Muslims who do not act on God's commands; those commands that are in the Quran and the speech of the Messenger of God. Muslims of early Islam and after that, each had their own thought, interpretation, understanding, and Jurisprudence; but they were all a single Ummah and none had enmity with the other. This is because God Almighty has made us a single Ummah and commanded us not to dispute so that we do not become weak and our prestige does not vanish.

God has placed factors for us that add to our unity day by day; such as Friday Prayer, Congregational Prayer, single Qibla, Fasting in the month of Ramadan, Hajj and other Islamic rulings that encompass all Muslims. Also, God Almighty has forbidden us from boycotting, cursing, and taunting. A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim, and in this regard, there are numerous narrations. Also, the Seerah of the Messenger of God was such that they always tried to create unity among Muslims. These solutions exist in the Quran and Sunnah and the only thing that we Muslims must do is to purify our hearts, clear our chests from grudges, and face each other with kindness and affection. Each of us may have their own specific understanding; but all of us are under the flag of "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad Rasul Allah".

Dominance of the Arrogant over Islamic Countries

Sheikh Ghazi Yusuf Hunaina, in the sermons before Friday Prayer in Tehran, referring to the verses of the Holy Quran, considered Islamic Unity a necessity. The emphasis of the Holy Quran and also the Seerah of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) and his Ahl al-Bayt is that Muslims must care about preserving Islamic unity and avoid division. This Lebanese Sunni scholar considered division the main source of creating various seditions in the Islamic Ummah and emphasized: If we want to experience a happy life and one pleasing to God in the Islamic Ummah, we must avoid division and take the path of brotherhood.

Sheikh Hunaina evaluated and stated the duty of scholars in creating Islamic Unity as very important: Scholars as pioneers of the Islamic Ummah must explain Islamic issues, especially on the subject of unity. He, emphasizing the special attention of Muslims to commons such as the Quran, the Noble Prophet, and the common Qibla, reminded: The Islamic Ummah has many commons in generalities and key discussions, although there are differences of opinion in minor issues. We should not consider minor issues as main issues and be negligent regarding important issues and numerous commons.

He counted the most important effect of division as the dominance of the world's arrogant powers, especially America, over the Islamic Countries, and reminded: Arrogant countries like America and the Zionist Regime make all their efforts to create division among the Islamic Ummah; because division causes their dominance over multiple resources and various capacities of the Islamic Ummah. Sheikh Hunaina, while appreciating Islamic Republic of Iran as the standard-bearer of Islamic unity, advised other Islamic countries to step under this flag. He said: The effort of all Islamic countries must be moving in the path of Islamic unity; because the Islamic Ummah is a single Ummah based on the sayings of the Holy Quran and should not get caught in division.

Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, Factor of Unity

Sheikh Ghazi Yusuf Hunaina, head of the Board of Trustees of the Lebanon Scholars Assembly at the 9th International Conference on American Human Rights from the viewpoint of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, stated: We lived with Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah for a while and spent half of our lives with him, and we understood all his power and greatness in confrontation with the enemy. Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah always had Islamic thought and unity in the field of Shiism with himself and in the path of Shia unity against the enemy used every facility and ability he had and strove greatly for the unity of Shia and Sunni.

He added: Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah strove greatly for the unity of Muslims and Christians in Lebanon, exactly the most important thing that was done to confront the enemy was done by him. The Zionist Enemy strove greatly and conducted extensive propaganda towards sedition among nations, but in contrast Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah moved towards the unity of this society. Ghazi Yusuf said: God has warned in the Quran not to stand in the enemy's line and not become their plaything. The head of the Board of Trustees of the Lebanon Scholars Assembly said: In the past year we have 45,000 martyrs and more than 100,000 in Lebanon and Palestine, that these martyrs are the factor of gathering humans and free-thinkers and all those who do not accept humiliation and oppression in the world, and the world and free-thinkers of the world object to the crimes of the Zionist Regime and we declare that we have no way of salvation except eliminating this cancerous gland in occupied Palestine.

Resistance Weapon, Lebanon's Red Line

Some flows in Lebanon want to take the resistance weapon from Hezbollah Lebanon, but the Lebanese Army itself says it does not have enough ability to defend Lebanon, so how do they want to put aside the only defensive tool of this country? The head of the Assembly of Muslim Scholars of Lebanon, referring to threats and external pressures, added: The resistance weapon is safe and will never be handed over. The enemy has tested many times, but has been defeated.

Lebanon is not only a field of internal politics, although many of the existing political pressures are directed from the side of America, France, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, and its goal is to prevent internal union among the Lebanese government, army, and resistance. If there are no external interferences, no internal political flow dares to oppose the resistance and the people of Lebanon are united and unanimous; but politicians act under external pressures.

See also

• Lebanon
• Hezbollah Lebanon
• Islamic Unity
• Assembly of Muslim Scholars of Lebanon

References

• Interview with Sheikh Ghazi Hunaynah (Imam and Preacher of Hamzah Sayyid al-Shuhada Mosque (AS) in the city of Sidon, Lebanon), Specialized Website for Wahhabism Studies and Takfiri Movements, Date published: 31 Bahman 1397 SH, Date accessed: 8 Dey 1404 SH.

• Sheikh Ghazi Yusuf Hunaynah at Tehran Friday Prayer: The Dominance of Global Arrogants over Islamic Countries is One of the Most Important Effects of Division, 35th International Conference on Islamic Unity, Date published: n.d., Date accessed: 8 Dey 1404 SH.

• Head of the Assembly of Muslim Scholars of Lebanon: The Resistance Weapon is Safe and Will Never Be Handed Over, Ana News Agency Website, Date published: 16 Azar 1404 SH, Date accessed: 8 Dey 1404 SH.