Leader's remarks to gathering of university students, academics and young people in Qom

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has said the hegemonic Western powers are the enemy of humanity.

In a meeting with tens of thousands of enthusiastic university students, researchers and academics and young people in Qom on Tuesday, the Leader talked of "disastrous" Western (colonialist) actions during the past 300 years, which have had a catastrophic effect on human society.

He said Western crimes stem from the fact that Western thoughts and Western societies are "far removed" (a very long way away from) divine teachings, divine thoughts and spirituality. Ayatollah Khamenei stressed that this reality tells us that Western domineering powers are the enemy of humanity.

Rubbish Piles High in Strike-Hit Marseille

 Refuse collectors in Marseille, south of France, walked out two weeks ago to denounce pension reforms. Hence thousands of tonnes of waste have piled high on the streets of Marseille, raising fears for public health.

Although not on the same scale, another refuse collectors' strike has hit Paris. Workers in the French capital have also downed tools in defence of their jobs and salaries. They are hoping the capital’s role as a tourist destination could work in their favour.

While some are counting the immediate cost of the stoppages, others are focusing on what the long-term damage of this dispute could be to France’s image abroad.

25 Afghans killed in US-led airstrike

US-led forces have targeted a mosque in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, killing at least 25 innocent civilians during the airstrike, Afghan officials say.

According to Press TV, local officials said that the attack was carried out by US-led forces on Monday in Maigan village of Baghran district and added that the casualty figures could increase.

The attack comes a day after a US-led air strike resulted in the death of four more civilians, including an Afghan child, in the central province of Wardak.

'Muslims live under dictatorship in US'

According to Press TV, in less than two weeks, the Human Rights Council will, for the first time ever, assess the human rights status of the United States in a Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

 Activist and Imam of Masjid al-Islam Abdul Alim Musa told Press TV on Monday “We [Muslims] believe that it is our duty, it is our responsibility to stand up to what we call the United States government's 'constitutional dictatorship'.”

Ahead of a review of the US human rights records by the UN Human Rights Council, an African-American Muslim activist, Muslims live under says “dictatorship” in the US.

US-led forces hit pregnant Iraqi woman

A classified Iraq war document released by the whistleblower website Wikileaks depicts the shooting of a pregnant Iraqi woman and a child by US-led soldiers.

According to AP, the secret military document reveals that US-led soldiers returned the fire of a teenage boy around the central Iraqi town of Iskandariyah in March 2004, while patrolling the area.However, the US-led forces discovered they had also targeted a pregnant woman and a small child accompanying the teenager.

According to the document, the report of the incident did not surface afterward.

New inmate abuse by US troops aired

Newly-published Iraq war secrets by Wikileaks have revealed a large number of brutalities against Iraqi civilians, many recounting tales of abuse by occupation forces.

According to Press TV, the field reports contain numerous official accounts of detainee abuse by the multi-national troops in war-torn Iraq.

One such document dating back to September 2005 depicts the forces brutally kicking and stoning a farmer over allegations that he was planting an improvised explosive device.

Imam Khamenei:Religious status of Islamic Revolution protects nation, Islamic system

The Leader of Islamic Revolution, Imam Seyed Ali Khamenei, has said that the religious status and origin of the Islamic Revolution has maintained and protected the Iranian nation and the sacred Islamic system against the enemies' attacks.

Concurrent with the birth anniversary of the 8th Infallible Imam of the Prophet of Islam, Mohammad (PBUH) Household, Imam Reza (AS) on Tuesday, and in an address to glorious and massive gathering of the people of the holy city of Qom, Ayatollah Khamenei said that the Iranian nation's resistance and steadfastness against the enemies and the people's loyalty to the Islamic Revolution are the root causes of the foes' propaganda campaign and hype against people's religion.

Imam Khamenei pointed out that all the ploys of the enemies against the religion of people and their conspiracies against the loyalty of Iranian nation have failed, while noting that the enemies imagined they can separate the people from the sacred Islamic system. But the people's loyalty and commitment has increased day by day.

Supreme Leader Meets with Nouri Maliki

Ayatollah Khamenei the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution met this morning with the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki and his accompanying delegation. Speaking at the meeting, His Eminence described Iraq as the Islamic Republic's brother country.

Referring to the months-long delay in the formation of a unity government in Iraq, Ayatollah Khamenei said: "Swift formation of a new government and full establishment of security are among the important needs of Iraq. This is because development and construction of Iraq and helping the Iraqi people reach the position they deserve are not possible unless these two needs are addressed."

His Eminence reiterated: "All Iraqi officials and politicians and those who care for Iraq should focus their efforts on the swift formation of a unity government."

The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution said that the situation of Iraq has improved, further adding: "In spite of relative stability, there is still insecurity in Iraq, and part of this insecurity is caused by certain powers whose political interests lie in causing insecurity."

Police, students clash in Paris suburb

France is still facing anti-government street protests. The police on Monday used tear gas to disperse high school students who took to streets to protest government policies over persion reform plans.

The students refused to attend classes this morning and moved to streets around the schools. The police had to make use of tear gas to disperse the protesters who were already indulged in destroying public services. There are no reports yet of the details of the clashes or any casualties.

Last week, during similar clashes, the French police used a particular kind of anti-riot weapon against students which caused injuries in the eye of one of them. Following the incident, the police received orders to use the weapon only in necessary occasions.

Different sectors of French society including high school students embarked an open-ended strikes last week in protest to the government’s economic and social policies.

Unity Between Shia and Sunni on Imam Khamenei's Fatwa

Chancellor of al-Azhar University of Islamic sciences welcomed Fatwa (verdict) issued by the World Shia Leader, Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei, which bans any insult to the companions of Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.) as well as his wives.

Such insults have always been a source of controversy and dispute between Shia and Sunni Muslims and barred them from forging a robust unity against their common enemies, unlike a multitude of commonalities between the two sects.

Ahmad al-Tayyib wrote in a statement that the fatwa was prudent and timely and would help ram the door shut to seditions.

"I received the blessed Fatwa with appreciation," he wrote.

He said it was incumbent on all Muslims to try to keep inter Muslim unity and no dispute between different Islamic sects should be allowed to harm the unity of Islamic ummah.

Tayyib also noted that Egypt has ever been at the forefront of every initiative for Muslim unity.Western media have kept mum on the Fatwa.

Imam Khamenei: Insulting Symbols of Sunni Brothers Forbidden

Ayatollah Khamenei issued a fatwa, declared unlawful the insulting Prophet's wife Aisha, and any of the Sunni Islamic symbols.

Islamic World widely welcomed the fatwa, Rohama reported.

The leader of Islamic revolution in response to question announced: "insulting the symbols of the Sunni brothers, including the Prophet Muhammad's wife [Aisha] is forbidden. This includes the women of all prophets and especially the holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)."

Berlin protests anti-Islam politician visit

More than 100 Germans have protested outside the Hotel Berlin against Dutch hardliner and anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders' visit to their country.

According to Press TV, the anti-fascist protesters gathered outside the hotel where the Dutch blasphemer ‘Wilders’ was to give a speech.

Right-wing German politician Rene Stadtkewitz, who was expelled from the ruling Christian Democratic Union, had invited Wilders to address what he called “a conference on freedom.”

In his speech, the Dutchman tried to rally support against Islam.

Wilders, awaiting trial in Amsterdam on Monday for inciting anti-Islam sentiments, is set to become a shadow partner of the next Netherlands government.

The protests in Berlin mirror an earlier event in Britain, in which hundreds gathered outside the British Parliament in March to protest the notorious man’s visit to London upon invitation by the UK Independence Party leader Lord Pearson.

US banks face foreclosure lawsuits

US financial firms face lawsuits and potential fines after major mortgage lenders revealed that they mishandled thousands of home foreclosures.

According to AP, mortgage lenders, including the Bank of America, J.P. Morgan Chase, and GMAC, say they have suspended thousands of foreclosures because of an apparent mishandling of documents.

Borrowers in six states claim that lenders have made errors in foreclosure documentations. Attorney generals are investigating the cases.

Most of the foreclosures are expected to remain in place once the lending institutions re-examine the mounting number of cases - a process which could take years.

The lenders say the suspension will further damage the already fragile US financial market and housing industry.

Foreclosures have increased since the US economic downturn in 2007, leaving many Americans with massive debts.

The number of mortgage defaults has jumped from one percent a year before 2008 to 10 percent today.

Imam Ja'far b. Muhammad al Sadi'q

This is an account of the Imam who was in charge (al-qai'im) after Abu Ja'far Muhammad b. Ali, peace be on them, (including) who his mother was, the date of his birth, evidence for his Imamate, his age, the period of his succession (to the Imamate), the time of his death, the place of his grave, the number of his children, and a brief outline of the reports about him.

Al-Sadiq Ja'far b. Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, was out of all his brothers (the one who was) the successor (khailfa) of his father, Muhammad b. Ali, peace be on them, his testamentary trustee (was'i), who was in charge of the Imamate (al- qa'im bi-al-imama) after him.

He stood out among their group for his great merit (fadl); he was the most celebrated, the greatest in rank and the most illustrious of them in (the eyes) of both the non-Shia (al-amma) and the Shi'a (al-khassa).

Islamic unity and Muslim intellectuals

Promoting unity of the great Islamic Ummah has been a major axis in the thoughts of many leading Muslim intellectuals worldwide. Here are some quotes on unity from these great personalities.

Imam Khomieni, the great leader of the Islamic Revolution (May he rest in peace):

‘Disunion is from the Satan and unity is from God.”

Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei:

If Muslims do not breach unity among them, unity between the West and the East against them will fail.

Martyr Ustadh Morteza Motahari:

Obviously, by Islamic unity open-minded Muslim scholars do not mean that Islamic schools of thought must be limited to one nor do they mean that the common points among different Islamic schools of thought must be accepted and the differences must be rejected for this is neither rational nor is it practical.

Allamah Amini:

Different Islamic schools of thought differ in their ideas and beliefs. Nevertheless, the bond of brotherhood to which the holy Koran has clearly referred to by the verse "Verily, the believers are brothers" will never be torn even though scientific debates and religious argumentation reach their peak. This was the method of our predecessors including the companions of the prophet and his followers.

In spite of all our differences concerning the principles of Islam as well as the secondary rules of this religion, as Muslims authors and writers in the different corners of the world, we have one thing in common, which is faith in God and the prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.).

In our bodies one soul and sentiment governs and that is the soul of Islam and sincerity.

Martyr Ayatollah Baqir Sadr

 

“I have dedicated all my life to creating brotherhood between Shia and Sunnah and have supported and defended any step or message aimed at uniting them. I am the brother and son of the followers of Sunnah as much as I am the brother and son of the followers of Shia."

The first practical steps toward creating unity among Shia and Sunnah were taken by Imam Moussa Sadr in Lebanon when forty years ago, he wrote a letter to Sheikh Hassan Khaled-the Sunnah Mufti of Lebanon- suggesting certain practical steps toward unity.