Senior Shia cleric: Islamic states should establish a forum to manage Hajj pilgrimage

Secretary General of the World Forum for Proximity of the Islamic Schools of Thoughts highlights the necessity of using other Islamic states’ competence for managing the pilgrimage calling for establishment of a forum consisted of Islamic states to manage this religious ritual.

Beckoned to the crimes and grisly measures perpetrated by Saudi forces in various Islamic countries including Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and etc., Sheikh Araki underscored, "We have observed Muslims slain in different times and places by Saudi officials."

The Sheikh underlined that the existence of Takfiri takes in Al-Saud was really dangerous holding it as a factor leading to insecurity of the Masjid al-Harām (the Sacred Mosque) and other holy places in Mecca.

Pointing to the last year’s Mina crush which claimed the lives of over 4,700 pilgrims, including 465 Iranians, Sheikh Araki pointed the finger of blame on Saudi officials as to deadly stampede during the Hajj pilgrimage rituals in Mina and denounced the monarchy for its imprudence during the religious congregation of Muslims.

Secretary General of the World Forum for Proximity of the Islamic Schools of Thought placed stressed on the need for the formation of a Muslim body to supervise the management of the annual Islamic event adding Saudi regime should allow a joint committee of Muslim countries to oversee the management of annual Hajj pilgrimage.

According to Sheikh Araki, if Saudi rulers and officials cannot provide pilgrims with the required safety during this rituals, then it would be incumbent upon all Muslims to involve and make a move with this connection.

Thus far many a cleric and religious thinkers called for the dispossession of Saudi Arabia of the privilege of running the annual Hajj pilgrimage following the recent tragic events occured in Mecca.

It is noteworthy that, recently, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issues a message on the occasion of the major Muslim pilgrimage season demanding Muslims to reconsider management of Hajj.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution strongly slammed murderous Saudi rulers for refusing to allow an international probe into last year’s deadly Mina crush, urging Muslims to correctly understand their (Saudis’) blasphemous, faithless, dependent and materialistic nature.

Imam Khamenei stressed, "The world of Islam, including Muslim governments and peoples, must familiarize themselves with the Saudi rulers and correctly understand their blasphemous, faithless, dependent and materialistic nature. They must not let those rulers escape responsibility for the crimes they have caused throughout the world of Islam."