TEHRAN -- Leader of the
Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said Wednesday the Hajj rituals aim to forge unity among the Islamic Ummah in the face of the occupying regime of Israel and global arrogance.
The Leader made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian officials in charge of Hajj pilgrimage affairs and people who will travel to Saudi Arabia’s holy cities of Mecca and Medina to perform the annual rituals.
“Hajj is a global and civilizational issue, the purpose of which is to advance the Islamic nation, to bring the hearts of Muslims closer together and to unite the Islamic nation against disbelief, oppression, arrogance and human, non-human idols,” he said.
The Leader said the entire Muslim world must gather and send a message against the Zionist regime.
The influence of arrogant powers is the current issue of the world, the Leader stated, emphasizing that all should demonstrate their power in the face of hegemonic powers.
Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted the issues of taking a correct view toward Hajj and understanding its significance, saying, “Hajj is an international and civilizational issue.”
In the case of the absence of the Hajj pilgrimage, the Islamic Ummah would collapse, the Leader cautioned.
He added that Muslims who perform the great annual Hajj rituals should demonstrate their strength in the face of the Israeli regime and arrogant powers and stand firm against the oppressive powers in the world.
Ayatollah Khamenei underlined the importance of clarifying global issues, including the developments in Palestine, saying, “The Hajj time is an appropriate opportunity to become aware of nations and international topics.”
The Leader noted that the disclosure of Islam’s practical opposition to the geographical, racial and class distinctions is among the main points of the Hajj rituals.
The Leader added the self-proclaimed civilized countries are still struggling with black and white as well as European and non-European racial bias.
“The countries that claim to be civilized, yet have no traces of civilization in them, are still caught up in the racial issues of blacks and whites, Europeans and non-Europeans. They value their pets more than they value some humans. The successive drowning of immigrants in the sea is an indication of this reality.”
The Leader described uniformity and sameness of all pilgrims from any race, history and culture as one of the secrets of Hajj.