President Masoud Barzani sent a message to the sixth Conference of the Union of Islamic Scholars in Kurdistan. In his message, he praised the role and influence of religious scholars during various stages in the history of the liberation m

In the name of God the Most gracious the most Merciful

Respected Scholars

Members of the Sixth Conference of the Union of Islamic Scholars,

Dear Guests and Attendees,

Peace be upon you,

On the occasion of the 6th Conference of the Union of Islamic Scholars, we salute the Union of Islamic Scholars and all the respected clergy and wish you and your conference success.

The role and influence of religious scholars during the various stages in the history of the liberation movement of our people, their protection of authenticity and high values, and their preservation of coexistence and harmony, is a prominent, illustrious, valued and proud role, and will be remembered in history.

The majority of our people's revolutions, in order to achieve freedom and to get rid of the occupation, were at the hands of prominent scholars and clerics, and this is a clear manifestation of the position of clerics and their leadership on the caravan of struggle and struggle of the Kurdistan people. The carrying of arms by religious scholars in the revolutions was an important lesson for all that the demand for freedom and the defence of land and homeland was not only a national duty, but also a religious obligation.

Respected Participants

The role of religious scholars in the life of society, at the present stage, is an important and crucial role, especially since the scourge of terrorism and violence, the destruction of the principles of coexistence and the emergence of sectarianism in Iraq and the region constitute major threats to coexistence, tolerance and the peaceful message of religion. Therefore, it is primarily your responsibility to drain the sources of the ideology of terrorism and combat the terrorist ideology. All segments of society are waiting for the active role of the clergy in spreading the values of religious and sectarian tolerance and defeating terrorist ideology. In this regard, we highly appreciate what you have accomplished so far.

It is also your duty to protect religious principles and values and to love the land and the homeland on the scientific and educational basis. In this complex and challenging environment, alien ideas and anti-religious and patriotic culture cannot be allowed to dominate the thinking and consciousness of the society.

Honourable Guests and Attendees

The national feeling can be disrupted for any person, for whatever reason, but it should not happen to a cleric, even in the slightest form, because you are sources of inspiration for all, and the people of Kurdistan have learnt resistance, defiance, sacrifice and high morale from the clergy. The immortal Barzani when he founded the Union of Islamic Scholars was well aware that religious scholars are the steel fortress of the people and the defendants of the religious and national sanctities of the Kurds. Your duty is sacred and your membership in the Union of scholars is a great honour.

On this occasion, I believe it is necessary to invite the esteemed scholars not to allow the differences between them to cause of major problems leading to a split among the distinguished scholars, because that would negatively affect the principles of religion and education in the future of our people. The future, the interests of the country and the thought of young people must be one of your basic priorities in accordance with genuine religious programme which is originated from Kurdistan, not an imported programme that does not respect the just rights of our people.

The Union of religious scholars was established for the sake of you and for the sake of religion and the interests of the nation. It is therefore necessary to maintain, with a comprehensive programme and project, the weight of that great sacred goal for which the Union of scholars was founded.

In conclusion, I wish you success, the success of your conference, hoping that your decisions and recommendations serve the religion, the people and the nation. I will continue to support you with all strength, and I am proud to be in the service of the religious scholars.

Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

Masoud Barzani

24/July/2018