Supreme Leader Underlines Need for Attention to Social, Personal Aspects of Hajj
Speaking in a meeting with Iran’s Hajj officials on Saturday, Ayatollah Khamenei said Hajj has two different aspects, that is personal and social, adding that attention to both of them is effective in Muslim nations’ salvation in this world and the Hereafter.
Ayatollah Khamenei described the Hajj pilgrimage as a unique opportunity to purify the soul and getting closer to God, urging pilgrims to make the most of the spiritual journey.
As for the social aspects of Hajj, the Leader said, it is a manifestation of Islamic unity given the participation of Muslims from various nations with ethnic, cultural, and denominational differences.
His Eminence referred to Hajj as a great opportunity for Muslims to exchange experiences in order to enhance the Islamic Ummah.
The Leader further lashed out at those who distort realities and sow discord among Muslims, saying, “Hajj does not only belong to us Iranians, but belongs to the Islamic Ummah and guarantees the continuation of Islam.”
Hajj is the real symbol of Islamic rapport and empathy," Ayatollah Khamenei underlined, and went on to say "May God curse those who tried to alienate minds [of people] from the reality and significance of Islam, and to divide Muslims into different groups with different motives."
The Leader then took a swipe at those who play down the significance of the Muslim community through various methods such as aggrandizing the concept of “nationality” saying, “Grandeur belongs to the Islamic Ummah.”
Elsewhere in his remarks, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the Iranian nation has come to understand that hegemonic powers and Zionism are the real enemies of Iranians and Muslims.
Over the past 36 years, the Leader said, global hegemony has exercised its animosity toward the Iranian nation through other countries; however, the Iranian nation has always come to find out that these proxy countries are mere pawns and have been duped into antagonizing Iranians.
Iranians have always been aware that "the real enemies are the US and Israel," the Leader noted.
He said some Islamic groups which came to power in certain countries faced failures as they, “unlike the Iranian nation, mistook foe for friend and suffered a blow accordingly.”
