Ayatollah Khamenei

'US, Israel used ISIS to distract Muslims from the core issue, Al Aqsa'

On the 21st of Aug, 47 years ago, a Zionist Australian settler in coordination with Israeli officials and military forces, set the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque on fire. The fire gutted the southeastern wing of the mosque. Al-Aqsa is known to Muslims all over as Haram-al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary). The following statements were made by Ayatollah Khamenei on the issue of Al-Aqsa.

The main pivot of the Al-Aqsa Intifada is Bait-ul-Moqaddas. In other words, the spark that provoked the anger of the Palestinian people was the Zionists' affront to the Al-Aqsa mosque.

Being well aware of the fact that they shouldered a heavy responsibility to safeguard the sanctity of one of the most sacred Islamic sites, the Palestinian people entered the arena of struggle against the Zionists and set the sacred torch of struggle against the occupiers of their homeland burning through devotion and by making great sacrifices. Apr 24, 2001

I am sorry from the bottom of my heart that today, we have to focus our attention on the problems that arrogance has created in the world of Islam. This is while we should focus all our energy on confronting the plots of the Zionist regime and the move that they made against Holy Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque. This should move and stimulate the entire world of Islam. However, there is no other option. In fact, attending to the issue of takfirism is something that has been imposed on the ulama, activists and scholars of the world of Islam. The enemy has brought this to the world of Islam as a custom-made product and problem. Therefore, we have to attend to it. However, the main issue is the issue of the Zionist regime. The main issue is the issue of Quds. The main issue is the issue of the first qiblah for Muslims which is al-Aqsa Mosque. These are the main issues.

There is an undeniable point which is the fact that the takfiri orientation and the governments which support and advocate it move completely in the direction of the goals of arrogance and Zionism. Their work is in line with the goals of America, the colonialist governments in Europe and the government of the usurping Zionist regime.

Certain signs confirm this claim. The takfiri orientation is Islamic on the face of it, but in practice, it is at the service of the great colonialist, arrogant and political orientations that are working against the world of Islam. There are clear signs which cannot be ignored. I would like to mention a few of these signs: one is that the takfiri orientation managed to make the movement of Islamic Awakening deviate from its path. The movement of Islamic Awakening was an anti-American and anti-arrogance movement which was against the elements that America had installed in the region.

It was a movement that had been launched by the masses of the people in different countries of North Africa. These countries were against arrogance and America. The takfiri orientation changed the direction of this anti-arrogance, anti-American and anti-tyranny movement. It turned it into a war between Muslims and into fratricide. The front line of fighting in the region was the borders of occupied Palestine, but the takfiri orientation came and changed this front line to the streets of Baghdad, the Jameh Mosque of Syria and Damascus, the streets of Pakistan and different cities of Syria. These places became the front line of fighting.

Take a look at the condition of today's Libya, Syria, Iraq, Pakistan and see against whom the forces and swords of Muslims are being used. These forces should have been used against the Zionist regime. The takfiri orientation changed the direction of this fighting to our homes, our cities and our Islamic countries. They cause explosions inside the Jameh Mosque of Damascus. They kill people by causing explosions in Baghdad while they are holding their ordinary rallies. In Pakistan, they fire a volley of bullets on hundreds of people. As you can witness today, they are creating such disastrous conditions in Libya. All of these are among the unforgettable and historical crimes of the takfiri orientation.

It is this orientation that has brought about this situation. This movement is at the service of arrogance. It is at the service of America and England. What they do is at the service of the intelligence services of America and England. It is at the service of Mossad and other such intelligence services.

Another sign is that those who support the takfiri orientation compromise with the Zionist regime so that it fights against Muslims. They do not even frown at the Zionist regime, but they deliver all sorts of blows to Islamic countries and nations and they hatch all sorts of plots against them.

Another sign is that the seditious movement which the takfiri orientation launched in Islamic countries - including Iraq, Syria, Libya, Lebanon and other countries - has led to the destruction of the valuable infrastructures of these countries. Notice how many roads, refineries, mines, airports, streets, cities and houses have been destroyed in these countries. Notice how long it takes and how much money is necessary for these countries to go back to their prior conditions. This has happened as a result of domestic wars and fratricide. These are the losses and the blows that the takfiri orientation has delivered to the world of Islam since a few years ago until today.

Another sign is that the takfiri orientation damaged the reputation of Islam in the world and it painted an ugly picture of it. Everyone in the world saw on TV that someone is made to sit on the ground and they behead them with a sword without charging him with any crime: "Allah forbids you not - with regard to those who fight you not for your faith nor drive you out of your homes - from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loves those who are just. Allah only forbids you - with regard to those who fight you for your faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support others in driving you out - from turning to them for friendship and protection. And whoever makes friends with them, these are the unjust" [The Holy Quran, 60: 8-9].

These people did the exact opposite of this. They killed Muslims and innocent non-Muslims and the pictures were broadcast all over the world. The whole world saw this. These acts were done in the name of Islam. This was the way they introduced Islam, which is known for its mercy, reason and logic and for "Allah forbids you not - with regard to those who fight you not for your faith nor drive you out of your homes - from dealing kindly and justly with them". Is there any crime greater than this? Is there any fitna which is more malevolent than this? This has been committed by the takfiri orientation.

Another sign is that they left the axis of resistance alone. Gaza fought alone for 50 days. They resisted on their own for 50 days. Islamic governments did not help Gaza. Oil revenues and dollars were not put at the service of Gaza although part of them was put at the service of the Zionist regime. This is another sign.

Another sin and another sign was that the takfiri orientation changed the direction of young Muslims' enthusiasm and valor which existed throughout the world of Islam. Today, youth from throughout the world of Islam enjoy a certain kind of enthusiasm and valor. Islamic Awakening has influenced them. They are prepared to move forward at the service of the great goals of Islam. The takfiri orientation changed the path of this enthusiasm and valor. It drew some ill-informed and ignorant youth to beheading Muslims and slaughtering women, children and infants of a village. These are among the sins of the takfiri orientation.

We cannot ignore and forget about these signs and proofs easily. All these signs show that the takfiri orientation is at the service of arrogance, the enemies of Islam, America, England and the Zionist regime. Of course, there are other signs and proofs as well. We have been informed that an American transport plane dropped the ammunitions that this group, known as DAESH, needed. This was done in order to help them. We said to ourselves, "Perhaps, this was a mistake". Then, we saw that they kept doing it. According to the reports that I have received, this was done five times. Do they make a mistake five times?

This is while they have formed a so-called coalition against DAESH. This is a downright lie. This coalition follows other malevolent goals. They want to keep this fitna alive, pit the two sides against one another and continue the domestic war between Muslims. This is their goal. Of course, you should know that they will not manage to do this. Nov 25,2014

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