The Western media continues to label the ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria) a Sunni outfit. Certainly this is an old Western ploy to create divisions between Shias and Sunnis. But as the ISISs Takfiri leaders have been killing both Shias and Sunnis, it is clear that the current Iraq situation is a problem between Shias and Sunnis on one hand, and Takfiri and Wahabis, on the other. Why the West continues to promote the Shia-Sunni binary is a separate issue. What this write-up is about is the danger posed to some of the holiest shrines of Islam. Those who say that Najaf and Karbala are Shia shrines are wrongand deliberately and maliciously so. Imam Ali and Imam Hussain are not just Shia icons; they are equally revered by the Sunnis.
It is only the Takfiris, represented by the ISIS aka ISIL aka Al-Qaeda, who have said that they want to destroy the shrines of Najaf and Karbala. This intention of the ISIS has widely been given coverage by the mediaprint, electronic, and social. However, what is being concealed from Sunnis is the claim of the ISISs leader Abu Bakar al-Salafi al-Baghdadi and his comrades is that they want to destroy the shrine of Ghaus-ul-Azam Abdul Qadir Gilani before marching on to Najaf and Karbala.
We will demolish tombs of Hussain ibn Ali in Karbala and Abdul Qadir Jilani in Baghdad which are centers of Polytheism for Sunnis and Shias Said Abu Bakr al Baghdadi in his video message available on ISIL website.
Whose agenda is this? It is not difficult to imagine the consequences of these shrines especially those of Imam Hussain and Amir-al-Momineen Ali being demolished.
It is not 1928 when Saudis bulldozed almost all revered shrines, Islamic and otherwise. Destruction of the holy shrines in the rest of the Islamic world in this age is sparking a widespread anger and will have serious backlash.
On smaller scale this has been happening in this region.
In fact, this is not a sectarian case but a fight for the rights of humanity to the basic rights of citizens, respect of religious beliefs and holy sites.
It is very crucial for Sunni Muslims not to be duped by the propaganda that the ISIS wants to destroy the Shia shrines only. These terrorists are against the very idea on which the Sunni Islam is founded: veneration of personalities considered close to God. It is time for Shias and Sunnis to unite and fight against Islamofascism symbolized and practiced by the Takfiris. Given the stakes, Iraq may be the last opportunity for Shias and Sunnis to counter the assault. If Iraq falls, the march of the Islamofascism will be too formidable to stop in any part of the world.
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