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August 9, 2006

Iran's Khamenei: It Is The Entire Muslim Community's Duty To Defend Hezbollah

Topics: Understanding Islam

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, is calling for the ummah to rally to the defence of Hezbollah in its war against Israel:

"Today it is the entire Muslim community's duty to defend Hezbollah," Khamenei told a meeting to mark the anniversary of the birth of the Shiites' first Imam, Ali.

Iran helped to create and arm Hezbollah in 1982 in response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon, and Tehran stands accused by the United States and Israel of fomenting chaos in the region by channelling weapons to the guerrillas, AFP stated.

Iran denies the allegation, saying it provides only moral support to the movement.

Khamenei's comments came as Arab ministers were due to plead Lebanon's case in New York before the UN Security Council.

Khamenei also accused the US and Britain on Tuesday of encouraging the "Zionists' crimes" and "seeking to eradicate Islam in this region".

Khamenei seems to think that the entire Muslim community is one homogenous nation, and that regardless of the country a Muslim lives in, his/her allegiance is to the ummah (Muslim community or nation - the whole Islamic world) - first - before their country. In other words, according to Khamenei and the Islamists, a Muslim is not an American, rather a Muslim. Is this true? I think not - but it looks like we're going to be finding out soon just how many believe what Khamenei thinks they believe.

Posted by Richard at August 9, 2006 3:11 AM

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