30 August 2005
BEIRUT: Shiite cleric Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah emphasized the need for the Islamic community to stand strong and stay united. "It is significant to strengthen the Islamic community and avoid stirring sectarianism, and be firm in educating the generations to come about Islamic unity and the need for openness toward others. We must do this through engaging the people and not just through relations between scholars."
Fadlallah made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation from Beirut headed by Hajj Omar Ghandour.
The delegation updated him about the steps they are taking to strengthen the Islamic community and not allowing events to affect ties between Muslims around the world, especially in Lebanon.
Commenting on suggestions in the media of divisions between Sunni and Shiite communities, the delegation said: "The problems are originally political problems made by the West."
Fadlallah added: "The Islamic community in Lebanon is suffering from interferences between the Sunnis and Shiites, but we, as Lebanon's Muslims, can teach a message of unity at a time when others are spreading division and treachery."
He later met with a delegation from the Islamic Teachings Association headed by Sheikh Ali Sanan.
Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani received a telephone call from vice president of the Higher Shiite Council Sheikh Abdel-Amir Qabalan who confirmed to Qabbani "the need to strengthen unity between the Lebanese in general and Muslims in particular."
Qabbani further called for the rejection of all attempts to incite sectarian strife and warned of foreign threats facing Lebanon."
Qabbani also called the president of the Beirut Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ghazi Qoreitem to congratulate him on being his electtion.
Qabbani also met with the Charge d'Affaires of the Moroccan Embassy in Lebanon Mohsen al-Geed and director-general of the Sports City, Riyadh al-Sheikha. - The Daily Star
