Senior Iranian cleric highlighted the social and unifying Hajj pilgrimage in a webinar held by the cultural consulate of Iran embassy in South Africa in collaboration with Al Mustafa International University on Sunday.

Hujjat-ul-Islam Hamid Shahriari, Secretary General of World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought attended the webinar on “Social Dimension of Hajj” discussing the social aspects of the Islamic event broadcasted live on face book and called Hajj a “community maker” ritual and a symbol of monotheism, reported Taqrib News Agency (TNA).

He referred to convention of Hajj pilgrims at one time and in one place and said,” A unity in behavior of the pilgrims would lead to a spiritual unity among them.”

He highlighted kindness among pilgrims from different countries as a moral etiquette of the Islamic pilgrimage.

The cleric assimilated those who submit to arrogant powers in the world to the idolaters who worshipped idols in early days of Islam saying,” Whenever a person choses to submit to world arrogant powers he has in fact acted like idolaters.”

Hujjat-ul-Islam Shahriari noted,” Because Hajj is a symbol of monotheism, the best place to reject polytheism is the house of monotheism, Ka’aba.”

Secretary General of World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of thought quoted parts of the Hajj message by the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamanei saying,” Today, as has been the case always and all the time, the Islamic Ummah’s interests clearly lie in unity: such a unity that forges a unanimous hand in the face of threats and enemies, such a unity that can let out a thunderous cry at the embodiment of Satan – transgressing America – and at its mad dog, the Zionist regime, such a unity that can resist bullying and thuggish behavior in a courageous manner.”

On the wake of Hajj 2020 which was limitedly held due to the new coronavirus pandemic the webinar on Hajj and the social dimension of the annual Islamic congregation was held to gather Islamic scholars from across the globe on Sunday 2 August, 2020.
 
Hujjat-ul-Islam Hamid Shahriari, Secretary General of World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, Mohammad Rafeek, ex-member of the parliament in South Africa and also Morteza Agha Mohammadi, president of Al Mustafa International University, South Africa branch were among speakers at the event.