SHAFAQNA – Seyed Aftab Haider on 20 June 2016 delivered at a special program for the Birth of Imam Hassan ibn Ali (a.s) at the Ahlul Bait (a.s) Islamic Centre, Ottery for the night of 15 Ramadaan 1437.
He condemns Bahraini regime’s move to strip Sheikh Isa Qassim of citizenship.
Following is part of his lecture:
The Bahraini government did something amazing today by announcing that they have stripped the citizenship of most senior leader of the Shia community in Bahrain – Ayatullah Sheikh Isa Qassem.
Have you heard of something as ludicrous as this in modern times? Maybe this can be done to people who were born in another country and became naturalized in another place. But this man is born and bred in Bahrain, and more Bahraini than the very kings that rule this country!
So who or what is he now? Where must he go to? He has no identity document or passport!
And the supposed lame excuse is that he promotes sectarianism? What sectarianism? His lectures are on Youtube and anyone can listen to them to see if promotes sectarianism.
And the party that he represents, which represents the majority of the people of Bahrain which is the Wafaq Party, has been banned.
And Sheikh Ali Salman from the Wafaq party who is in prison has been given an extended prison sentence of 9 more years.
Ayatullah Isa Qassem is the most senior leader in Bahrain and the official representative of all the leading Maraji. Today we have seen how the majority of the ulama in Bahrain have rallied in front of the home of Ayatullah Isa Qassem with their kaffan on their shoulders and offering their life for the Sheikh.
And tonight, while we supposed to be celebrating the birth of Imam Hassan (a.s), we condemn in the strongest terms the clampdown against Shia through out the world, particularly this latest development in Bahrain.