"JIHAD MEANS LIFE, AND NOT WAR AND MURDER"
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Sept 6 2006
On September 4, Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the President of the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia received the delegation headed
by Mufti of the Arab Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hasun.
The Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin II and Ambassadors of two
countries were present at the meeting.
Closely observing the goal and the process of Mufti of the Arab
Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hasun’s visit to Armenia His
Holiness highlighted friendly relations between the two countries, and
particularly the fact of providing a shelter to our compatriots, who
survived after the Armenian Genocide at the beginning of last century.
Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the RA NA President, greeting the spiritual
leader of Syria in the Parliament, gratefully touched upon the
fact of brotherly reception and treatment of our suffered people
as fully citizens in 1915. The RA NA President noted that he is
closely observing the events that keep the region in chaos and he is
concerned not only with the fate of his compatriots, but with the one
of the friendly nations. Mr. Torosyan highlighted the Mufti’s visit
in a period when the spiritual leader of the neighboring country is
threatening with Jihad and expressed a hope that religions cannot be
divisive. Other high values exist, which unite the people and give
the opportunity to confront the challenges.
The Mufti of the Arab Republic of Syria Sheikh Ahmad Badr Al-Din Hasun,
conveying the greetings of the people and the President of the Syrian
Arab Republic Bashar Asad, expressed his satisfaction to be on a visit
to the Parliament of the Republic of Armenia as a country, which was
the first to adopt Christianity as a state religion – a light which
guided throughout its future history.Touching upon the Jihad declared
by the spiritual leader of the Muslims of the Caucasus, the Mufti
noted that Jihad means life, and not war and murder, because Jihad
unites the people around good idea, and the task of the spiritual
leaders should be supporting the political leadership to establish
peace and well being.
Mr. T. Torosyan, the RA NA President, noted that as Jihad may
receive various interpretations within the same religion, so various
interpretations are given to the conception of democracy. It is
interpreted as a way of governance, which brings welfare and safety to
a human being. But there are people and groups that use the democracy
for war. Though, the welfare is not given by war and is not obliged.
The issues of globalization to meet the challenges were mutually
highlighted: to protect and save the national identity, since the
loss of identity is a sin before God, who awarded that identity and
peculiarities.
Other issues were also discussed during the meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress