Muqtada al-Sadr Criticizes Attacks on Shiite Groups; Warns of Attempts to Incite Sectarian Strife

Shafaq News/ Muqtada al-Sadr, leader of the Sadrist Movement, on Monday criticized the recent attacks on headquarters of the Islamic Dawa Party and other Shiite factions, warning of attempts to incite sectarian strife among the Muslim group.

Over the past couple of days, several provinces witnessed targeted attacks on headquarters of groups such as the "Islamic Dawa Party, Badr Organization, Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq, and the Loyal Ansar Allah Movement".

In a tweet he shared earlier today, al-Sadr stated, "As we are on the threshold of Muharram.. some parties, showing hostility towards Imam Hussein, in particular, and the Ahl al-Bayt, in general, hastened to spread Shia-Shia strife using violence and weapons against some headquarters. We denounce this and warn believers not to be dragged behind it, as there are parties that will not hesitate to shed blood and spread strife for worldly gains."

He added, "Do not say or do anything without consulting the Hawza.. and the Hawza will not accept this. We have previously warned you that the war would be ideological.. it should not be bloody at all, as that is religiously forbidden."

Al-Sadr continued, "If a law criminalizing insulting scholars without just cause or without constructive criticism is not enacted, we have ways far from violence and killing; this is not our way... the country can no longer bear such irresponsible actions."

Referring to recent developments, he pointed out that "the meeting of some parliamentary political forces to enact this law under the dome of Parliament gives hope to defuse the strife, regardless of what they seek from it... There must also be precision in drafting the provisions of this law or else it will be, as they say: (a double-edged sword)".