US and Britain are promoting Tatbir: Scholar

Secretary General of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought Ayatollah Mohsen Araki says the Americans and Brits who always associate Shiites with Tatbir [The practice of striking oneself with a form of “sword” on the head, causing blood to flow in remembrance of Imam Hussein] are the real promoters of the practice.

On February 25, Aftab-e Yazd daily published a report on Ayatollah Araki’s speech at a gathering on ways of identifying Shiite and Sunni extremist factions in Qom on Tuesday. The following is the translation of what else the secretary of the World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought said:

Members of the Shirazi Sect work hard to promote Tatbir. They argue to be a true follower of Imam Hussein, you need to practice Tatbir. Simply crying and beating your chest is not enough, they contend. Shiites need to draw blood. They should also administer the ritual on their newborn babies and encourage their spouses to do the same.

They argue that the best place to practice Tatbir is a city like London where the whole world sees you. When I was there, I was told that a Shirazi Sect preacher has told a crowd of worshipers, ‘Today a Christian converted to Islam and has already expressed willingness to join you in practicing Tatbir.’ I told them he might be an MI6 spy.

The Americans and Brits are the real promoters of Tatbir. The books they pen on Shiites, even their textbooks, feature images of Tatbir.

Members of the Shirazi Sect also claim that those who practice Tatbir book a place for themselves in Paradise, and those who stay away are not real Shiites. […]

They go even further and say Tatbir is not enough. ‘As long as you don’t desecrate Sunni sanctities you are not a true Shiite.’ We do not share the sanctities of Sunnis, but we are not allowed to show disrespect for what more than a billion Muslims regard as sacred.

They tell their followers to go to great lengths in desecrating Sunnis and thus prompt them to want to put on a suicide vest and blow themselves up among Shiites.

These folks are free to travel wherever they want. Saudi Arabia does not allow Shiite prayer books to find their way into the country. But for these individuals, Saudi Arabia is like home. They come and go. The only books freely available in Saudi Arabia are their books.

The groups in Kuwait that support them are in touch with British intelligence agencies. Ever since they set up base in Kuwait they have had the support of the British intelligence.