The Religious Authority, Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah received a delegation from the Muslim Scholars Gathering, and discussed with them the situation in Lebanon and the state of Muslim unity. The Sayyed briefed the delegation about his call for a dialogue with the Salafis and with all Muslim sects in general.

During the meeting, His Eminence delivered a speech in which he said: I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation of what the Gathering represents of as a pillar of Islamic unity that seeks to promote it in the entire Muslim world. It is unique in that it has undertaken to consolidate Muslim unity through a scholars vanguard that has proved that various sects of Muslims can actually meet and work together, at a time we have seen that many other gatherings and movements that claim to strive for unity, had return to their sectarian basis when the challenges appeared and when the nation needed them most.

We have to pay attention to the fact that the offensive of the international arrogance on the one hand, and the backwardness that has penetrated in the fabric of our societies on the other hand, have put the Muslims on the margin of the international community.

All Muslim officials and other organizations are no longer capable of reforming the Arab reality or confronting the outside challenges. In this respect, the Organization of the Islamic Conference is experiencing a tragic situation since it does not have any means of confrontation. The threats that the Aqsa Mosque is encountering are only faced with words that do not fear the Zionists, nor do they lead the world to take any move.

Faced by these facts, we have to shoulder the responsibility of defending Islam and confronting the challenges it faces from Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia, to Palestine and Lebanon.

The latter has turned to a preferred American front to the extent that they define the specifications of the next Lebanese president. It is as if they are looking for achieving a victory in Lebanon having failed in other parts of the region.

We have to be aware that our front that failed all attempts to incite strife, still needs our full attention and efforts, for those who are trying to awaken fragmentation projects, will exploit any sensitivity to receive sectarian enmities.

We have to act jointly to undermine their plots, and act on the ground to consolidate our Islamic unity…

After the meeting, Sheikh Ahmad el-Zein, the head of Trustees Council of the Gathering stated that the Gathering supports Sayyed Fadlullah’s call to a dialogue among Muslims including the Wahabbis, since such a call is based on the spirit of the Islamic call for dialogue even with other religions.

The Gathering stated that it is ready to participate in imitating this dialogue and they proposed certain practical steps.