[caption id="attachment_6720" align="alignright" width="300"] Iranian cleric Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem-Shirazi[/caption]
Senior Iranian cleric Grand Ayatollah Nasser Makarem-Shirazi has warned of US and Israeli plots to create a religious rift in the Muslim world through encouraging the violation of Islamic sanctities.
In a Saturday statement, Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi slammed the recent desecration of the tomb of Shia Muslim figure Hujr ibn Adi on the outskirts of Damascus.
We strongly condemn this major crime which the Muslim community, particularly the Shias of the world, will never forget. These degenerate criminals will soon be punished for their deeds.
We know that the enemies of Islam, spearheaded by the US and Israel want to ignite religious and sectarian conflict among Muslims by encouraging such crimes, but they will definitely not succeed because of Islamic Awakening, he pointed out.
According to reports by online media, the militants in Syria have raided the mausoleum of Hujr ibn Adi in the Damascus suburb of Adra, and transferred his remains to an unknown location.
The Shia Source of Emulation lashed out at Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the US and Israel for lending support to the entities who commit such inhumane crimes.
Clerics at the Qom Seminary canceled classes on Saturday to protest the tragic incident and the violation of Islamic sanctities.
Hujr - a close companion of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and a loyal supporter of the first Shia Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (PBUH) - led the army of Muslims to victory in several crucial battles.
He and his sons were killed upon the order of the Umayyad Caliph Muawiyah in the year 660 CE.