Crackdown on Nigerian Muslims is against UN and Africa charters on human rights, Grand Mufti of Zambia Assadollah Mawali said.
He made the remarks on the sidelines of International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran on Tuesday.
The cleric who chairs a union of Muftis of 28 African countries, urged the Nigerian government to free Nigerian religious leader Sheikh Ibrahim al-Zakzaky.
Nigerian government should not follow outside forces and suppress its own people, he added.
Mawali condemned arrest of Sheikh Zakzaki and said since Nigerian government is a signatory to the UN and Africa charters on human rights, it should avoid such actions.
Nigerian government should practice tolerance towards Muslims including the Shia movement of this country, he added.
Elsewhere in his remarks, this Sunni Mufti added that terrorism has no room in Islam and the terrorists can not claim to be Muslim.
Islam is for peace and dialogue and the best for us is to come together and talk for resolution of issues, he noted.
Mawali said that Muslims should not condemn or abuse each other.
Muslims need to concentrate on the Koran teachings and respect the household of the prophet Mohammad (PBUH) which are both accepted by all sects of Islam, he added.
Referring to the Israel divisive plots against Muslims, the grand mufti of Zambia said the conflicts among Muslims are in Israel's interest.
On the last leg of a three-day event held in the Iranian capital of Tehran, participants of the 29th International Islamic Unity Conference held its closing ceremony on Tuesday evening and released its final statement to reiterate their commonalities and express their abhorrence of Takfiri, extremist moves.
Participants in this conference maintained that present violence and terrorism faced by the World of Islam are within preplanned plots to tarnish the image of Islam and provide the grounds for intervention of the enemies in the domestic affairs of Muslims.
Like previous years, the 29th edition of the Islamic Unity Conference was also held on the auspicious occasion of the anniversary of Holy Prophet (PBUH) birthday, which marks the Muslim Unity Week.
Over 300 Muslim figures and scholars from 70 countries attended this event. Twelve specialized committees discussed different themes including Muslim world’s conditions today, resistance movement, women and family, youth, academics, sciences and technology, etc.
source : abna24
