07.02.2005, 11:58
Zitat:2005/02/06http://www.iribnews.ir/Full_en.asp?news_id=187012&n=35
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Islam a source for Iraq constitution
[Bild: http://www.iribnews.ir/newspic/05/02/06/...i1-jam.jpg]
05:33:37 ب.ظ
Najaf, Iraq, Feb 6 - Iraq's Shiite leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and another top cleric on Sunday staked out a demand that Islam be the sole source of legislation in the country's new constitution.
One cleric issued a statment setting out the position and the spiritual leader of Iraqi Shiites made it known straight away that he backed demands for the Koran to be the reference point for legislation.
The national assembly formed after last month's historic elections is to oversee the drawing up of the new constitution.
The role of Islam has been at the heart of months of debate between rival parties and factions as well as the US-led occupation authority which administered Iraq until last June.
The statement was released by Sheikh Ibrahim Ibrahimi, a representative of Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Ishaq al-Fayad.
"All of the Ulema and Marja, and the majority of the Iraqi people, want the national assembly to make Islam the source of legislation in the permanent constitution and to reject any law that is contrary to Islam," said the statement.
A source close to Sistani announced soon after the release of the statement that the spiritual leader backed the demand.
"We advise the government not to take decisions which would shock Muslims, such as the conscription of Muslims and the publication of their photos with foreign instructors," said Ibrahimi.
"We warn officials against a separation of the state and religion, because this is completely rejected by the Ulema and Marja and we will accept no compromise on this question."
"If they (the government) want the stability and security of the country, they must not touch the country's Islamic values and traditions," the Sheikh said.