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In his sermon on November 29, 2024, Dr. Moustafa Al-Qazwini, Imam of the Islamic Education Center of Orange County, California, addressed comments made by South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who called for the defeat of the Shi'ites in the Middle East, claiming they believe in a "divine mandate to kill all Jews." Al-Qazwini sought to discredit Graham's remarks by pointing out that during his visits to synagogues in Iran, he observed that Jews "enjoy full freedom" there. He also referenced his own visit to a synagogue in Irvine, CA, where he and others were required to wear a yarmulke. Al-Qazwini stated that although Shi'ite Muslims "don't hurt or attack anyone," they are under attack in countries like Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, and Iraq.
Moustafa Al-Qazwini: "A few days ago on the Senate floor, the South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham made very disturbing and disparaging remarks against the Shi'a Muslim community worldwide.
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"He called for the defeat of the Shi'a Islam. This is what he says exactly: 'Shi'a Islam in the Middle East.' Why? 'Because the Shi'a Muslims believe in a divine mandate to kill all Jews.'
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"He stands on the Senate floor and he says all Shi'a Muslims should be killed and destroyed because they have a divine mandate to murder all Jews. Do you know how many thousands, hundreds of thousands of Jews live in Iran? In Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan. They have their synagogues, their shops, their businesses. Many of them are merchants. Some of them are members in the Iranian Parliament today.
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"I have been to synagogues. I myself have been to synagogues. In Isfahan and Shiraz and Tehran. They are enjoying full freedom. Full freedom! And they don't want to move to Israel. They say 'we have freedom in this country why should we go to that country?'
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"And I am sending him a message through this. He has to retract his very disturbing, very disturbing, disparaging remarks and he has to apologize to the Shi'a Muslim community worldwide.
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"Shi'ite Muslims are the followers of Muhammad.
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"They don't hurt anyone, they don't attack anyone. They are the victims of terrorism.
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"In Syria, outside Aleppo, Haleb, there are two villages, Nubl and Zahra, that are under attack and under siege right now. Right now at this moment! I've been to these villages 50 years ago when I was a child, peaceful people. They've done nothing. The Shi'a of Yemen are under attack, the Shi'a of Lebanon are under attack, the Shi'a of Iran, the Shi'a of Iraq.
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"We have no problem with the Jews. We – myself and many of you here – we visited the largest Jewish community in Irvine here. And many of you had to wear the yarmulke.
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"The Shi'a Muslims of Lebanon are the best Shi'a, the most loyal Shi'a. The most steadfast Shi'a in the world."
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