روح الله فرهادی

This paper discusses the role of religions and specifically, religious leaders, in peacebuilding. To achieve the purpose, in the first place, the authors shed light on the controversial issue among scholars perceiving religion more commonly as a source of conflict, or rather than  a tool for peacebuilding. Accepting the constructive and productive role of religions in general, and Islam in particular, in peacebuilding, the paper also explores the role of concepts such as forgiveness, patience, and human dignity in peacebuilding. Having applied this conceptual framework, this article studies peacebuilding in post-war Iraq. The findings revealed that the role of religious leaders (Marjaiah), mainly Ayatollah Sistani, has been significant in the process of peacebuilding in Iraq. He has played a crucial role in this process through the revival of human dignity in light of public will, pursuing justice in terms of the Constitution, self-restraint as a basis for political stability and, religionization of forgiveness and tolerance. Data is accumulated through content analysis of Ayatollah Sistani’s speeches and Fatwas.

One of the rules and principles that has long been considered a necessity of human society in the narrations of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and the Shiite Imams (AS) and consequently in jurisprudence, is maintaining the system. From the beginning of Islam until now, Muslim leaders and Islamic thinkers have ruled on the prohibition of what causes disruption of the system, and in return, they have considered maintaining the system obligatory, and consequently, have considered what is necessary for maintaining the system obligatory. This ruling has become so widespread among jurists and other Muslim thinkers that it has become a rule; Of course, it is clear that this issue is not one of the founding principles and rules of Islam, but since the most important document of it is reason, in every system and society everyone has been and is seeking to preserve the system of their society, and perhaps it can be said that this need has been felt since the very beginning of human society. In this case, according to the view presented by Imam Khomeini (RA), the obligation to preserve the Islamic system is one of the primary rules and has such a strong interest that it takes precedence over other religious rules. Therefore, if there is a conflict between the interests of the Islamic system and other interests - even if none of the secondary titles exist - the interests of the system take precedence and the other ruling is temporarily suspended. The ruling that the jurist issues in this case is a governmental ruling and is formed based on the interests of the Islamic society - the interests of Islam and Muslims.