Draft:World Mosque Day
World Mosque Day is observed on August 21 in the official calendar of the Islamic Republic of Iran.[1] The designation commemorates the 1969 deliberate arson of al-Aqsa Mosque perpetrated by the Zionist regime.[2] On August 21, 1969, Denis Michael Rohan, an Israeli citizen, set fire to the mosque, resulting in the destruction of approximately 1,500 square meters of the holy site.[3]
In 2003, World Mosque Day was officially established on August 21 following a proposal by the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization, which was subsequently ratified by the Foreign Ministers of Islamic nations during the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Tehran.[4] During this summit, member states were encouraged to commemorate the day to honor the spiritual significance of mosques and to ensure the protection of these sanctified spaces.[5]
According to the Specialized Center for Masajid, the primary objectives of World Mosque Day include:
- Establishing a standardized framework for the veneration of mosques.
- Identifying and addressing the logistical and spiritual requirements of mosques.
- Assessing the historical and contemporary status of these institutions.
- Clarifying the pivotal role of mosques in the intersection of religious and state affairs.
- Honoring the contributions of the Imams of congregational prayers.[6]
Sayyid Ali Khamenei: "It must be remembered that 'Mosque Day' is inherently a revolutionary occasion. Its inception and formal designation—proposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran and approved by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation—was prompted by the burning of al-Aqsa Mosque. Its purpose is to stand in opposition to the Zionist enemy; this is the fundamental premise of the day. We should view Mosque Day through this lens and orient our efforts accordingly."[7]
Notes
- ↑ "Payām-i tabrīk-i rūz-i jahānī-yi masājid", Hawzah News Agency.
- ↑ "'Illat-i nāmgudārī-yi rūz-i jahānī-yi masājid chīst?", Nahad-i Masjed News Agency.
- ↑ "Rūz-i jahānī-yi masjid chih rūzī ast?", Jamejam Newspaper.
- ↑ "Bīst-u-yakum-i Āūt, rūz-i jahānī-yi masjid", IRIB News.
- ↑ "Falsafih-yi nāmgudārī-yi rūz-i jahānī-yi masājid bih tārīkh-i 31 murdād māh?", The Specialized Center for Masajid.
- ↑ "Falsafih-yi nāmgudārī-yi rūz-i jahānī-yi masājid bih tārīkh-i 31 murdād māh?", The Specialized Center for Masajid.
- ↑ "Dar dīdār bā a'immih-yi jamā'āt-i ustān-i Tihrān", The Office for the Preservation and Publication of the Works of Ayatollah Khamenei.
References
- "Bīst-u-yakum-i Āūt, rūz-i jahānī-yi masjid [August 21st, World Mosque Day]", IRIB News, Published: Mordad 30, 1400 Sh.
- "Dar dīdār bā a'immih-yi jamā'āt-i ustān-i Tihrān [In a meeting with the Imams of congregational prayers of Tehran province]", The Office for the Preservation and Publication of the Works of Ayatollah Khamenei, Published: Mordad 31, 1395 Sh.
- "Falsafih-yi nāmgudārī-yi rūz-i jahānī-yi masājid bih tārīkh-i 31 murdād māh? [The philosophy of naming World Mosque Day on August 21st?]", The Specialized Center for Masajid, Posted: Mordad 31, 1391 Sh.
- "'Illat-i nāmgudārī-yi rūz-i jahānī-yi masājid chīst? [What is the reason for naming World Mosque Day?]", Nahad-i Masjed News Agency, Published: Mordad 23, 1403 Sh.
- "Payām-i tabrīk-i rūz-i jahānī-yi masājid [Congratulatory message for World Mosque Day]", Hawzah News Agency, Posted: Tir 28, 1401 Sh.
- "Rūz-i jahānī-yi masjid chih rūzī ast? [What day is World Mosque Day?]", Jamejam Newspaper, No. 6565, p. 5.