Is Ayatullah Khameini's Kashmir Statement a Call for Jihad ?

The Spiritual leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatullah Syed Ali Khameini has once again reiterated his support for Kashmir cause and in his recent statement on Eid ul Fitr sermon, the leader voiced his support to the oppressed people in Palestine, Bahrain, Yemen and Kashmir. The supreme leader has always been  supporting oppressed people world wide. He said that Islamic world should support Yemen, Bahrain and Kashmir. This statement was widely hailed by the people in Kashmir. Prominent Kashmiri leaders and political activists welcomed it whole heartedly. 

Kashmir is without any doubt an international dispute which no one can deny. There are number of resolutions pending in the United Nations on the Kashmir imbroglio and many world leaders have expressed their concerns about the negative impact of this long pending issue on world peace. This issue is being discussed in world forums including OIC. Iran is one of the few countries who is supporting the Kashmiri people's right to determine their political destiny. It comes under the important parameters of Iranian policy to support the oppressed people throughout the world irrespective of caste, creed and religion. This isn't the first time Iran's leader has spoken about the Kashmir issue. He like his predecessor, Imam Khomeini has time and again expressed his support for the oppressed people of Kashmir who are caught in the vortex of conflict not of their making and expressed his concern on the existing human rights violations in Kashmir. In his views, "what Kashmir express is nothing but truth and justice and those who silence them have an unjust cause. Those who attack them are the ones who are doing the wrong action." 

Ayatullah Khameini also said in his sermon that, when an enemy takes over Muslim lands, jihad in any possible form becomes everyone's duty, according to Islamic jurisprudence. But he hastened to add that "Palestine is the number one issue of the Islamic world, but some Islamic countries are acting in such a way as if the Palestinian case had been ignored and forgotten,”
Supreme leader equated the on-going Kashmir conflict with that of Yemen and Bahrain saying that Muslim world must express their disdain against 'oppressors' who have attacked people in such horrible ways even during the holy month of Ramadhan.
Since Ayatullah Khameini is Wali-e-faqih (top most jurist) his statements are binding not only upon his Muqalideen (followers) but all who believe in Wilayat Faqih. The statement has created great confusion among certain circles in Kashmir. Observing the statement in the context of Kashmir, many people have expressed their own views based on their understanding of Islamic jurisprudence. Perhaps, people here, mostly Shias, have failed to get the essence of this message. Whether he has validated jihad in Kashmir or it is only a political statement. By naming Kashmir does he calls for jihad and do we have to follow the likes of Zakir Moosa in this regard or the statement had more to do with the humanitarian crisis and killings of innocents more than anything else. This confusion needs to be clarified as some believe that according to Ja'fari Fiqh (Shiite Jurisprudence) he can't issue Fatwa of Jehad during the time of occulation of Imam of Age but can only call for Defence as Ayatullah Sistani did in Iraq in 2014 or Imam Khomeini prior to him during Saddam Hussain's invasion of Iran in early eightees. Ayatullah Khameini has already communicated his response to several queries from Kashmir some 18 years before, where he stated in unambiguous terms that defending ones honour, dignity and self respect is Wajib (obligatory) upon all Muslims.

First let's see the timing of the statement. Daesh or ISIS has failed in Iraq & Syria and Iran is emerging as an influential power in the region. It has everything to do with the turmoil that US President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia has plunged the Islamic/ Arab world into. The calling out of Qatar for its links with Iran and subsequent developments has further divided the already fractured polity of the Middle East.

On Eid, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran gave a very chilling address in Teheran. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei publicly called for wiping of terrorists from Islamic land and in other words called for Jihad. According to Islamic jurisprudence, when an enemy takes over Muslim lands, jihad in any possible form becomes everyone’s duty.

Then came the word kashmir in his speech. “Muslims the world over should also openly support the people of Bahrain, Kashmir and Yemen and repudiate oppressors and tyrants who attacked people in Ramadan,” Khamenei said.

Supreme Leader equated the on-going Kashmir conflict with that of Yemen and Bahrain saying that the Muslim world must express their disdain against 'oppressors' who have attacked people in such horrible ways even during the holy month of Ramadan. Though Iran has earlier voted against India on the issue of Kashmir in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), this is the first time the situation in the Valley has been given a religious colour by Iran’s Supreme leader. Even those who are fighting against the Indian establishment in J&K have refrained from labelling their movement as “Islamic,” much less “jihadi.”

It is only one or two Hizbul Mujahideen “activists,” Zakir Rashid Bhat among them, who have tried to give militancy an Islamic colour. In a video that went viral, he said, “When we pick up stones or guns it should not be with this intention that we are fighting for Kashmir (as a nation). The sole motive should be for the supremacy of Islam so that Shariah is established here.”

Another activist, Zakir Musa, who made a similar exhortation, was quickly denounced by the other separatist leaders.

However the fact that a Shia religious leader of Iran has clubbed Kashmir, a predominantly Sunni area with causes like Yemen and Bahrain should worry New Delhi, because Iran backs up its rhetoric with logistical support, be it to the Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad or the Houthis in Yemen, to name but a few.

This support from Iran coincidentally comes at a time when the predominantly Salafi ISIS, or Daesh, is trying to strike roots in Jammu & Kashmir. Among the shittee youth of Kashmir, General Qasem Soleimani, the once reclusive head of the Revolutionary Guards and its elite Quds Force and Abu Izrael of Imam Ali brigade of Iraq are very famous. General Soleimani has suddenly surfaced from an era in the dark leading clandestine processes overseas, to attain virtually iconic prominence in Iran, Iraq, Syria & Arab world and Abu Izrael has emerged as the Angel of death for foreign terrorists in Iraq. These two personalities are equally famous in Pakistan & kashmir too. Soleimani and the Quds Force have successfully converted erstwhile territorial struggles into religious battles. One can only hope that Kashmir is not their next frontline.

At the same time we need to accept this fact that Islamic Republic has always called for peaceful resolutions of the disputes worldwide and has never advocated violence of any type as violence of any sort can never bring any solution. This applies to Kashmir conflict also. Killings and counter killings in Kashmir are only piling up but have not done any good to Kashmir cause. Since last many decades thousands have become victim of Kashmir conflict. This has only done damage rather than creating a favorable condition for the solution of Kashmir problem. Imam Khamenei wants humanity to solve the Kashmir dispute as per the wishes and aspirations of people of Kashmir and that’s the main reason his eminence has said that Kashmir is an issue of humanity. He called upon humanity to support Yemen, Bahrain and Kashmir But he can never allow violence of any measure in Kashmir perpetrated by any party or group. He can never say anything which goes against the principles of Islam. That's why he clubbed Kashmir with Yemen and Bahrain, where innocent blood is shed day in and day out. India and Pakistan need to follow the human approach towards Kashmiris and solve this long pending issue according to the wishes and aspirations of its own people. Imam Khameini calls to fight for the cause of Kashmir in the true spirit of Islam without any violence or bloodshed which I believe is the just reflection of recent statement of Imam Khamenei.