Hodeida: Scholars, preachers, and mosque imams in Hodeida city held a preparatory meeting to commemorate the Prophet Muhammad's birthday, emphasizing the importance of the Holy Quran and condemning the burning of copies of the Quran. Hodeida's first undersecretary, Ahmed al-Bashri, stressed the importance of commemorating the Prophet's birthday as an opportunity to recall his noble life and values and strengthen adherence to his teachings in confronting challenges targeting the nation's faith, culture, and identity.
According to Yemen News Agency, al-Bashri highlighted the pivotal role of scholars, preachers, and imams in promoting religious awareness, guiding society to emulate the Prophet, strengthening resilience against cultural and intellectual attacks, and mobilizing support for the nation's causes. He stated that the attacks on the Holy Quran are part of a systematic campaign targeting Islamic sanctities, calling for a unified Islamic and popular stance against such acts and greater awareness of the Quran's status and sanctity.
The Head of the Guidance Sector in the governorate, Abdulrahman al-Warfi, emphasized that commemorating the Prophet's birthday renews the commitment to emulate Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) and reinforces the responsibility of scholars and preachers to promote faith-based and moral values in society. He stressed the importance of mosques and pulpits in exposing the dangers of insults against Islamic sanctities and raising awareness of schemes targeting the Holy Quran, thereby strengthening Muslim unity and adherence to religious principles.
Ali Somel, Head of the Scholars Unit in the governorate, affirmed that the occasion provides an opportunity to reinforce the values and principles established by the Prophet, particularly reverence for the Book of God and adherence to its guidance, while strengthening Muslim unity in confronting attacks on Islamic sanctities. He noted that the burning of the Holy Quran reflects hostility toward Islam and its sacred symbols, calling on scholars and preachers to fulfill their responsibility to raise public awareness of the seriousness of such acts and promote a culture of defending the Holy Quran and preserving its status in the Muslim conscience.
Vice Rector of Dar Al-Uloom Al-Sharia University, Sheikh Ali Adhabi, remarked that celebrating the Prophet's birthday embodies the people's connection with their noble Messenger and highlights the importance of drawing upon his life and guidance to build a cohesive society capable of resisting attempts to undermine its religious identity. He called for unified scholarly and guidance efforts to confront insults against the Holy Quran and Islamic sanctities and promote informed religious discourse that strengthens adherence to Islamic principles and exposes the objectives behind repeated attacks on the nation's faith and culture.
The meeting strongly condemned the burning of the Holy Quran by an American extremist, describing it as a deliberate insult to Muslim sanctities and a provocation of Muslims worldwide. The participants called on scholars and religious, cultural, and media institutions across the Muslim world to unify their stance against attacks on the Holy Quran and Islamic sanctities and to take practical measures to prevent such acts from recurring.
The statement stressed that confronting insults against the Holy Quran is a collective responsibility, calling for greater Muslim unity, adherence to the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), and upholding dignity, honor, and steadfastness in the face of religious and cultural attacks.