During the Friday prayer sermon held at the Holy Shrine of Imam Hussein on December 20, 2019, the representative of the Supreme Religious Authority, Sheikh Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalai, read the full text received from the Supreme Religious Authority's office in Najaf.
Al-Karbalai said, "We recite the text we received from His Eminence's office in the holy city of Najaf:"
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, most passionate
"The country is still living in difficult and worrisome conditions, as different groups of citizens continue to participate in peaceful demonstrations and sit-ins demanding reform, while some of the actors in those demonstrations are subjected to the assassination, kidnapping, and threat. In the other side, many government departments and educational institutions are forced to close their doors without clear reason, besides that, the property of some citizens are also subjected to burning and vandalism, as many complain about the weakness of the state's grip, and the disobedience started by some people against laws and regulations affecting the public life in the country without deterrence or impediment."
"We pointed out in a previous sermon that the people are the source of power, and from which it derives its legitimacy - as stipulated by the constitution - and accordingly, the nearest and safest way out of the current crisis, and to avoid descending into unknown destination, chaos, or internal fighting - God forbid -, is by returning to the people by holding early elections after legislating a fair law for it, forming an independent commission to conduct it, and setting up an effective monitoring mechanism at all stages of their procedures, which will allow the restoration of confidence in the electoral process."
"However, it is noticeable that the approval of the election law has been hindered until today, and there is a dispute over some of its main paragraphs, as we once again emphasize on the necessity of passing this law, and to be consistent with the aspirations of voters, bringing them closer to their representatives, and taking care of the inviolability of their votes and not allowing to manipulate them. Passing a law without these characteristics will not help to bypass the current crisis."
"If the election law is approved in an acceptable manner, it will be the responsibilities of the intellectual elites and patriotic figures willing to work politics, to organize their ranks and prepare their programs to push the country forward and solve its worsening problems within the framework of practical plans, which will be ready to be presented to the voters at the time of the elections, and to promote them through fair competition, the ability of application of these plans, not through regional, tribal, or sectarian affiliations of the candidates, hoping that the next parliament and government produced by it, will play their part in making the necessary reforms to get rid of the consequences of corruption, quotas, and the absence of social justice during the previous period."
"In conclusion, we hope that the formation of the new government, will not take a long time, a government that should not be a controversial one, responds to the requirements of the current stage, and able to restore the powers of the state and calm the situation, as well as holding the upcoming elections in a calm atmosphere, far away from the effect practiced by money, weapons, or foreign interference."
Allah is the Arbiter of Success
