Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has been criticized for suggesting that force should not be used to promote cultural values in the country.
“Do not interfere in people’s lives so much, even if it is out of compassion,” Rouhani said at a health insurance conference on May 24 arranged by the administration. “Let people pick their own path to heaven. One cannot take people to heaven through force and a whip. The Prophet [Mohammad] did not have a whip in his hand.”
Today, May 27, influential conservative Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami responded, “They say let people be and don’t take them to heaven by force.” He addressed “the administration” rather than Rouhani specifically.
He added sarcastically, “Fine, we’ll suspend [the religious duty of] commanding the good and forbidding evil. To the thief, and to the girl and guy with bad veiling, we’ll say, ‘Be a good child.’ Is this Islam, is this having the concern of implementing religion?”
“We have to protect our Islamic system,” Khatami continued. “We do not want to send anyone to heaven by force, but with your statements, do not straighten the path to hell for anyone.”
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