Burkina Faso Cleric: Islamic Unity Shields Muslims Against Aggression

He praised Iran’s response during the recent 12-day conflict, describing it as a source of comfort and pride for Muslims worldwide. He noted that Pakistan’s support for Iran following the Israeli assault demonstrated the potential of collective deterrence: “If all Islamic countries pledged to respond collectively to any aggression against one of them, even major powers would hesitate before engaging in such ventures.”
Ouedraogo criticized the lack of coordinated leadership among Islamic governments, urging them to embrace unity as a path to victory. He called for future conferences to focus on shared challenges, including economic and political cooperation:
“Why shouldn’t we unite economically? Politically, we must adopt joint decisions to confront enemies of Muslim interests.”
Highlighting the role of religious scholars, he echoed the call for “jihad of clarification,” stressing the importance of educating the public about critical issues:
“As the Leader has said, scholars must clarify the truth. Ordinary people are not always aware of the realities, and it is our duty to inform them.”
Turning to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Ouedraogo condemned the ongoing genocide and criticized the silence of global powers:
“What is happening in Gaza unfolds before the eyes of those who claim to defend human rights. The Prophet (PBUH) said that anyone who ignores the affairs of Muslims is not one of them. At the very least, we must not remain passive.”
He expressed admiration for Iran’s performance during the conflict, noting that its swift internal recovery and decisive strikes against Israel boosted morale across the Muslim world—even in Burkina Faso: “People here expressed solidarity with Iran. They prayed in mosques and voiced support, even those who usually disagree with us acknowledged the importance of Iran’s victory.”