Yemen Monitor/Newsroom:
The International Union of Muslim Scholars today, Thursday, condemned the killing of Sheikh Saleh Hantous, a prominent Yemeni Quranic scholar and founder of Quran memorization centers in Reimah Governorate. He was martyred along with family members in an armed Houthi attack, which the Union described as “treacherous and sinful.”
In an official statement signed by both Secretary-General Ali Mohammed Al-Sallabi and Union President Professor Ali Mohieddin Al-Quradaghi, the Union stated that targeting Sheikh Hantous is “a major crime representing a blatant assault on life and religion, and a serious violation of the sanctity of God’s houses and carriers of the Holy Quran.”
The statement reminded that killing a believing soul is among the greatest sins in the eyes of God, after polytheism, referencing the Quranic verse: ﴿And whoever kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to abide therein, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.﴾
It also condemned what it described as “the striving to destroy mosques and fight centers of knowledge,” based on the noble verse: ﴿And who is more unjust than those who prevent the mosques of Allah from His name being mentioned therein and strive for their ruin?﴾
The Union affirmed that this incident is just one manifestation of the injustice and chaos plaguing Yemen, calling for an end to the targeting of scholars and protectors of the Holy Quran.
The Union urged the Yemeni people to preserve unity and social cohesion to confront these violations. It also called upon scholars and students of knowledge to remain steadfast in the face of these challenges and continue teaching and spreading the Book of Allah.
The Union concluded its statement by offering condolences to Sheikh Hantous’s family, students, and loved ones, asking God to accept him among the martyrs and to protect Yemen from strife and injustice, emphasizing that targeting the people of the Quran only strengthens their determination and steadfastness in continuing their mission.
