TEHRAN: Irancell, the second largest mobile operator in Iran, has apologized on disrespecting Prophet Mohammad’s companion Umar bin al-Khattab (R.A.) amid strong condemnation faced by Sunni Muslims across the World.
The telecom company ‘Irancell’ has apologized to Sunni Muslims over sending controversial controversial quiz question deemed religious offensiveness to Sunni Muslims as insulting Muslim caliph and the Prophet Mohammad’s companion Umar bin al-Khattab.
An Iranian website reported that the mobile company issued a statement saying: “It was committed to respecting the unity of Muslims, religious proximity and all divine religions.”
Irancell has blamed the company which provided it with questions for the competition.
On the other side, The Golden Key Institute, the organizer of the competition, also issued a statement insisting that “Umar bin-al-Khattab was not alive during the period of time mentioned in the question, and therefore this cannot be the correct answer,” according to the Website.
The indictment was made by the Prosecutor General of the predominantly Sunni Province of Sistan-Baluchestan while Iranian Sunnis have long accused the government of discrimination.
Earlier, Irancell sent controversial quiz question to its subscribers deemed religious offensiveness to Sunni Muslims.
The telecom operator asked its subscribers: “Which judge was deceived by the Devil during the time of (the first Shiite Imam) Imam Ali?”
The two answer options given were: A) Sharih Qazi, the Sunni arbiter of Kufa city, in the first century of Islam. B) Umar bin al-Khattab, the second Muslim caliph, Iran Daily Brief website reported.
During Friday prayer, a Sunni cleric Mowlavi Abdolhamid Esma’ilzehi had strongly comdemned the offensive act and demanded the consumers to close their sims.
Sunnis belief says Umar bin al-Khattab as a very important figure and great leader in the history of Islam.
Shiites, however, do not view Umar as a legitimate leader of the Muslim Ummah (Muslim nation) arguing that Umar conspired to seize power from Ali Ibn Abi Talib (R.A.).
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