His Eminence the Sheikh Akl of the Unitarian Druze Community, Dr. Sami Abi Al-Muna, emphasized unity of ranks and word, and prioritizing religious, social, and moral values to ward off divisions that hinder construction and development, especially on the monotheistic level, which is essentially based on love, harmony, and preserving fraternity, and striving to build a society grounded in reason and wisdom.
During a spiritual tour he conducted with the newly elected Religious Committee of the community's Confessional Council, several former council members, and an accompanying delegation, visiting sheikhs and religious retreats (khalwas) in the Jurd Aley and Chouf regions, he considered that “we are living in the midst of military and political conflicts raging in our region, particularly in occupied Palestine and southern Lebanon in particular, without a clear horizon for the limits of this war. This requires all of us to focus on protecting our nation and societies in facing the existing challenges and dangers across various aspects of daily life, which begins with internal solidarity and giving utmost priority to opportunities for solutions, while meeting any internal and external effort aimed at defusing the expansion of the war and achieving the desired stability.”
During his tour, Sheikh Abi Al-Muna and the accompanying delegation were received by the sheikhs of the religious retreats to introduce the committee, seek their blessings and prayers, and listen to their recommendations, on the occasion of the launch of the Religious Committee's work and the conclusion of the Confessional Council elections. This took place in the presence and participation of crowds of sheikhs from the retreats and their villages, where speeches and religious discussions congratulated on completing the elections and boosting hope towards achieving the desired goals, in the context of His Eminence the Sheikh Akl's affirmation of the elected sheikhs' engagement in the required duties.
The tour included both the “Jarnaya” retreat in Kfarhim and “Al-Qatalib Al-Zahira” retreat in Baadaran to meet their venerable sheikhs, Abu Zein al-Din Hassan Ghannam and Abu Dawood Mounir Al-Qadamani; the venerable Sheikh Abu Ali Suleiman Bou Diab at his home in the town of Al-Jahiliyah; as well as the shrines of the late venerable sheikhs Abu Hassan Aref Halawi in Barouk, Abu Mohammad Jawad Wali al-Din in Baakline, and Abu Ali Mohammad Al-Btaddini in Kfarnabrakh, where the delegation was received by Sheikh Abu Naim Mohammad Halawi, Sheikh Abu Said Suleiman Sari al-Din, and Sheikh Abu Shawqi Mhanna Al-Btaddini.
His Eminence Sheikh Abi Al-Muna and the accompanying delegation also visited the retreat of the town of Bdedghan to meet its sheikh, Abu Fares Marwan Fayyad, where hundreds of visiting families and youth from the Wadi Al-Taym region happened to be present. Sheikh Abi Al-Muna addressed them, praising the positive role of the retreats in attracting youth in particular, and emphasizing “the importance of preserving spiritual identity and nourishing it with Tawhid (monotheistic) sciences and the principles of the noble mystical path (irfan), starting with self-discipline, fighting worldly passions, and confronting temptations and challenges through increased faith and steadfastness, and through self-knowledge first, so that it serves as a key to knowing God Almighty.”
In the Jurd, His Eminence and the accompanying delegation also visited the Majdelbaana retreat in the presence of a gathering of sheikhs, on whose behalf its head, Sheikh Ezzat Abdel Khaleq, spoke.
His Eminence and the accompanying delegation also visited Sheikh Abu Suleiman Said Sari al-Din at his home in Baakline, Sheikh Abu Shawqi Mhanna Al-Btaddini at his home in the town of Kfarnabrakh, and Sheikh Abu Safi Anwar Al-Ayyas at his home in Boqaata.
The tour also included a visit to check on the caretaker (Sa'is) of the town of Bdedghan's Majlis, Sheikh Akram Shayya, “praising his unifying role, piety, and wisdom,” and offering condolences on the passing of the late Firas Abu Diab, son of Sheikh Abu Raed Kamel Abu Diab.
Kfarhim
The conclusion of the tour was in Kfarhim, where the newly elected Confessional Council member, Sheikh Salim Ghannam, hosted His Eminence the Sheikh Akl and members of the council's Religious Committee at his home, in the presence of the venerable Sheikh Abu Zein al-Din Hassan Ghannam and a gathering of relatives and friendly sheikhs.
Speeches
Following welcoming and congratulatory remarks from Sheikh Salim Ghannam and the head of the Cultural Committee in the Council, Sheikh Wissam Sleikha, thanking and commending the Council’s role in carrying the message of religion, knowledge, and openness, the head of the Irfan Monotheistic Foundation, Sheikh Nazih Rafeh, delivered a speech praising the host’s father, Sheikh Abu Saleh Kamal Ghannam, who “wrote in his history the highest expressions of courage, sacrifice, and giving, for the sake of the people of Irfan and loyalty, continuity, and survival, drawing along with him in Irfan from the spring of our venerable sheikh, Sheikh Abu Mohammad Jawad Wali al-Din, working to implement his testaments and fulfill his vision, he who trod the path of elevation and ascension, taking truth as his method and approach, becoming like a gem at the heart of the crown, following his path in preserving dignity, uniting ranks, and serving the people of faith and society.”
Sheikh Rafeh praised the Sheikh Akl, saying: “We recall forty-five years spent by Sheikh Sami in Al-Irfan, as a fundamental pillar, capable director, and secretary-general, who carried Al-Irfan's legacy with love and dignity, conveying it to others with all sincerity and loyalty. Like Al-Irfan, he was noble, open, loving, loyal, and generous. Ever since assuming the office of the Mashyakhat al-Akl, he has worked sincerely to sow love, reject discord, unite ranks and foster consensus, striving for the unity of the Monotheists (Muwahhidun) and gathering them around common ground.” He extended congratulations to His Eminence and the members of the new Confessional Council, “wishing them every success in this phase,” hoping that “they will be able to achieve the goals and objectives awaited by our people in this cherished country.”
Sheikh Akl
In his speech, Sheikh Abi Al-Muna emphasized the bond linking him to this house “testified to for struggle, initiative, and giving,” and touched upon the role played by the Confessional Council and the mission it carries, pointing out that “a set of ready ideas and projects await the new Council to accomplish over the next six years, across various religious, social, cultural, diaspora, and investment levels in endowment lands (Awqaf).”
His Eminence also praised the new members “who volunteered to serve the community and consequently contribute to protecting society and reviving the nation,” stressing openness to everyone and the need for all capable individuals from within and outside the Council: “For the concern is one, the responsibility is shared, and the Council is concerned with creating the appropriate framework to organize the work, while all are called to extend a helping hand to achieve the goals, protect society, and embrace its people.”
Mristi
On Friday, Sheikh Abi Al-Muna had participated in several religious gatherings accompanied by a number of venerable sheikhs, led by Sheikh Abu Zein al-Din Hassan Ghannam and Sheikh Abu Fayez Amin Makarim. This began at the Al-Hosn retreats in the town of Aghmid, then at the council of the town of Amatour where the new council was inaugurated in the presence of municipal and mayoral councils and residents, and then in the town of Mristi where he visited the town council and held a religious gathering with the sheikhs at the home of Sheikh Abu Imad Nasib Zeidan.
The visit included a tour of most of the homes of its sheikhs, as well as a visit to the Mayor, Dr. Nasser Zeidan, in the presence of a gathering of residents, where Dr. Zeidan presented him with his book “The Difficult Political Cohabitation.” In his speech, Dr. Zeidan praised the role of the Sheikh Akl, welcoming him and “his companions and the attendees among the Druze, social, municipal, and mayoral dignitaries,” affirming “continuing on the national and Arab path, and on the path of defending reconciliation, the resistance, and Lebanon.”
Sheikh Akl
The Sheikh Akl spoke about “the importance of cohesion and cooperation to preserve the nation and its unity,” saying: “The Unitarian Druze have always been a safety valve and a unifying factor for Lebanon’s components, and in this critical current period in which the nation is subjected to Israeli aggression, the Druze will not abandon their national and Arab role.”
Meetings
On the other hand, the Sheikh Akl received at his residence in Shanay a delegation from the town of Mekseh from the Said and Al-Mays families, expressing gratitude for the appointment of Sheikh Daniel Said as a judge in the Confessional Court of the Unitarian Druze Community. The town's Mukhtar and Sheikh Marwan Al-Mays spoke on behalf of the delegation, and the Sheikh Akl replied with a speech praising “the virtue of Judge Sheikh Daniel Said, his broad knowledge, and his religious and social morals.”
He also received Mrs. Siham Al-Masri, Dr. Mufida Abed, and Dr. Samia Azzam, as well as retired Brigadier General Dr. Raouf Al-Sayegh, accompanied by Dr. Hala Hilal, who presented him with his book on international resolutions from 426 to 1701.
