A new kind of “jihad” has entered the discourse: “health jihad.” Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is now asserting that “the ongoing Chinese coronavirus outbreak in his country is ‘not such a big tragedy’ and one that Tehran can overcome through health ‘jihad.'” Khameinei further stated:
I feel it is my duty to once again thank these dear ones who are doing Jihad for the sake of God with their invaluable efforts. I ask God to bring health to the sick, to grant His mercy on the deceased, and to bestow patience and tranquillity on their survivors.
Some of the devoted have gone so far now to be “licking the shrines in order to infect themselves, thus protecting future pilgrims from contracting the virus.” If any Jews or Christians were doing this, it would be plastered on front pages everywhere.
“Ayatollah Praises Iran’s ‘Jihad’ on Coronavirus, Calls It ‘Not Such a Big Tragedy,’” by Frances Martel, Breitbart, March 3, 2020:
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei asserted in remarks Tuesday that the ongoing Chinese coronavirus outbreak in his country is “not such a big tragedy” and one that Tehran can overcome through health “jihad.”
Khamenei added that the Islamic regime has addressed it with “sincerity” despite widespread complaints from even those within the government that the regime is lying about the number of cases.
Iran claims it has confirmed 2,336 cases of Wuhan coronavirus in the country and, among those, 77 people have died. These numbers differ significantly from what reports on the ground from dissident groups suggest. The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI /MEK), a dissident organization that relies on sources inside the country for its reports, claimed on Monday it had evidence of as many as 1,000 deaths due to the Chinese coronavirus nationwide. Multiple Iranian lawmakers have also alleged they have reason to believe the official government tallies are artificially suppressing the true number of cases.
“I feel it is my duty to once again thank these dear ones who are doing Jihad for the sake of God with their invaluable efforts,” Khamenei said in his remarks, which occurred during a tree-planting ceremony for Iran’s “Week of Natural Resources.” “I ask God to bring health to the sick, to grant His mercy on the deceased, and to bestow patience and tranquillity on their survivors.”
Khamenei said that any action that helps the virus spread “is a sin” and that all Iranian citizens must obey the Ministry of Health or face significant consequences. He attempted to portray the virus as a mild threat to the country not comparable to others the regime has faced in the past.
“The Coronavirus is not such a big tragedy and this country has surmounted graver ones. However, beseeching God, seeking intercession from the Prophet and his Household, and the prayers of the pure youth and pious are very effective in repelling major tragedies,” Khamenei claimed. “I don’t want to say it’s unimportant, but let’s not exaggerate it either. The Coronavirus will affect the country briefly & leave. But the experience it brings, and the actions of the people & the govt sectors, are like a public exercise that will remain as an achievement.”…