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National Post

Imam of Peace: Mohammed Tawhidi and his surprisingly controversial message

In a black outer robe trimmed with a thin golden line and a traditional white turban, Imam Mohammad Tawhidi warmly greeted and welcomed guests to a hall on the second floor of a modest two-storey building in Toronto, even personally escorting some to their seats. The occasion, on March 31, was an Eid reception to mark the end of Ramadan, Islam's holiest month of fasting and prayer, and it was the first such reception of the Global Imams Council 's new western headquarters in Canada. Article content Article content Article content The charismatic Tawhidi serves as a governing member of the council, comprised of faith leaders and scholars of all Islamic sects. The group advocates against Islamic extremism and promotes peaceful and meaningful relations with Jewish people and the Jewish nation. Article content Article content Inside, the room buzzed with diversity, as community leaders, activists and even Jewish rabbis came to hear Tawhidi's powerful speech calling for peace and unity among all faiths. Widely known as the 'Imam of Peace,' Tawhidi was born in Qom, a religious city in Iran, but his parents are from Iraq. The cleric later fled the regime of Saddam Hussein and eventually settled in Australia. Coming from a long line of Shia clerics, he proudly says, 'We are Shia Orthodox — orthodox in our beliefs and conservative in our traditions.' Article content Educated in Islamic studies, Tawhidi is pursuing a doctorate in Islamic jurisprudence. He was ordained as an imam in Qom, Iran, in 2010, and again in Iraq in 2013. Article content Article content Unlike other Muslim imams, Tawhidi has sat with Jewish rabbis in synagogues, and Christian priests in churches. He has publicly denounced groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, calling them terrorist organizations. He says Jerusalem rightfully belongs to the Jewish people, which earned him praise from interfaith advocates around the world, and threats from extremist Muslims. Article content Article content National Post sat with Tawihidi to learn more about his views. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.