The Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdul-Latif Daryan, received the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Judge Bassam Mawlawi, who said after the meeting: "We were honored this morning to meet His Eminence the Grand Mufti to congratulate him on the occasion of the Isra and Mi'raj, a miracle that God bestowed upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to show us His power and honor the Prophet of the nation and the Prophet of the world. This occasion coincides with Lebanese national and religious occasions, such as the beginning of Lent for Christian brothers around the world. We ask Allah to bring back these precious occasions to everyone next year in better circumstances."
Mawlawi added: "I also discussed with the Mufti the election file, the ministry's preparations, and its readiness to conduct the elections. This constitutional entitlement that the Lebanese have been waiting for has been over two or three years. The government has committed in its ministerial statement to accomplish it, and I personally have undertaken all the preparations, whether logistical, administrative, or financial, to be able to say: We are ready to conduct the elections, allowing every Lebanese to cast their vote freely, and to complete this entitlement so Lebanon can, by God's will, move to a better state."
Mawlawi continued: "I also briefed His Eminence on security developments and our work in the interior ministry. Of course, what the security forces are doing to combat crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism is commendable. His Eminence praised the significant and exceptional efforts being made by the Internal Security Forces Directorate General, the Information Branch, and all security apparatuses that possess high professionalism, integrity, and a great sense of responsibility, especially the efforts of the directorate and its head, Major General Imad Othman, who we all, including His Eminence, respect greatly for his considerable efforts."
Mawlawi added: "I also discussed with him all matters concerning the country and took his directives on everything, as His Eminence is keen on the Sunni community and its national role as he is concerned for the entire nation."
When asked about doubts regarding the holding of parliamentary elections, he replied: "The parliamentary elections will take place. This is a commitment from the government in its ministerial statement and a personal commitment from me. Those who find excuses to prevent the elections, I say: these excuses will vanish one by one. We have managed to complete all preparations on time, even ahead of time. We are ready to hold the elections, and we are closely monitoring the security situation daily to ensure good elections in a calm atmosphere."
When asked about reports of the release of two individuals from the terrorist network, he responded: "The military court released two individuals from the espionage networks, not from terrorists. There were 32 detainees, and some were released by the court and are not terrorists. You can see that we take the issue of terrorism seriously, and surely the judiciary will address this matter with the same seriousness; with the achievements of the Internal Security Forces Directorate General and the Information Branch, we have managed to protect the country, especially the area where an explosion was planned."
When asked about the transformation of the Dar al-Fatwa into a gathering for many Sunni figures and whether there were fears of a split within the Sunni community, he said: "The Dar al-Fatwa is a house for all Lebanese; it is a reference and a constant place for all Lebanese. I am currently at the Dar al-Fatwa, visiting His Eminence to hear his national opinions on all developments. What I heard from His Eminence confirms that he stands equally with all Lebanese and the sons of the Sunni community. He called for conducting elections according to the law and the constitution. The Sunni Islamic community, despite its diversity, remains under the umbrella of this house, which is keen on all its members. The Sunni community does not divide; it works in its diversity under the umbrella of His Eminence in pursuit of national interest, and any diversity can be beneficial and does not represent any division."
Regarding the proposal of "megacenters" and whether it could lead to the cancellation of elections, he replied: "On Friday, I submitted a report to the presidency of the government regarding 'megacenters.' While this matter is in the government's hands, the government is committed to its ministerial statement to conduct elections. The concern that you might consider the government will cancel the elections under a certain pretext is a groundless assumption. The 'megacenter' was proposed by His Excellency the President, and we requested a week to prepare the report, which is already with the presidency and will be presented to the ministers. However, the government's position is to proceed with the elections, not to cancel them."
