Al-Hakim tells women’s groups the movement stands for ‘religiosity of politics’

BAGHDAD — Ammar Al-Hakim, head of the National Al-Hikma Movement, told representatives of affiliated women’s organizations that society needs more “active” engagement in both religious and social life, according to a statement issued by his office on Saturday.

The meeting, described as a discussion on “values-based politics,” also touched on the role of women and the need for “moderation” in public discourse.

“We stand for the religiosity of politics, not the politicization of religion,” the statement said, without further clarification on how that distinction applies to policy.

On gender, it added: “The relationship between men and women is one of differentiation, not discrimination.” The statement did not elaborate on what constitutes acceptable “differentiation” or how it would be applied in law or governance.

Statement from Ammar Al-Hakim’s media office:

In our meeting with a group of women’s organizations from the National Al-Hikma Movement, after thanking the attending sisters for enduring the hardship of travel, we extended our blessings to them on the occasion of the month of Dhu Al-Hijjah and the marriage of Imam Ali and Lady Fatima (peace be upon them).

We affirmed that awaiting the reappearance of the Master of the Time (may Allah hasten his reappearance) is among the greatest forms of striving in the path of God. We clarified that awaiting must meet specific conditions, the most important being that it should not be passive but rather active—meaning working to create a proper environment of faith and preparing all opportunities to fill the earth with justice and equity through righteous and faithful people. This means that the essence of awaiting is to expand the circle of believers and righteous individuals.

In this context, we stressed that work must be purely for the sake of God Almighty and a preparation for the appearance of Imam Al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance).

We called for self-development through active engagement, adherence to values, and continuous efforts to reform society without fatigue. We emphasized that the value of work is not measured by its size but by its intent, nature, and purpose, and that what benefits people remains on the earth, while the froth vanishes away, as explained by the Qur’anic principle.

We also emphasized the importance of bearing the burden of leadership and not being shaken by challenges, as this is a divine law from which no one is exempt, not even the prophets themselves.

We clarified that politics, in our view, is the politics of values and principles, and we stand for the religiosity of politics, not the politicization of religion.

We emphasized adherence to moderation and centrism, stating that moderation is a source of strength and a unifying word rather than a divisive one. We also called for openness to other components of society through shared values and common grounds.

At the same time, we confirmed the necessity of maintaining balance and prioritizing national interest over private interests.

We also emphasized the importance of women in society and clarified that the relationship between men and women is one of differentiation, not discrimination. We called for women to demand their rights from the standpoint of advocating for the rights of the entire society, not from a narrow, factional perspective.