Mufti Kabalan warns President Aoun of peak internal division in Lebanon

Shiite Grand Mufti Sheikh Ahmed Kabalan has issued a warning to President Joseph Aoun, stating that the potential for internal division in Lebanon has reached its “highest peak.” In a message marking the fifth anniversary of the passing of Imam Sheikh Abdel Amir Kabalan, the Mufti urged the President to prevent national fragmentation rather than contributing to its deepening.

Kabalan emphasized that the Lebanese state must be a shared home for all citizens, based on justice, equality, and national partnership. He criticized the existence of authority functioning as a “sectarian power or foreign agency,” arguing that such structures fail to protect civil peace and instead allow foreign interventions to exploit internal divisions.

The Mufti also addressed the situation in Southern Lebanon, describing it as the “most dangerous sovereign test for the existence of the state and the legitimacy of authority.” He called for a strong state presence in the south and stressed that national sovereignty begins with political decisions and internal unity before addressing borders or military capabilities.