Friday marked the 40th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Musa Sadr - an Iranian-Lebanese Shia scholar - while on a tour of Libya in the summer of 1978. When civil war erupted in Lebanon in 1975, Sadr led anti-war protests. As the war escalated, the cleric also intensified his efforts to bring a voice of peace and moderation.

His activism took him to Libya where he was due to meet Muammar Gaddafi. He was never seen again. Lebanese President Michael Aoun called Sadr a symbol of unity and coexistence among different sects. In a similar message, Saad Hariri said Sadr sacrificed his life for keeping Lebanon together and creating coexistence among the Lebanese people. Harri also said, “Disappearance of Imam Musa Sadr is a matter for all the Lebanese.”