Posted on 01/23/2005 11:29:17 AM PST by nickcarraway
MECCA, Saudi Arabia -- One of Saudi Arabia's most influential clerics urged Muslims to eschew terrorism, saying attacks on the innocent were not in accordance with the teachings of Islam.
"Islam is a religion of moderation. Extremism has no place in Islam," Sheikh Abdurahman Al-Sudais of the Masjid'l Haram (Grand Mosque) said in a sermon delivered for Friday's Eid'l Adha (feast of sacrifice).
He called on followers of Islam to exert all efforts to protect non-Muslims.
Hundreds of thousands of people, from among some 2.5 million Muslims performing the haj pilgrimage in the kingdom, attended the Eid'l Adha prayers.
Al-Sudais' call came in the wake of stepped up attacks by militant Muslims in troubled areas of the Middle East. Some of the attacks have occurred in Saudi Arabia, blamed on militants linked to the al-Qaeda network, which had declared the pro-US Saudi rulers apostates.
In the latest incident in Iraq, a suicide car bomb exploded at a Shi'ite wedding party in a town south of Baghdad late on Friday, killing at least 11 people and wounding 27, doctors said.
There has been a surge in attacks on Shi'ites as Iraq's January elections approach. Earlier on Friday, a suicide car bomber killed 14 Shi'ite worshippers as they left a Baghdad mosque.
Al-Sudais said Muslim scholars should help preach the real Islam to counter what he said was a distorted interpretation of the religion by some people.
"Islam is a religion of peace but some people are using misguided interpretations of Islam to justify (attacks on perceived enemies)," Al-Sudais said.
He said scholars might have to take some of the blame for the "little success" of distorted ideas because they had done little to counter their spread.
"We are now suffering from this dangerous phenomenon. This phenomenon has become widespread that Muslim scholars must hold on to the real Islam," Al-Sudais said.
'Repulsive hearsays'
Earlier, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia urged scholars to use all available materials to teach the correct form of Islam.
Sheik Abdul Aziz Al-Asheik told participants at an international inter-culture conference, which was hosted by the World Muslim League (WML), that Muslims would not have difficulty in establishing dialogues with other sectors because materials on Islam were widely available.
"Many non-Muslims know very little or nothing about Islam and depend on hearsays, which are repulsive and distorted," Al-Asheikh said.
He said people who hated Islam were claiming that the religion encouraged terrorism and extremism, and appeared to be winning in some aspects because some people were starting to think that what they were being told about Islam was the truth.
Exposing Islam's enemies
"It is only through constructive dialogue, led by people who understand Islam and its teachings, that the enemies of Islam could be exposed and their lies refuted," Al-Asheik said.
Al-Sudais said the branding of followers of other faiths as infidels and attempts to incite Muslims to rise against their leaders had caused instability not only in the region but in other areas of the globe, as well.
"Theirs is a delinquent and void interpretation of Islam based on ignorance," he said.
Islam does not mean killing non-Muslims, Al-Sudais said.
"It does not mean shedding blood and terrorism, such as killing people (by planting bombs) to send their body parts flying."
Bombings in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia has not been spared from terror attacks.
Bombings have scarred Riyadh, the country's capital, and militants identified with the al-Qaeda network have attacked facilities manned by foreigners.
In the wake of the violence, Saudi security forces have launched a manhunt for Saudi dissident Saad Al-Faqeeh, allegedly a ranking lieutenant of Osama Bin Laden.
I expect the IZLAM-O-FACISTS to assassinate the cleric shortly for that. It's about time though that they started speaking out against these perverters of Islam.
HEY HEY HEY NOW! That will be just about enough of that making sense. Don't you know all REAL patriots know that this is a war against Islam, and all Muslims live only to kill us?
All REAL patriots that is except for George Bush Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, Condi Rice, Richard Perle, Natan Sharansky, Michael Novak, Daniel Pipes, Bernard Lewis....and me.
Blimey! That's yer scribe, indeed!
The audience.
Ok so ONE Muslim cleric speaks out denouncing radical Islam, now where are all the rest of the Muslim clerics to also denounce it?? I'll beleive it when I see it.
Actually, the threat had not passed when the Alien and Sedition Acts expired. Luckily for our country, Jefferson had been elected, and was able to successful lead the country forward (as did Madison after him) without them.
What's funny is that the hate-mongering anti-Constitution crowd seems to yell a lot and complain that "Islam is the enemy," but are awfully slippery when you try to pin them down on specifics.
I note that when you ask for specific, workable plans, they differ quite a lot, and are not as unified as they might make you believe, except in their hate-speech. Talk to them one-on-one, and you'll find that many of them are as reluctant to speak out in public against the loony "Blood" crowd as a moderate Muslim might be hesitant to speak against the radical terrorists.
I wonder how they'd say you fight Islam without being unfair to Muslims.
Broadsword, you completely ignored the most important part of NorCalRepub's post.
We have to back (but still watch) any Muslim who speaks against terrorism.
We sit back and ask why no one does, but the second we have a Muslim speak out, people on FR immediately start to bash them and say they are lying.
How in the world can we expect change if we don't support the reformers? (Few as they may be?)
Ahhh, my FRiend, I do not believe reform of Islam is possible. Why? Because I have read the Koran, the Hadith and much of Shariah. Islam calls for the immediate slaughter of anyone who tries to reform it.
And Islam makes it a virtue to lie to the infidel to lull him (that's you and me, Tex) to sleep for an easier kill.
So, no, I do not trust them. Why? Because their consistent actions speak louder than words. And their English words (put out for infidel consumption) are VERY DIFERENT from their Arabic ones.
Ma'a salama, sahibi.
Every muslim is a purveyor of the death cult.
I am not certain to whom you are directing your comments. I have been at work all day, and for some reason I received your response to something I know nothing about.
You still are ignoring the point to NorCal's post and mine.
Not ignoring it, I just disagree. Studying Middle East history, the Koran, Shariah, the Hadith, current events and Arabic language tells me the point is just absolutely wrong.
The point is that we should support ANYONE of the Muslims or Muslim clerics who rennounce terrorism.
Why are you off on this side venture?
That is your point. I know it's your point.
But I believe it's your point because you have been taken in by trojan horses and the Koranic "virtue" of lying to the infidel to further the cause of Islam.
You are not the only one who has been taken in. I don't blame you.
Peace.
Reject it or get your ass kicked is what he meant.
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