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.
Well .. I think it's a realization that the Bush Doctrine is not going away - and the Saudi's better get their act together. They have turned a blind eye and allowed their own citizens to be attacked.
THIS STATEMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAID ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2001.
It's amazing what happens when the chickens come home to roost, isnt' it?
It would appear that the threat of terrorism is becoming "personal" for the House of Saud.
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.
Did it arise after 911? No. After Madrid? No. After Belsan? No. Only in response to terror within the ME.
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
Ahh a call to keep the dictators and absolutests and mullah in power in the ME. No call for peace in non-Islamic nations.
yup......alot of intolerant people here who even hate other Republicans if they disagree one iota......any call for peace from Islam is what we have been asking for.....baby steps my friends, baby steps........
;), nothing like a bear hug to make you convert. :0)
If you do back the Muslims who appear moderate, you get Arafat syndrome. They've got the deck stacked, because they don't consider us to be human beings, and anything goes when dealing with us.
He's lying through his teeth. Islam a religion of moderation? In what? Moderate beating of wives? Moderate in execution of rape victims? Moderately letting schoolgirls burn to death for fear their ankles would show? Moderately raising a generation of suicide bombers? At the very same event at which he is speaking, they're stoning Bush, Blair, and Sharon as the Devil!
You can find this very same speech from countless imams, Islam is peace, Islam is moderate, Islam does not encourage terror. But when that say that one day out of the year and the other 364 are about how you are commanded to kill the infidel in the name of jihad, it is not representative nor moderate to pick out the one thing he dissimulates for the infidel's consumption.
Until we see actions - removing imams who preach terror, for example, would be a good-faith start, or declare terrorists to be apostate and not merely misguided, and mobilize their followers to seek and punish them - then this is certain to be taqqiyah, the Islamic doctrine of lying to the enemy to gain advantage over him.
well now the Old Testament doesn't have outdated and some hateful speech......sure it does......we have all complained about Muslims not speaking out, and when they do we have to acknowledge it.....but we still need to hold them to the fire
You had best review the 13 centuries of "baby steps" and where they have gotten us. The only peace that there ever was with Islam followed a major defeat of the Muslims. This went on for 12 centuries before the Wahhabies ever showed up.
Answer 11919: The Arabic equivalent for holy war is Jihaad.and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
truth
Even the socialist People Liberation Army of Palistine has no problems cooperating with the radicals and using their tactics.
They will know we are Christians by our love.
but I was referencing what you said about their text and that is all I was questioning.....i'm not an Arab apologist and blame them for all terror and most BS in the world but if even a bit of credit should be given even for a minute then I will be brave enough to give it........
Muslim bashing is no diferent than the anti-Christian, anti- Semitism bullsh!^ going on around the world. Bashing is bashing and It is despicable, especially when I see it here on FR. People doing it have more in common with the Dummies and personally I would love to see them make that pilgrimage
As I understand it they think cats are OK, it is dogs they do not like.
"It does not mean shedding blood and terrorism, such as killing people (by planting bombs) to send their body parts flying."
I think the Cleric's a little too late in speaking out. He should have done it after the FIRST terrorist attack was committed by Muslims. I guess he hasn't read the verses in the Koran that COMMAND ALL Muslims to KILL INFIDELS.
Unfortunately the son's of Satan have spread out around the world to do their evil deeds. NOTHING but nukes will ever change the ME. NOTHING will save the US from them. We can only retaliate against them AFTER they have murdered Americans. The IDEAL thing would be to deport ALL Muslims from America, unless they renounce Islam. I will NEVER trust one again.
The Crusades grew out of the direct actions of Jihad against the Middle Eastern Christian communities and nations. Also against Islamic actions in butchering pilgrims heading to the Holy Land. Sorry, but Western Christians didn't just get up and deside to go Crusading. The Islamics by that point already had 300 years of Jihad, or how do you think Domescus and Alexandria became Muslim?
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