Posted on 12/31/2006 8:01:39 AM PST by Ellesu
Muslims gathered for prayer in Baton Rouge said Saturday morning that they are upset deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s execution was carried out on a holy day.
At the New Islamic Center of Baton Rouge at 235 E. Airport Ave., a congregation of a few hundred knelt and faced toward Mecca in prayer as Eid al-Adha, the most important feast of the Muslim calendar, got under way.
Also known as the Festival of Sacrifice, it commemorates the Prophet Abraham’s willingness to forfeit all things to God, including the life of his son, Ishmael.
“An execution on this holy day sends out mixed signals,” said Ahmad Suleiman, 61, who led the day’s prayers. “Today is a day of forgiveness. Today is a symbol of harmony and togetherness for Muslims.” The execution, he added, “should have been avoided” on the holy day.
Originally from Palestine, Suleiman delivered a lecture on “sacrificing” selfishness and arrogance. The Southern University chemistry instructor’s remarks also promoted family, unity and dedication to God.
Ma’Moun Sukkar, 61, a contractor originally from Syria, said he is well aware of the significance of the day and added that sending Saddam Hussein to the gallows was nothing more than an attempt to instigate unrest in an already unstable Iraqi nation.
“It’s another George Bush circus stunt,” Sukkar said. “America destroyed the whole country of Iraq. They created Saddam, now they destroyed him. This is all part of a greater agenda.”
Sukkar said he agrees that Hussein was a merciless dictator who needed to be dealt with, but added the entire Iraq War had been mismanaged from the start.
“They are saying it is becoming a civil war,” he said. “Now, what do you think this will do for sectarian violence?”
Former Iraqi citizens, who attended prayer Saturday morning, declined to be interviewed for this story.
“This is a very intense day for them,” Sukkar said. “They are shell-shocked. Many of their families have been put through much over the years. I’m not surprised in their silence today.”
Wow, now that's unbiased, even-handed, agenda-free journalism at its finest. Nice job.
/sarc
If the Muslims didn't have so gosh-awful many "holy days", there would have been a much better chance that the execution of Saddam Hussein would not have had to have been carried out on a "holy day".
AS it is, the execution of Saddam should be marked as a new "holy day" by ALL Muslims. He was no credit to any religion. But he was a superior example of the ideals of the IDEOLOGY of Islam.
Of course he failed to mention that every day is one of their most holy days.
I guess the only true measure the deceased popularity is how many blocks the coffin can crowd-surf on the mourners. ;)
It didn't even happen on their precious holy day...they hung him before dawn, precisely to avoid this sort of gnashing and wailing.
TOUGH BREAK, SUKKAR!!!!
Morons.
I am sure that it's Bush's fault, again.
Let's see. Saddam was executed on a day of forgiveness. Hmm...symbolic, or what?
I can see that Muslims are really big on forgiveness.
I agree with the fella. Muslim holy days are usually reserved for murder, and this just execution of a tyrant, represents something they might not want associated with them.
It was insensitive of us to not have stopped the Iraqis from carrying out the execution.
What's the holiday when the muslims slice their heads open?
Owl_Eagle
If what I just wrote made you sad or angry,
it was probably just a joke.
Here is a question to be asked while rolling the eyes: Are there any Moslems extant who aren't children?
I know we have some Muslims here in Lafayette. I'm assuming they're smart enough not to raise their head and complain, especially given the hell they raised when Saddam invaded Kuwait in 1990...
"..carried out on a holy day."
Are they upset because it was carried out in the Christmas season?
They are smart. They know this particular reporter and paper will misquote them, too.
It sounds like the perfect day to hang some murderous thug...
Silly me, I thought it was Isaac that Abraham was willing to sacrifice! There goes my Dhimmi-Of-The-Year nomination.
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