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.
"If you don't back the muslims who speak out for moderation, your not going to get any moderation."
Personally I'm not holding my breath until 2 moderate muslims show up...not that their definition of moderation would match MY definition of moderation.
My definition of a moderate muslim is one who is standing in line at the airport with a valid ticket back to his/her country of origin...
Thoe what may I athk shall we do about thith intoleranth...
I KNOW....leth take a milk bath!!!!!
Good post.
That clears up quite a bit. We are just misunderstanding them. It's not that they wish anyone any harm at all...
I feel very badly about my thoughts as of late. How could I have been so wrong?
Taqiyaa...
Since I know I am always lamenting about Muslims not denouncing terrorism, I am glad for this. I hope some people listened. For goodness sakes, they're killing more of each other in Iraq than Americans.
watch them run over to the moderates if we do that... then I woke up, sigh if only it was that easy...
You try it first OK.....but just your head
Yes you can.
"La-la-la-I'm-not-listening."
Ahh, but there is a secret weapon: the Koran. As the Koran states, he who appostates (willingly or not) will be given one chance to reconvert. Any who appostates a second time is given no more chances to reconvert and must be put to death by being crushed by horses.
Of course. Nothing like that American-style freedom of religion.
And what of Muslims who were born here? Kill them?
"If you don't back the Muslims who speak out for moderation, you're not going to get any moderation."
I couldn't agree more. Why abase the very sentiment that many complain has not been expressed among Muslims? We are still trying to win hearts and minds to keep our troops and ourselves safe, that effort involves supporting clerics like this.
Good bigots never let the facts get in the way of a good rant.
"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."
I think it's pretty clear that the Bush doctrine does not apply to Saudi Arabia, which is one of its problems.
Americans have the constitutional right to be wrong (in religion as well as in politics). However the KKK and American Nazis are stopped from acting on their beliefs of racial intolerance and even from preaching violence.
The political-religion of Islam should be held to these same restraints. Those mosques that fund terrorism are prosecutable under RICO.
"Islam is a political system as well as a religion. Sharia Law is the law of some muslim nations. Sharia law defines 3 classes of individual (muslims, Jews/Christians- people of 'the book', and "everybody else"- infidels) who have varying levels of protection under the law."
Many (perhaps most) Muslims do not ascribe to much of sharia, particularly non-arab Muslims. Remember, the vast majority of Muslims are not Arab. So it is not really correct to always associate Islam with Sharia.
There are areas in America where muslims are seeking to resolve their difference under Sharia Law (no different legally than going before the cameras of The People's Court or Judge Judy). They are seeking a little more implementation into England's courts.
Don't say it doesn't happen in the West.
He must be one of the "New Guys" and get paid more by the Royal Family than the usual Blood Criers that are the Staple diet in Saudi.
and of course the problem is "Definitional";
In that "civilians" is in the eyes of the beholder;
Like the group "Israelis" may not contain "Civilians".
or those who "Attacked Islam" such as the USA.. are valid targets.. home and abroad.
"Suicide" bombing is illegal in Islam.. BUT ... "Martyrdom" is Glorious.
The Saudis are just Taliban with Oil.. I wish Bush would be tougher on these guys.
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