Posted on 02/25/2006 11:01:07 AM PST by jmc1969
THE movement of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, alleged to have played a role in the anti-Sunni violence over the last few days, publicly made peace with political and religious Sunni leaders overnight.
Four sheikhs from the Sadr movement made a "pact of honour" with the conservative Sunni Muslim Scholars Association, and called for an end to attacks on places of worship, the shedding of blood and condemning any act leading to sedition.
The agreement was made in the particularly symbolic setting of Baghdad's premier Sunni mosque Abu Hanifa where the Shiite sheikhs prayed under the guidance of Sunni imam Abdel Salam al-Qubaissi.
The meeting was broadcast on television and the religious leaders all "condemned the blowing up of the Shiite mausoleum of Samarra as much as the acts of sabotage against the houses of God as well as the assassinations and terrorisation of Muslims".
The statement made reference to the key concerns of both communities with the violent aftermath to the attack on the Samarra mausoleum which saw more than 119 people die.
The sheikhs condemned "those who excommunicate Muslims" a reference to the "takfireen" or Islamist extremists like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi who justify killing fellow Muslims by declaring them non-Muslims.
"It is not permitted to spill the Iraqi blood and to touch the houses of God," said the statement, adding that any mosques taken over by another community should be returned.
(Excerpt) Read more at sundaytimes.news.com.au ...
Ape has killed ape!
Sadar City is not named for little Mooky, it's named for his Grandfather who was a Shiia Grand Ayatollah.
What evidence do you have for this?
Around that same time Al Sistani sent a strongly worded letter to the head of Hizbollah telling him to, in effect, but OUT. Hizbollah was beginning to send fighters in to help Sadar when he was fighting the US in Najef.
BTW, that same blogger told us that the letter was unprecidented and that is why Nasralleh, who was starting to rabble rouse about the US "occupation", immediately backed off.
"Iraqis form local Shiite committees to protect Sunni Mosques in Basra and the south."
Lets hope the new Sunni-Shiite coalition also stands guard on the oil refineries and pipelines.
How is this a bad thing?
Bush refused to kill Al Sadr? Must have missed that. What saloon did you hear about that?
LOL, it would be a great "Caption this" picture!
This also could go badly for the leaping liberals in the lame/lefty media and in government who are not so secretly wishing for civil war.
Sunni or later Shiite happens
I think you've read his playbook; nice analysis. The Sunni clerics apparently think (hope?) they are buying some insurance. Wishful thinking - they should rent "The Godfather" series. At most these Sunni clerics would end up acting as "Judas goats" for a Mookie government, until they become disposable. Then it's time for the ride in the country - "Leave the gun, take the halaqeem"!
I am unsure which news they are watching, but I am yet to see it. Just today there was more bombings & killings. They will never have peace between the two sectors - they've been at it longer than we've been a nation.
Yes, Sistani wants us to continue doing his dirty work for him.
Oh darn .. guess the dems' wish for a civil war are dashed against the rocks. Tsk tsk!
And all over US occupied territory in Germany after WW2, the signs appeared almost immediately:
YANKEE GO HOME!
But the US still has bases there to this day. Let the Marxist-Iraqi's/and/or/muslims get used to it.
Yes. Along with not levelling Fallujah.
Note to Sunnis : Any group with Moqtada al-Sadr should not be trusted. WATCH YOU BACKS !
This is an update of the situation in Baghdad as of Saturday, February 25, 2006
Iraqi clergymen, Shiites and Sunnis, have met in a mosque in Baghdad and decided to contribute to ending the crisis that followed bombing one of Islams holiest sites, the shrine of Imam Ali al-Hadi and hasan al-Askari in the city of Samarra north of Baghdad.
What was amazing about it is the unity they showed on TV. Above is a picture of clergymen. The one leading the prayers and circled by a black line is sheikh Abdul Salam al-Kubaisi, spokesman and main preacher in the Association of Muslim Scholars, which is the supreme Sunni religious authority in Iraq. In the picture, Kubaisi is shown leading the prayers and all the clergies behind him are Shiites from Sadr trend. This is the first time I see this. Ive never seen a Sunni clergyman leading Shiite prayers. You could see the main difference between Sunni and Shiite Islam. Notice the way the Sunni stands [joining hands on the abdomen] and the Shiites standing with hands loose on the sides.
This is a huge encouragement to Iraqis and a huge defeat also for those who predicted a wide civil war in Iraq. Civil war started for real three days ago, but I dont think there will be anymore. Not if Iraqis saw the picture above. Lets just hope that Iraqis had electricity to power TVs at homes and see what is happening!
[Note: The event was shown on Jazeera satellite channel]
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