Posted on 08/26/2007 5:40:19 PM PDT by blam
Palestinians back caliphate over politics
By Carolynne Wheeler in Kfar Aqab, West Bank
Last Updated: 1:16am BST 27/08/2007
By day, they are the middle class, putting in days as mild-mannered teachers, factory supervisors and office clerks.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian supporters of the Islamic Hizb ut-Tahrir movement demonstrate at a rally in Ramallah
But by night, the growing number of supporters of Hizb ut-Tahrir, the Islamic fundamentalists who reject modern democracy in favour of a pan-Islamic religious caliphate, are gathering in the West Bank to recruit the thousands who have grown disillusioned with the vicious stand-off between the secular Fatah and Islamist Hamas.
"Any person living in Palestine now realises political parties, especially the Islamic ones, have not achieved anything for the individual," said Sheikh Abu Abdullah, a thin-framed man with a wiry beard.
His is the commanding voice behind weekly Hizb lessons at the al-Faruq mosque in the middle-class suburb of Kfar Aqab, past a crowded Israeli checkpoint where east Jerusalem melds into Ramallah.
About 50 men, young and old, stayed after evening prayers this week to listen to the sheikh's lesson entreating them to follow the Koran and stop infidels from profiting at the expense of the poor - one of an estimated hundreds or thousands of mosques in the West Bank and east Jerusalem where Hizb ut-Tahrir now teaches every week.
Though difficult to estimate their membership, a rally earlier this month in Ramallah drew at least 10,000 and, by some estimates, up to 40,000 people; their posters are plastered on every wall in the city centre.
"Any talk about a return to the caliphate, any talk about a return to religious values is something that is attractive to people," said Majid Abu Malah, 55, an Arabic-language teacher who attends regularly.
He, like many others, says he has given up on both Hamas and Fatah, and will not vote in the next election. "I believe in what [Hizb ut-Tahrir] gives."
Hizb ut-Tahrir, founded in Jerusalem in 1953 but largely dormant until recent years, is banned in dozens of countries, though it is legal and has a strong presence in Britain.
Its platform calls for the eventual overthrowing of Arab-world governments to be replaced by a caliphate, which would also encompass Israel.
The organisation argues that it does not advocate violence; however, it has been accused of inciting racism and hatred, and is known for activities such as demonstrations against cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed last year.
In neighbouring Israel, intelligence experts say the Israeli security services are presently more occupied with Hamas and other violent Islamist groups, but consider it a growing menace.
"It's a major threat," said Eitan Azani, a colonel in Israel's army reserve and deputy director of the country's Institute of Counter-Terrorism, of the organisation.
He gave warning that its recruiting tactics and teachings of strict Islamic law can lead eager followers into involvement with violent offshoots.
"This is the factory that produces, at the end of the day, the jihadis that operate in global terrorism," Col Azani said.
Inside the West Bank, the rise of the Islamist group is being met with increasing concern from secular Palestinians still hoping for democracy and a two-state solution with Israel, as well as from Hamas which is seeing its support eroded by the group.
This month's rally met with roadblocks and harassment from Palestinian security services, while imams have been placed under the control of a government ministry and warned to keep politics out of their mosques.
Calls for early elections have raised fears that Islamist movements will once again carry the legislature - or that so few people will vote that the elections will be meaningless.
"The only thing that is obvious is that Hizb ut-Tahrir is on the rise," said Hani al-Masri, a journalist and political commentator involved in a new secular political movement. "If we do not get new trends, new parties, in the Palestinian arena, a group like Hizb ut-Tahrir will definitely benefit from this vacuum."
The Mahdi’s ascendancy to power is said to be preceded by an army from the east who will be carrying black flags or banners of war. Sheikh Kabbani states:
Hadith indicate that black flags coming from the area of Khorasan will signify the appearance of the Mahdi is nigh. Khorasan is in todays Iran, and some scholars have said that this hadith means when the black flags appear from Central Asia, i.e. in the direction of Khorasan, then the appearance of the Mahdi is imminent. 17
Another tradition states that:
The Messenger of Allah said: The black banners will come from the East and their hearts will be as firm as iron. Whoever hears of them should join them and give allegiance, even if it means crawling across snow. 18
In Islam there are two flags. One is white and one is black. Written across both flags in Arabic are the words, “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his Messenger”. The white flag is called Al-Liwaa and serves as the sign for the leader of the Muslim army and is the flag of the Islamic State. The black flag is called Ar-Raya and is used by the Muslim army. It is also called the flag of jihad, and is carried into battle. One flag is governmental and the other is a military flag. 19 When Muhammad returned to his home city of Mecca after being exiled for eight years, he returned as a conqueror. With him were ten thousand Muslim soldiers. They carried with them black flags. On the flags was one word written in Arabic: punishment. 20
I was once talking to a group of young Muslim men and asking them some questions. I asked them if the obvious superior militaries of America and Israel compared to the militaries of any Islamic nations were a source of difficulty for many Muslims. One of these men then became very angry at my question and snapped out, “You Americans and Zionists better get ready, because the black flags are coming!” At the time, I had no idea what he was talking about. Later I learned the meaning.
By their fruits, ye shall know them. Looking around at the world's terrorism and organized violence, I can count on one thing: Islam. It is true that not all muslims are terrorists, but in so far in this century, just about all terrorists are muslims.
Dr. Hesham A. Hassaballa can reason that there have been terrorist acts committed by supposed Christians such as the IRA and that those acts by a minority doesn't mean that all Christians are terrorists. He is right, though I wonder if Jesus would claim the IRA as members of His faithful. Their acts are contrary to Jesus' teachings.
But, islam does teach violence against non believers, especially against the Jews, as well as deceit, torture, murder, mayhem, etc. By their fruits, their violence, we shall know them as muslims. Satan smiles.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE "SETTLERS" AND THE "OCC-YOO-PAY-SHUNNNN!"
FReepMail to be added or removed from this pro-Israel/Judaic/Russian Jewry ping list.
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
That's such a bad thing when temperatures are usually hovering around 100 degrees?
The very first sentence says the whole article is B.S.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_k2aX-9j6H8
This video is made by the group mentioned in this article. I have watched all of it. I think it is quite important to watch it. The last part addresses the black flag subject. This is a very, very dangerous group, and they are growing exponentially.
I say, give them a State and be done with it.
Good idea! know, let's start with Gaza. Give them all of Gaza and then they will stop.
Oh wait
We already gave it to them. Didn't work.
To use one of their phrases “Push them into the sea!”
Most IRA members were hardcore Marxists and had little personal interest in religion. They played up religion only to secure support from Catholics in Northern Ireland.
The time is fast approaching when the consequences should be made painfully apparent..
Sunday night I had the chance to have quite a long discussion over here with one of the advocates of the world-wide caliphate, and he spoke eloquently about how Islam is dividing and conquering the United States and Europe and while I have known the guy for years, I've never seen him so "radicalized" (for lack of a better word). With a straight face he said - "The same game you are playing in Afghanistan and Iraq by having Muslims fight Muslims is the same game we are playing in America and Europe."
This is someone that I have known for years (what you would call a moderate) and who is now professes to see the veracity in the words of OBL. That America and Europe are so weakened that they cannot fight back.
Progress is cited daily in Southeast Asia and Indonesia - News from the internet is printed out and then laminated and the groups like HT translate the text and then read the media reports to their followers and to those they are trying to convert -
The Islamic school in New York is a big one, foot basins in the airports and schools, special prayer rooms for Muslim brothers and sisters, all of it - and as the guy is reading the group chants "Allah Hu Akbar" and Al Humdillah (Allah be praised) as the progress reports are read.
The Caliphate begins to look attractive, no matter just how evil and murderous it will be. Then again, it being evil and murderous may also be attractions for them as well.
Mark
The only thing to be done o with this jihadist infestation is to call Turbanex!
Thanks for the info. Right after the old USSR collapsed, I had a feeling that Islamism was going to be the next ideological threat. Looks like that feeling I had was right.
Call Turbanex that’s the name and away go troubles down the drain! (with apologies to Roto Rooter)
>>”Any person living in Palestine now realises political parties, especially the Islamic ones, have not achieved anything for the individual,” said Sheikh Abu Abdullah, a thin-framed man with a wiry beard.<<
That sums up pretty well in one sentence how you get a dictator.
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