Shiite Schism

The Wall Street Journal ^ | 4/7/3 | AMIR TAHERI

[WaveThatFlag]

LONDON -- Ayatollah Ali Mohammed Sistani is a happy man. For the first time since 1988 he is not only not under house arrest but free to travel wherever he wishes. What's more, 22 of his relatives, held hostage by the Iraqi government since October, have returned home. A contingent of American Marines patrols Najaf, his hometown, widely regarded as the most sacred city in Shiite Islam. Their presence means that the Baathist death-grip of Saddam Hussein is broken -- at least in Najaf.

[WaveThatFlag]

It annoys me that the US press has brushed aside the significance of the first pro-US fatwa in modern arab history. Al Jazeera is talking about it.

[Dergie]

You all have no idea of the huge ramifications of the liberation of Iraq. Watch closely, and you will see the voices of reason, intelligence, and peace speak louder and more forcifully in the years to come.

They will finish the job of bringing freedom to the rest of the oppressed Arabs.

Watch it unfold.

I mean, why do you think the radicals have been so upset?

[MCH]

This is one of the more interesting articles I've read in quite a while. More pressure brought to bear on the oppressive government of Iran. Excellent. If we step up the pressure even more, Iran could very well ignite from within and follow in the footsteps of (hopefully) a democratic Iraq. We can only hope (fervently).

[Coop]

You all have no idea of the huge ramifications of the liberation of Iraq.

Yes we do.

[SpinyNorman]

As important as this is, and assuming al Jizzera isn't putting an anti American spin on it somehow, I would just assume that the message to the Arab street get first priority.

[DManA]

I thought Saddam emptied out all the jails as a thank you for the 100% vote.

For the first time since 1988 he is not only not under house arrest

[Keith]

welcome to FR....I agree...which makes me think that Condi Rice had this in mind...and it is all part of the plan.

I don't think it is any chance situation that Iraq and Iran, two of the wealthier and more educated Islamic countries could be the first to show that world what the future could be for a war-weary Middle East.

[maro]

Very interesting. Any religion can be interpreted in various ways; we should encourage the development of the reasonable kinds of Islam. The Saudis have done great damage by putting vast sums of money behind one of the more unreasonable sects, Wahhabism.

[Dergie]

Thank you, Keith. I have finally found a home. It took me awhile.

Don't ever think that your voices are going unheard. People are listening.

I did.

Even a thousand mile journey starts with the first step.

Sign me, "Reformed Independent Turned Conservative"

(Actually, our entire household has converted to Republican)

[mrsmith]

"He argued that "only a good society can create good believers."
Khoi argued the opposite: "Only good men can create a good society." "

I'm sure this is simplified, but it's strikingly similar to our Western political debate.

[Kadric]

"I thought Saddam emptied out all the jails as a thank you for the 100% vote.

For the first time since 1988 he is not only not under house arrest "

You answered your own question. He was not in jail, but under house arrest.

[betty boop]

For more than a decade, Khomeini warned his followers against "American Islam" (Islam-e-Amrikai), which he defined as a system under which "distinct spaces exist for religion and politics." Ironically, Shiism had always recognized that distinction. In a sense, it was Khomeini who had departed from tradition. Unlike Iran's ruling mullahs, who claim that they have a divine right to rule, Iraq's mullahs are opposed to a theocracy in Baghdad. "The clergy is the conscience of society," Ayatollah Sistani has written. "The administrative aspects of society's life must be left to men of politics."

This is excellent news. The Ayatollah Sistani recognizes the justice of the separation of church and state. This bodes well for the post-war Iraqi future.

There has also been other good news today -- for instance, the forced suicide bomber who turned himself into the Brits in Basrah, saying "it is against my religion to kill." We need to remind ourselves that Wahabbism really is extremist, both theologically and politically. That Shia man from Basrah was obviously not of that persuasion.

The most impressive images I've seen on TV in recent memory were over the weekend, when our guys busted into Najaf, the holy city of Shia. Did you see that street scene, boiling with crowds worried that our guys were going to fire on the Grand Mosque devoted to Ali, the founder of the Shia branch of Islam? (There were Fedayeen hiding inside.)

The clerics were trying to restrain the hotheads on the scene. And then the most gracious and cool maneuver imaginable -- the commander on-scene turned his weapon upside down, ordered his troops to do the same, and peaceably kneel down. They followed orders without hesitation. Then the commander asked them to slowly back away and withdraw from the scene.

Man, what a "confidence builder" that had to be for the locals! A potentially explosive situation was handily de-escalated, and not a soul got hurt. I was so proud of that commander, and of his troops!

[butter pecan fan]

It appears that sanity is beginning to dawn in the Shiite world.

[butter pecan fan]

Awesome!

[Kay Soze]

This is HUGE!!!!

". "Our people need freedom more than air [to breath]. Iraq has suffered, and it deserves better government."

"Ayatollah Sistani's close entourage goes further in its support of the U.S.-led coalition. "We shall never forget what the coalition has done for our people," says Hojat al-Islam Abdel Majid al-Khoi, son of the late grand Ayatollah Khoi, who was Iraq's supreme religious leader for almost 40 years.

"A free Iraq shall be a living monument to our people's friendship with its liberators." As Sistani's right-hand man, Khoi is trying to create a united front of Iraqi Shiites."

AND This pulls the Shiite center away from Lebanon!!!

WOW!

Stupid "W" does it again!!!!

[aristeides]

This fatwa is probably a large part of the explanation for the uprisings taking place today in Baghdad, Basra, and Nasiriyah. I don't think it will be possible to ignore it for long.

[Shermy]

Ping.

[CaptRon]

," and unfit to rule a Muslim nation.

Man, that's hitting below the belt!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Looks like a big deal to me!

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[Ahban]

This could be big. The acid test: will they permit freedom of religion, including prostelyzing? At any rate, I am glad to see not all Muslims are insane.