Sayyed Nasrallah to Saudi Invaders: Yemeni People will Triumph, You’ll be Defeated

Marwa Haidar Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah lashed out at Saudi Arabia over its war on Yemen, stressing that the failure of Riyadh’s foreign policy is the real reason behind the Kingdom’s attack against its neighbor. Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan NasrallahIn a televised speech aired on al-Manar TV, Sayyed Nasrallah called on Saudi Arabia to halt its military attack on Yemen, saying there’s still a chance for the Kingdom to change its mind over the assault. In this context, the Lebanese resistance leader stressed that the only solution for the Yemeni crisis is political, “or else the invaders will be defeated.” Meanwhile, his eminence said that the problem in Yemen is not because Saudi Arabia wants to defend a government or a president; it is rather because Saudi Arabia has lost its influence in Yemen. “If the aim of the war on Yemen is to save the Yemeni people, then why did Saudi Arabia abandon the Palestinian people for long decades?” Sayyed Nasrallah meanwhile said that the latest developments in Yemen prove “that Arab states have never considered Israel an enemy.” “Saudi Arabia has opposed the revolution which had overthrown Hosni Mubarak. Why didn’t they form a coalition to strike Egypt?” “Baseless Pretext” Hezbollah leader meanwhile elaborated the pretexts used by the Saudi Arabia to justify it war on Yemen, saying they are "baseless" pretexts. “Pretext that Yemen represents a threat to Gulf states is baseless,” Sayyed Nasrallah said, adding that “one of the most big lies Saudi Arabia has been propagating is that Iran is occupying Yemen.” The major mentality of Saudi Arabia is that it does not recognize the rights of the peoples of the region, his eminence said.

Failed Policy “Where are the achievements of Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy since 30 years ago?” Sayyed Nasrallah wondered, stressing that the failure of Riyadh’s policy “is prompting the people of the region to resort to Iran.” Sayyed Nasrallah furthermore accused the Saudi Arabia of being inciting the Iraqi Dictator, Saddam Hussein to wage the war against Iran in the last century. He added that Riyadh has been behind the terrorist crimes committed by the Takfiri suicide bombers in Iraq and Syria. “What did you do for Iraq? You had funded the war waged by Saddam Hussein against Iran. You supported Saddam Hussein as he was committing genocide against Iraqi people. You had also supported George Bush in his war on Iraq. And when the Iraqi people resisted the US occupation you had supported al-Qaeda-linked groups and Takfiri militants, and ISIL is your latest crime.” “The Saudi intelligence was sending the booby-trapped cars and funding the suicide attacks on the Iraqi cities. You have sent the Takfiri monsters to Syria not to save the Syrian people, but to subdue Syria. However Syria will remain free and independent,” Sayyed Nasrallah said referring to Saudi Arabia. Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that it’s the Yemeni people's right to defend their country against the Saudi airstrikes. The invaders have been defeated throughout history, Sayyed Nasrallah said, noting that the airstrikes alone don’t determine the looser and the winner of a battle, and that there is still the ground battle which has the final word. Dialogue, STL, Presidential Vote On the other hand, Hezbollah S.G. stressed that the dialogue between the resistance party and the Future movement is still going on, noting that the move is a national interest. “We will go on with the dialogue with Future movement since it is considered a national interest.” Concerning the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, which is tasked with probing the 2005 assassination of former Premier Rafiq Hariri, Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that all its trials and rules do not concern Hezbollah. “We are not concerned with all events related to the STL, and what was said during its sessions has no legal value.” Responding to claims that Iran is hindering the preidnetial elections in Lebanon, Sayyed Nasrallah said: “Iran has not interfered in the presidential elections, and will not do so. Tehran is not responsible for the current deadlock.” His eminence however, stressed that Saudi Arabia is hindering the presidential vote. “Saudi FM, Saud al-Faisal, he who is vetoing the election of the candidate who has the majority within the Christians in Lebanon.”

Saudi Arabia–Israel–America (S.I.A.): Transforming the Arab Spring into an Arab Inferno

By Mohamed Khodr

From the Qur’an: 2:11-12 “And when they are told, “Do not spread corruption on earth,” they answer, “We are but improving things”! Oh, verily, it is they, they who are spreading corruption but they perceive it not?” “No dictator, no invader, can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever”. –J. Michael Straczynski “There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit”. –Napoleon Bonaparte For reference: S.I.A.: Saudi Arabia – Israel – America G.C.C.: Gulf Cooperation Council consisting of six nations: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman. In reality the G.C.C. should be renamed the A.I.G.C.C: the “American Israeli Gulf Collaboration Council” (Author’s Note: I deliberately left out Egypt’s turmoil and the S.I.A. sponsored and paid for military coup against democracy due to the already long length of the article)

Finally the three Abrahamic faiths, as represented by Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United States (S.I.A.), are unified, not as peace bearers but as war mongers against the Christian and Muslim Palestinians in the Holy Land as well as spreading death and devastation across the Arab and Muslim world who dare resist their hegemony. The Christian U.S. and the “Muslim” Saudi Arabia are supporting Israel in its ethnic cleansing of Christianity and Islam from the Holy Land. This is occurring while the entire Christian and Muslim world are intimidated into silence. It really is a small Jewish after all. Every nation the S.I.A. alliance hasintervened in either politically, economicallly, or military has become a devastated failed state that has been embroiled in a civil or sectarian war, a mass refugee problem, political fragmentation and instability, economic depression, and terrorism. Not a day goes by in such countries like Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan,, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Tunis, Somalia, and now the newly created South Sudan, where deadly wars, terrorism. and car bombs are not carried out by Israel or Saudi Arabia to incite sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites, especially in Iraq and Lebanon, as well as assassination do not occur. The civilian populations, mainly women and children, are the primary victims of such conflicts. Map of Gulf Cooperation Council (G.C.C.) Nations. Much wealth to destroy life, little wealth to save life. Map of Gulf Cooperation Council (G.C.C.) Nations. Much wealth to destroy life, little wealth to save life. While Saudi Arabia and the other G.C.C. have and are using their enormous wealth and economic leverage, along with their old new ally, Israel, to pressure the U.S. to do launch wars in the Middle East, especially now against Iran; not once, not once did they ever consider using such leverage to llift Israel’s 7 years deadly siege of Gaza where 1.8 million Palestinians are dying from lack of shelter, cold weather,, hunger, lack of drinkable water, thirst, disease, and lack of fuel for their electric plant thereby allowing sewage to fill the streets. Gaza’sentire infrastructure has been destroyed by Israel thus hospitals, schools, clinics, churches, and mosques were destroyed. Not even the sanctity of the dead in a cemeteries escaped Israel’s tanks. What kind of subhuman animals are the Israelis who would deliberately run tanks over cemetery graves? If they can disturb the peace of the dead why would anyone expect them to respect peace with the living? Photo of a Palestinian youth searching for his mother’s grave in Gaza after Israeli tanks destroyed the cemetery. From the New Yorker Magazine. A young man looks for his mother’s grave in a cemetery in Beit Lehia that was destroyed by Israeli tanks in January 2009. A young man looks for his mother’s grave in a cemetery in Beit Lehia that was destroyed by Israeli tanks in January 2009. This barbaric nation is called a “civilized democracy” by western government out of fear and greed of Jewish power and wealth respectively; while the world pays the price for its terrorism, including the American people. [See "Truth About the Talmud" to better understand that Israel is simply following the teachings of the Babylonian Talmud. Saudi Arabia has used its considerable oil and economic leverage to push the U.S., in concert with Israel, to destroy Middle East nations; yet not once did it ever consider using such leverage to deliver one loaf of bread, some water, and medicines to the besieged 1.8 Million starving freezing Gazan children, much less to lift the deadly siege of Gaza, or even push for an independent Palestinian state.

What the Middle East is left with is corrupt cowardly dictators; in effect, Israeli American doormats. Despite a century of western lies, betrayals, coups, assassinations, wars, invasions, colonization, occupation, persistent war crimes and ethnic cleansing, the greatest tragedy of all -- the Theft and Sale of Palestine to the Jews; the creation of a new Middle East with new nations, new boundaries, and installed dictator puppets; the current cabal of Arab tyrants in the monarchies of Saudi Arabia, the rest of the G.C.C., Jordan, and Morocco have sold their faith, their people, their land and resources; to serve as regional doormats and collaborators in the service of their masters: Israel and the United States The U.S. has always had a hypocritical selective ouble standardapproach to Arab dictators depending on whether they serve her immediate or long term interests in the region as well as their stand on Israel. It is totally immaterial to the U.S. if such dictators are committing a holocaust against their own people, if they're America's doormat they good pro western puppets. Not all Dictators are created equal. Some we love, others we kill. It depends. Not all Dictators are created equal. Some we love, others we kill. It depends. Please Watch this Video of Saudi Arabia’s close collaboration with Israel in planning an attack against Iran. While the Arab Spring was turned into an Arab inferno through the intervention of the S.I.A. nations; the G.C.C. nations immediately squashed any freedom protests, not by force, but by bribes. Bloomberg News reported that Saudi Arabia spent $130 Billion to bribe its people into quiet submission, which worked, for now. The other G.C.C. nations spent over %100 Billion to bribe their people out of an Arab Spring mentality. America’s Interests in the Middle East. The core issue for the U.S. in the Middle East is: STABILITY – Both Political and Economic. Political stability involves U.S. support of murderous puppet tyrants and dictators. Economic stability, not only for the U.S. economy but for the world’s economy, which is energy driven hence the importance of the Persian Gulf oil. 1. Protect cheap Oil and other Corporate interests in the region. 2. Serve and Protect Israel even if it means paying and dying for her wars. 3. Protect the “stability” and status quo of puppet dictator doormats, especially the monarchies, ensuring their total collaboration and collusion in the American Israeli hegemony in the region. 4. Protects the vital water lanes for shipping via the Strait of Hormuz, Bab Al Mandab, and the Suez Canal. 5. Maintain several military bases in the region, especially in the GCC countries. 6. Work overtly or covertly to remove, assassinate, or damage through cyber-terrorism any regime or party opposed to U.S. Israeli interests. As has been pointed out, U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East has been a Jewish run enterprise for the last century. The most important element in the powerful and enormous success of Jewish Power in the U.S. is an ignorant population disconnected and disinterested in foreign affairs.: “Most Americans are close to total ignorance about the world. They are ignorant. That is an unhealthy condition in a country in which foreign policy has to be endorsed by the people if it is to be pursued. And it makes it much more difficult for any president to pursue an intelligent policy that does justice to the complexity of the world.” –Dr. Zbignew Brzenski ; former National Security Director under President Jimmy Carter. Post 9/11, the Jewish Neocons and the Jewish owned media have successfully indoctrinated the American people that Muslims hate America for its multiple freedoms thereby distracting them from the real reason which is its insane pathetic Israel run foreign policy in the Arab and Muslim world.

Here’s the truth from the Pentagon itself: “Muslims do not hate our freedom, but rather they hate our policies. The overwhelming majority voice their objections to what they see as one-sided support in favor of Israel and against Palestinian rights, and the long-standing, even increasing, support for what Muslims collectively see as tyrannies, most notably Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Pakistan and the Gulf states. Thus, when American public diplomacy talks about bringing democracy to Islamic societies, this is seen as no more than self-serving hypocrisy”. –Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force “On Strategic Communication“, September 2004 The CATO Institute issued a much earlier report on on December 17, 1998, titled: “Does U.S. Intervention Overseas Breed Terrorism? The Historical Record” that states: “A strong correlation exists between U.S. involvement in international situations and an increase in terrorist attacks against the United States. President Bill Clinton has also acknowledged that link…. This paper fills that gap by citing many examples of terrorist attacks on the United States in retaliation for U.S. intervention overseas. The numerous incidents cataloged suggest that the United States could reduce the chances of such devastating–and potentially catastrophic–terrorist attacks by adopting a policy of military restraint overseas”.. Similarly on the issue of foreign policy in the Middle East, in particular the Israeli Palestinian conflict, which to the entire Arab and Muslim world is the primary and root cause of animosity to the U.S. Government, not the American people, no matter how much Israel and its Zionist allies in the U.S. dismiss and distract from this truth. In an article in Haaretz, October 6, 2010, titled; “Clinton: Mideast peace can undercut global terror threat”, Former President Clinton is quoted speaking of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said Tuesday that solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would take away much of the motivation for terrorism around the world….It will take about half the impetus in the whole world — not just the region, the whole world — for terror away.…It would have more impact by far than anything else that could be done.” Notice that U.S. politicians wait until they leave office before having the courage to speak up about Israel, for while in office they’re under the strong grip of AIPAC and Jewish campaign contributions. The U.S. stands accused by the world but especially the Arab and Muslim world of being the enabler, political and financial supporter, latest weapons gifter, and defense lawyer for the most condemned, despised, rogue, murderous, illegal and immoral nation on earth – ISRAEL Jewish Power over U.S. politics, economy, foreign affairs, and military policy has long been an unquestioned established fact in Washington D.C. Here is Secretary of State John Foster Dules speaking in 1957 about Jewish Power. “I am aware how almost impossible it is in this country to carry out a foreign policy [in the Middle East] not approved by the Jews….terrific control the Jews have over the news media and the barrage the Jews have built up on congressmen …. I am very much concerned over the fact that the Jewish influence here is completely dominating the scene and making it almost impossible to get congress to do anything they don’t approve of. The Israeli embassy is practically dictating to the congress through influential Jewish people in the country” –Secretary of State John Foster Dulles in February 1957 (Donald Neff’s book: “Fallen Pillars” page 99) Currently AIPAC wrote legislation for Congress sponsored by the Jewish Senator from New York, Sen. Charles Schumer, that incredibly commit the U.S. to a war on Iran should Israel attacks Iran. While the U.S. has several defense treaties with nations around the world that commits the U.S. to join that nation should it be attacked; here the U.S. is committing itsel to an OFFENSIVE War against a sovereign nation, Iran, if Israel attacksi it. This wil be the first time the U.S. would join a foreign naiton to attack another nation with no reason or rationale. In an article titled; “Congress Must Not Cede its War Power to Israel“, December 27, 2013, Sheldon Richman, V.P. of the Future of Freedom Foundation, argues forcefully that the U.S. Congress not outsource its war power act to a foreign naiton, Israel. In the article he quotes a letter from Gary Sick, former national security advisor to Carter, Reagan, and Bush and an expert on Iran, he sent to Sen. Charles Schumer denouncing the legislation as dangerous to the U.S. that must be stopped. ONLY when the American people become aware enough and angry enough that a small foreign nation that they’ve subsidized to the tune of over $1 Trillion of their taxes will be thrown out of their national government’s influence and interests will America be truly free. A Zionist free America will mean justice and independence not only for the Palestinians and will go a long way to eliminating terrorism in the Middle East and against the U.S. and Europe. It’s up to the American people to decide if they wish to live in a Zionist Occupied nation or be free of that evil albatross. Israel’s Interests in the Middle East: “Our American friends offer us money, arms, and advice. We take the money, we take the arms, and we decline the advice.” (Iron Wall, p. 316)

–Moshe Dayan, former Israeli Defense Minister Still true to this day. From the Oden Yinon Plan: “Greater Israel: ”The Zionist Plan for the Middle East”. 1982 “The plan operates on two essential premises. To survive, Israel must 1) become an imperial regional power, and 2) must effect the division of the whole area into small states by the dissolution of all existing Arab states. Small here will depend on the ethnic or sectarian composition of each state. Consequently, the Zionist hope is that sectarian-based states become Israel’s satellites and, ironically, its source of moral legitimation… This is not a new idea, nor does it surface for the first time in Zionist strategic thinking. Indeed, fragmenting all Arab states into smaller units has been a recurrent theme.” –The Oden Yinon Plan 1982( Yinon Plan” Please watch this Important Video that explains the Oden Yinon Plan for Dividing the Middle East and creating a Greater Israel. To the Zionists such a plan would allow for the creation of Greater Israel which stretches from the Nile river in Egyptto the east, the Lebanese LItani river to the north, to the Euphrates river in Iraq to the west, along with the annexation of Palestine, Jordan, and large parts of Egypt, Syria, and Iraq. With such a goal one can understand why Iraq was invaded, Syria is being destroyed, Lebanon is constantly bombed and occupied, and why Egypt’s democracy was overthrown to install a submissive military dictator. After all this dictator has joined Israel in the deadly starving siege of Gaza. This Map was drawn by Theodore herzl, founder of Zionism, more than a century ago. This Map was drawn by Theodore herzl, founder of Zionism, more than a century ago. Zionist Israel will not rest until its “Greater Israel” goal is achieved. It will fight the Arabs and Muslims to the last American dollar and soldier. Saudi Arabia’s Interests: (Same for G.C.C., states, Jordan, and Morocco): S.A. has Five Main Objectives: Self-Preservation, at any cost, of Family Monarchies under the protection of the U.S. and the military bases they host. Serve as Puppet Regimes to U.S. interests, which mean Israel’s interests. Embezzle and Steal the national wealth for personal debauchery. Repress and Oppress their citizens into total submisin. Collaborate and Pay Israel and U.S. to destroy any threat to the Monarchies from any Arab or Muslim nation. Like its allies Saudi Arabia has a double standard when it comes to which regimes are allowed to survive. It’s funding radical Islamist terrorist in Sria to spread “democracy” while simultaneously sending troops to crush peaceful protests against the tyranny of Bahrain’s king and demanding freedom and democracy. cARTOONbahrainKINGFIFTHFLEET King of Bahrain carrying the U.S. Fifth Fleet which is based in Bahrain; while its CENTCOM is based in Qatar. The U.S. has military bases in all of the G.C.C. nations as well as other Arab countries.. Saudi Arabia is the Chief Spponsor of Terrorism in and out of the Middle East. For decades its been known in the West that Saudi Arabia, mainly, but along with other G.C.C. nations are the main supporters, organizers, and financial suppliers of ‘TERRORISM” in and out of the Middle East. In the Guardian, December 5, 2010, titled; ”WikiLeaks cables portray Saudi Arabia as a cash machine for terrorists”; we find a memo from Secretary of State Hilary Clinton that highlights the Gulf states’ failure to block funding for groups like al-Qaida, Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiban. From the article we read: “Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest source of funds for Islamist militant groups such as the Afghan Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba – but the Saudi government is reluctant to stem the flow of money, according to Hillary Clinton. “More needs to be done since Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al-Qaida, the Taliban, and LeT and other terrorist groups,” Her memo urged US diplomats to redouble their efforts to stop Gulf money reaching extremists in Pakistan and Afghanistan”. “Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide,” she said. Three other Arab countries are listed as sources of militant money: Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates”. In an article in the British paper The Independent titled; “Mass murder in the Middle East is funded by our friends the Saudis”, December 8, 2013 we read: “Everyone knows where al-Qa’ida gets its money, but while the violence is sectarian, the West does nothing”, In an article in Haaretz detailing the Israeli-Saudi “cooperation” to attack Iran titled: “Sunday Times: Israel, Saudi Arabia cooperating to plan possible Iran attack’, November 17, 2013, we read: “Saudis would allow Israel use of air space and provide drones, rescue helicopters and tanker planes, report says”. Sudan and Yemen: Partitioned by the S.I.A. The Yinon/S.I.A. Plan e\\\\r the Oden Plan for Partitioning Arab states has succeeded in two nations: Sudan and Yemen Sudan: Partitioned into Sudan 9north) and South Sudan. With Israel’s and U.S. direct economic and military assistance to the rebels fighting for an independent South Sudan, the new nation of South Sudan was created. The President of South Sudan’s first foreign trip was to Israel to publicly thank Israel for their long time support of their cause. “I am very moved to be in Israel and to walk on the soil of the Promised Land, and with me are all South Sudanese people. Israel has always supported the South Sudanese people. Without you, we would not have arisen”—said President Kiir to President Shimon Peres of Israel. However, South Sudan is now embroiled in a civil war for power where thousands have been killed and over 150,000 refugees have fled their homes. A failed western created state meant to pressure and limit any opposition from Sudan or Egypt in the future either through direct conflicts or its ability to manipulate the flow of the Nile River into the two nations where the river is the vital source for all life. The long course of the Nile River that is the only source of water for several countries. The Nile means life or death for the Sudan and Egypt. The long course of the Nile River that is the only source of water for several countries. The Nile means life or death for the Sudan and Egypt. YEMEN: The End of One Nation, the beginning of Partition to Six Provinces Saudi Arabia has always looked at Yemen on its southern border as a demographic and military threat able to destabilize the tyrannical royal regime. The courageous young Yemenie men and women joined the Arab Spring by their nationwide relentless protests to remove the S.I.A. supported military dictator whose ruled Yemen for 33 years, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who in response killed and injured thousands of Yemenie civilians, including children. A United Yemen divided by the S.I.A. to remove a historical southern threat to Saudi Arabia. This unrealistic division will increase not decrease civil and sectarian violence. A United Yemen divided by the S.I.A. to remove a historical southern threat to Saudi Arabia. This unrealistic division will increase not decrease civil and sectarian violence. The G.C.C. intervened and developed a peaceful transition plan of power from Saleh to his Vice President. Since then Yemen has been immersed in conflicts throughout the country from the north to the south. Some of it sectarian, a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, while in the South a strong secessionist movement arose; while terrorists used car bombs and assassinations to overthrow the transitional government. A National Dialogue Conference that failed to unify the many different agendas of ideological and tribal parties finally accept the U.N. plan to divide Yemen into Six semi-uatonous provinces. This plan was endorsed by the U.S., i abia and the other G.C.C. nations. This is a catastrophic plan for Yemen, a nation of tribes who’ve had a long history of violent conflicts between them. This plan will only increase violence, wars, and terrorism over sovereignty, territory, oil, water resources, electrical distribution, access to food and health care, disagreement over international aid, and over the certain economic unfair distribution over federal funds. There will be violence, death, and mass expulsions of northerners from South Yemen and vice versa. Properties of northerners and southerners will be illegally seized in both areas. There is still the thorny issue of writing a Constitution, the role and powers of the federal government and the six provincial governments. Will these leaders be appointed or elected> The plan only calls for a Parliamentary vote and a Presidential signature. The populace has no electoral say in this plan and thus withoutpopular support it is doomed to fail sooner or later. I predict that in due time the Yemenie people will rise again demanding an end to this corrupt and violent prone plan and a return to a unified nation. All the while Obama, the illegal Drone warmonger, massively increased his beloved ‘DRONE WAR” in Yemen that has killed hundreds of innocent civilians. Please Wat this Video on Obama’s illegal Drone War on Yemen leading to civilian deaths and mass anger against the Yemen Government and the U.S. Yemenie members of victimized civilians have come to the U.S. pleading for a stop of these Drones and warning the U.S. that such is having a counterproductive effect where more youths are joining militant groups. But the U.S. knows best how to bomb Arab nations and introduce chaotic deadly democracy in the region. Al Qaeda is becoming more powerful in Syria and Iraq while the Taliban are gaining the upper hand in Afghanistan and will surely return to power in Afghanistan as a whole or a divided naiton. These drones are operated by isolated soldiers ten thousand miles away who simply watch a video screen to make the decision to attack or not. These men and women are uninformed as to the culture, customs, or traditions of tribes in Yemen, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Thus the tribal custom of firing guns into the air during a wedding celebration is interpreted as an attach thus resulting in drone bombs dropped on innocent civilians in wedding parties. There seems to be an addiction to drone bombing of weddings in the 3 nations since so many have ben bombed with scores of innocent civilians, including children, being killed. The U.N. has called such drone attacks “illegal”. “The United Nations experts express “serious concern”about US drone attacks in Yemen, December 26, 2013″ “UN human rights experts on Thursday expressed “serious concern” about lethal drone attacks allegedly conducted by US forces in Yemen, that resulted in civilian casualties this month”. Where is the Muslim Oil Wealth Going? Certainly not to the Muslim poor, hungry, sick and dying refugees around the world. Despite the enormous wealth of Saudi Arabia and other G.C.C. countries, their expenditure on desperate Muslim refugees around the world is pitifully small, shamefully so. According to the United Nations the G.C.C. Sovereign Wealth Funds which are assets from investments alone in 2012 was $1.8 Trillion, amounting to 34 percent of the entire world’s SWF’s. Yet the G.C.C. rulers treat such national wealth as their private spending money to use as they please, mainly on lavish expensive gifts such as private jets, yachts, cars, jewelry; and vacation pleasures such as prostitution, drugs, and alcohol. In Islam all wealth is a gift from God and belongs to God. Every Muslim male or female who have wealth above a certain minimum is obliged to give a certain portion to the poor and needy. This is a form of social justice. No Muslim is allowed to hoard wealth and not spend on the needy. From the Qur’an: 9:34 “Those who hoard the gold and silver, and do not spend them in the cause of GOD, promise them a painful retribution” It seems these wealthy G.C.C. rulers and families have abandoned Islam, forgotten their duty to God, have lost fear of God, and perhaps have been blinded by worldly wealth that they’ve lost sense of the Day of Judgement. The two photos below tell the tragic story between incomprehensible wealth spent by Prince Talal Bin Waleed, a Saudi prince, on a DIAMONE laden car (He also owns a car made of gold) and a Syrian refugees deprived and abandoned by the enormous wealth of Arab Muslims Sheiks in the G.C.C. A Diamond laden Mercedes Car owned by one Saudi Prince. Without any shame, empathy, or adherence to Islam, the G.C.C. countries sent pittance to aid Syria’s While 2 million Syrian refugees are left in the cold, without food, water, and medicines. The cost of the Diamond Car alone can save them. While 2 million Syrian refugees are left in the cold, without food, water, and medicines. The cost of the Diamond Car alone can save them. refugees who are freezing in the cold showy mountains, with no shelter, clothes, blankets, food, water, or medicines. Over half of the Syrian refugees outside and inside the country are children. These are the pledged amounts only, much is still undelivered. Saudi Arabia’s total donation: $130 Million Qatar’s total donation: $103 Million Bahrain’s total donation: $20 Million Kuwait’s total donation: $324 Million United Arab Emirates: $320 Million Compare these amounts to amounts donated by the U.S. and U.K.; although like most donors they’ve not yet paid the entire emount. United States: $818 Million United Kingdom: $463 Million Source: The Guardian, September 6, 2013 Although the wealthy Arabs and Muslims have shirked their religious and humanitarian responsibility to the most desperate of refugees, the Syrian refugees with over half of them being children, let us all do our part yo dsbr yhrm. You can donate through the UNHCR, UNICEF, Doctors without Borders,Islamic Relief USA, Save the Children, Mercy Corps, You can visit this CNN site for a more detailed listing of agencies and how to help the Syrian refugees. Please HELP and God bless you. This Video is produced by the UNHCR on the Syrian Children Crisis in Refugee Camps. G

சவூத் குடும்பம் ஏன் ஈரானைப் பயப்படுகின்றது-வெறுக்கின்றது?

முதலாவது காரணம் மார்க்க ரீதியிலானது. சவூதி அரேபியாவின் உத்தியோகப்பூர்வ (முறைமைப்பட்ட) மதம் வஹ்ஹாபிஸமாகும். இந்த கடுமுனைப்பான உச்சநிலை திரிபுக் கொள்கையின்படி, ஷீஆ இஸ்லாம் என்பது சகித்துக் கொள்ள முடியாத ஒரு மத மாற்றமாகக் காணப்படுகிறது. இஸலாமிய 'மத நம்பிக்;கை அற்றவர்களாக'க் கணிக்கப்படுபவர்கள் ஷீஆக்கள் மாத்திரமல்லர். சுன்னிகள் உட்பட, வஹ்ஹாபி அடிப்படை வாதக் கோட்பாட்டிற்கு ஒத்திருக்காதவர்களெனக் கருதப்படும், எல்லா வடிவங்களைக் கொண்ட முஸ்லிம்களும், அத்தோடு கிறிஸ்தவர்களும், ஏனைய மதங்களைச் சார்ந்தவர்களும்- அனைவரும், அவ்வாறே 'மத நம்பிக்;கை அற்றவர்களாக'வே கணிக்கப்படுகிறார்கள்ளூ மேலும் அவர்கள், ஈவிரக்கமில்லாமல் தாக்கப்படுகின்றார்கள்- மரணத் தறுவாய் அளவுக்குக் கூட. உருக் குலைந்த வஹ்ஹாபி நம்பிக்கையின்படி, ஷீஆ முஸ்லிம்கள் 'மத நம்பிக்;கை அற்றவர்களுள்' மிகவும் மோசமானவர்கள். இதனாற்றான், முக்கியமாக வஹ்ஹாபி கொள்கைவாதத்தினால் உந்தப்பட்ட, சிரிய அரசுக்கு எதிரான ஆயுதக் கோஷ்டிகள் (இவர்கள் தக்ஃபீரிகள் என்ற பெயரைக் கொண்டும் அழைக்கப்படுகின்றார்கள்), சிரியா சண்டையில், ஷீஆக்களையும் நெருங்கிய உறவுள்ள அலவிகளையும் மிகவும் காட்டுமிராண்டித்தனமான வன்முறைகளுக்குள் ஆட்படுத்துகின்றனர். வரலாற்றுக் காரணங்களினால் இன்று இந்த பிரதேசத்திலும் உலகிலும், ஈரான்தான் ஷீஆ இஸ்லாத்தின் மத்தியத் தலமாக விளங்குகிறது. இதனால், சவூதிகளின் பகைமைக்கு மத்தியத் தலமாக விளங்கும் தகுதியையும் ஈரான்தான் பெற்றுக் கொள்கிறது. இரண்டாவது காரணம், ஈரானின் இஸலாமியப் புரட்சியைப் பின்னோக்கிச் செல்கின்றது. 1979ல் ஈரானியப் புரட்சி வெற்றி கண்டு, அமெரிக்காவின் ஆதரவுடன் ஆட்சியில் அமர்ந்திருந்த சர்வாதிகாரி முஹம்மத் றிஸா ஷா பஹ்லவி தூக்கி எறியப்பட்ட போது, அந்தக் குழப்பம் பிரதேசத்திலிருந்த எல்லா எதேச்சதிகார ஆட்சியாளர்களையும் பீதி கொள்ளச் செய்தது. ஏனெனில், அடக்குமுறை ஆட்சிகளுக்கெதிராக மற்ற மக்களும் கிளர்ந்தெழுவதற்கான உணாவுரீதியான தாக்கத்தை அந்தப் புரடசி வழங்கியது. இதனாற்றான், சவூதி ஆட்சியாளர்கள் உடனடி பதில் நடவடிக்கையாக 1980 ஆரம்பத்தில் பாரசீக வளைகுடா பாதுகாப்பு உடன்படிக்கையை உருவாக்கினார்கள், இதில் மற்ற முடியாட்சிகளான குவைத், கதர், பஹ்ரைன், ஐக்கிய அரபு அமீரகம், ஓமான் என்பனவும் இடம் பெற்றன.

உண்மையில், ஈரானுடனான சவூதி ஆட்சியாளர்களின் விரோதப் போக்கு, ஈரானியப் புரட்சியின் பின்னர் இன்னும் தீவிரமாகியே காணப்படுகிறது. செயல் மூலம் அதிகளவுக்கு நிரூபித்துக் காட்டப்பட்டிருக்கும் ஈரானின் ஜனநாயக தகுதிச் சான்றுகள், தனது எதேச்சதிகாரத்திற்கு உலை வைக்கும் ஓர் அச்சுறுத்தல் என சவூத் குடும்பம் காண்கிறது. பிரதேசத்தில் ஈரானின் அரசியல் செல்வாக்கு வளர்கின்ற அளவுக்கு தங்கள் இருப்பிற்கான ஓர் அச்சுறுத்தல் இருப்பதாக சவூதி ஆட்சியாளர்கள் பயப்படுகிறார்கள். மேற் குறிப்பிட்டவாறு, பிரதேசம் எங்குமே ஈரானின் கரம் காணப்படுகிறது எனச் சந்தேகப்படும் பிரிட்டனுக்கான சவூதித் தூதுவரின் கூற்று, (அதே நேரம் அவ்வாறில்லை யென்ற போதிலும்), ஈரான் பற்றி சவூத் குடும்பத்திற்கு இருக்கும் சித்தப் பிரமை கொண்ட மனோ பாவத்தை விளங்க வைக்கிறது. மூன்றாவது காரணம், பெருமளவுக்கு லௌகீகம் சம்பந்தப்பட்டதாகும். ஆயினும், ஒரு வேளை அதுதான் சவூத் குடும்பத்தின் இறுதியான அக்கறை யாயிருக்கலாம்: அஃது, எண்ணெய் மற்றும் வாயு பொருளாதாரம் பற்றிய அதிமுக்கிய பிரச்சினை. ஓபெக்கின் 12 உறுப்பினர் நாடுகளுள் முன்னணியில் இருக்கும் மூன்று உற்பத்தியாளர்கள் சவூதி அரேபியா, ஈராக், ஈரான் ஆகிய நாடுகளாகும். அதிக முக்கியத்துவம் வாய்;ந்தது, ஈரானின் பிரம்மாண்டமான வாயு வளம். இது இன்னும் ஒரு பொருளாதார வளமாகப் பயன்படுத்தப்படவில்லை. இயற்கை வாயு என்பது அடுத்த நூற்றாண்டில் எதிர்காலத்தைய எரிபொருளாக விளங்கப் போகிறது. குழாய்களின் மூலம் எடுத்துச் செல்வதற்கும், கிடைக்கும் சக்தி அளவைப் பொறுத்தவரையிலும், இது அதிக பயன்பாட்டுத் திறன் வாய்ந்த ஓர் ஆற்றல் வளமாகத் திகழ்கிறது. சுற்றுச் சூழலைப் பொறுத்தவரையிலும், இயற்கை வாயு எண்ணெய்யை விட மிகச் சுத்தமான எரிபொருள். இது எரிவதனால் மிக குறைந்த தீங்குகளைக் கொண்ட உபபொருட்களையே தருகிறது. பூமியின் மீது அறியப்பட்ட மிகப் பெரிய அளவிலான இயற்கை வாயு சேமிப்புத் தளம் பார்ஸ் படிநிலம்தான்ளூ இதனை ஈரான்தான் கைவசம் வைத்திருப்பதாகக் கணிக்கப்படுகிறது. வர்த்தகத் தடைகள் அகற்றப்படுவதன் வாயிலாக ஈரானின் சர்வதேச உறவுகள் இயல்புநிலையை அடையுமானால், அந்நாடு இப்போதை விடவும் வல்லமை மிக்க உலகளாவிய ஆற்றல் வள நாடாக மாறும் சாத்தியம் உண்டு. குறிப்பிடத்தக்க விதத்தில் வணிகத் திறனுடனான முக்கியத்துவம் என்னவென்றால், (ஓபெக் உறுப்பினர் அல்லாத) ரஷ்யாவுடன் ஈரானும் ஐரோப்பியச் சந்தைக்கான தேவைகளைப் பூர்த்தி செய்வதில் முதன்மை நிலையைப் பெற்றுக் கொள்ளும்.

அடக்கி வைக்கப்பட முடியாத மனிதத் தேவைகள் காரணமாக மாறாமல் எகிறும் இந்த முன்னேற்றத்தை, தனக்கான ஓர் அவசரமான அச்சுறுத்தலாக சவூத் குடும்பம் காண்கிறது. சவூதி அரேபியாவில் எண்ணெய் நிறையவே கிடைக்கின்றதுளூ இயற்கை வாயு மிகக் குறைவாகவே கிட்டுகின்றது. எனவே, ஆற்றல் உற்பத்தி நாடு என்ற வகையில், சவூதியின் வணிகத் துறை முக்கியத் தகைமை தேய்வுறுகின்ற அதே வேளை, ஈரான் அதன் விசாலமான இயற்கை வாயுப் படிவங்களின் காரணமாக மேலும் வளர்ச்சியடையும். .சவூதிக் கண்ணேட்டத்தின் பிரகாரம், எப்படியாவது ஈரான் தனது சாத்தியக் கூறான ஆற்றல் செல்வத்தை வளர்ச்சி அடையச் செய்ய முடியாமல், எல்லா வழிகளிலும் தடுத்து நிறுத்தப்பட வேண்டும். சவூதி அரேபியா கடன் வாங்கிய கால எல்லைக்குள் வாழ்ந்து கொண்டிருக்கிறது. அதன் எண்ணெய் சேமிப்பை முடிவில் ஈரானின் வாயுச் செல்வம் விஞ்சி விடும். ஏற்கனவே, சவூதி ஆட்சியாளர்கள் தங்கள் நாட்டில் இளைஞர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை அதிகரித்து வருவதாலும் அவர்கள் வேலை வாய்ப்பு அற்று இருப்பதாலும், எப்போது வெடிக்கும் என்று சொல்ல முடியாத ஜனத் தொகை 'டைம் பொம்'மின் மீது உட்கார்ந்து இருக்கிறார்கள். இது வரைக்கும், எண்ணெய் ஏற்றுமதியால் கிடைக்கும் நாட்டின் பொதுநிதிக் கொடுப்பனவுகளைக் கொண்டு அதனை ஈடு கட்டி வருகின்றார்கள். அதுவும் சொற்ப காலத்திற்குள் முற்றுப் பெற்று விடும். சவூதியின் எண்ணெய்ப் பொருளாதாரம் முற்றுப் பெற்று, ஈரான் ஒரு முன்னணி நாடாகத் திகழும் வகையில் இயற்கை வாயுக்களின் புதிய உலகளாவிய ஆற்றல் பொருளாதாரம் காரணமாக அது பின் தள்ளப்பட்டால், என்ன நடக்கும்;? பிரதேசத்தில் ஈரானின் அரசியல் செல்வாக்கு மேலும் அதிகரிக்கும்ளூ இறுகிய நிலையடைந்த சவூதி எதேச்சதிகாரிகளின் அதிகாரத்தின் மீதான பிடி தளர்வடைந்து விடும். அமெரிக்காவின் அரசியல் மற்றும் பொருளாதார தலைவிதி, சவூதியினதும் ஏனைய பாரசீக வளைகுடா அரசாட்சிகளினதும் பெட்ரோ டொலர் பொருளாதாரத்துடன் நெருக்கமாகப் பிணைந்துள்ளது. வங்குரோத்து (திவால்) ஆகி;ப் போன அமெரிக்க டொலர், ஏற்கனவே பெரும்பாலும் சவூதிகளும் அவர்களுடன் தொடர்புடைய ஷெய்க்களும் தங்கள் சரக்குகளை அமெரிக்க நாணயத்தில் விற்று, இலாபத்தை அமெரிக்க நிதிக் கருவூதிலத்திற்கு சேர்ப்பித்து டொலருக்கு முட்டுக் கொடுப்பதால், இதுவரை உயிராதரவு பெற்றிருக்கிறது.

ஈரான் அதன் முழுமையான வாய்ப்பு நிலைக்கு முன்னேறி, எண்ணெய்யிலும் மிக முக்கியமாக இயற்கை வாயுவிலும் வர்த்தகம் மேற் கொண்டால், அது பெரும்பாலும் ஐரோப்பிய யூரோ, ரஷ்ய ரூபிள், ஜப்பானிய யென் அல்லது சீன யுஆன் நாணயங்களிற்றான் இருக்கும். அப்படியானால், அது அமெரிக்க டொலருக்கு பேரழிவு நாளாக அமையும்ளூ நீண்ட நாட்களாக அது வீழ்ந்து விடும் என எதிர்பார்த்தபடி நிச்சயமாக வீழ்ந்தே போகும். முடிவில், ஈரானின் தளைகள் அகற்றப்பட்ட அரசியல் மற்றும் பொருளாதாரச் சுதந்திரத்திற்கான சவூத் குடும்பத்தின் ஆழமான கடும் எதிர்ப்பில் வொஷிங்டனும் பங்கு கொள்கிறது. அது மறைபொருளான வஹ்ஹாபி காரணங்களுக்கல்லாமல், அதிமுக்கிய பொருளாதார சுய பாதுகாப்பிற்காகத் தான். எனவேதான், இந்த வாரம் ஃபிரெஞ்ச் வியாபார தூதுகுழு வொன்று கூட்டு வாணிபத்திற்கான சாத்தியக்கூறுகளை ஆராய ஈரானுக்கு விஜயம் செய்த போது, வொஷிங்டனிடமிருந்து பலத்த கண்டனம் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டது. கலவரப்பட்டு போன அமெரி;க்காவின் உள்துறை செயலாளர் ஜோன் கெர்ரி, ஃபிரான்ஸின் உள்நாட்டமைச்சர் லோரன்ட் ஃபெபியஸைத் தொலைபேசியில் தொடர்பு கொண்டு, தூதுகுழுவிற்கான தனது எதிர்ப்பைத் தெரிவித்ததாக அறிவிக்கப்படுகிறது. டொலரை வீசியெறிந்து விட்டு, ஈரான் ஐரோப்பியாவுடன் சுயாதீனமான வர்த்தகம் மேற் கொள்வதைக் காண அமெரிக்கா கண்டிப்பாக விரும்பவில்லை. சவூதிச் சர்வாதிகாரிகளுக்கும் அவர்களின் அமெரிக்கப் போஷகர்களுக்கும், ஈரான் ஒரு பொருளாதாரச் சக்தியாகப் பரிணமிப்பதை அனுமதிக்க இயலாது. அது நேரடியாக சவூத் குடும்பத்தை அரசியல்ரீதியாகவும், பொருளாதாரரீதியாகவும் அச்சுறுத்துவதாக அமைந்துவிடும்ளூ அது மறுபுறத்தில் வொஷிங்டனை அதன் அடித்தளத்திலேயே ஆட்டங் காண வைத்து விடும். மேற் சொன்ன எல்லா காரணங்களுக்காகவும், சவூதி ஆட்சியாளர்கள் அனைத்திற்கும் மேலாக ஈரானை அஞ்சுகிறார்கள். ஸியனிஸ இஸ்ரவேல் அரசையும், கிழக்கு அல் குத்ஸில் (ஜெருசலத்தில்) அது இஸ்லாமிய புனித ஸ்தலங்களைப் பாழ்படுத்தி நாசம் விளைவிப்பதையும் எதிர்த்து, தங்களை இஸ்லாத்தின் பாதுகாவலர்களென சுயமே பிரகடனப்படுத்திக் கொள்ளும் அல் சவூத் குடும்பத்தினர் ஒரு வார்த்தைதானும் பேசியது கிடையாது. அவர்களுக்கிருக்கும் பயமும் விரோதமும், ஈரானுக்கும், அதன் நேச நாடுகளான சிரியா, பஹ்ரைன் மக்கள், ஈராக், எமன், வேறு பலவற்றுக்கும் எதிராக மறைமுகமான யுத்தமொன்றைத் தொடுப்பதற்குத் தான் முனைப்பு கொள்ள வைத்திருக்கிறது. ஈரானை எந்த விதத்திலாவது அடக்கி வைக்க வேண்டும், தடுத்து நிறுத்த வேண்டும், தடைகளை ஏற்படுத்தி முன்னேறாமற் செய்ய வேண்டும் என அவர்கள் விரும்புகின்றனர்ளூ வொஷிங்டனும் புவியியல் அரசியல் தேவைகளுக்காக சவூதியின் பக்கம் சாய்ந்துள்ளது.

ஆயினும், எதிர்வரும் தசாப்தங்களில், உலகளாவிய ஆற்றல் பொருட்களின் தேவைக்கான கட்டமைப்புத் தகடுகள் கடுமையாக நகர்கின்ற போது, சவூதி ஆட்சியாளர்களும் அவர்களின் அமெரிக்கப் போஷகர்களும், தோல்வியை அரவணைக்கும் பக்கத்திற்றான் தாங்கள் இருப்பதைக் காண்பார்கள். சொல்லப் போனால், மிகச் சரியான வழியில் இது அல் சவூதினதும் அமெரிக்க சாம்ராஜ்யத்தின் இறுதி முடிவுக்கு வழி கோலும். அதன் காரணமாக, விரோதமும் தீர்ந்து போகும். பி;ன்குறிப்பு: திரு.கே எனது கட்டுரை பற்;றி ஒரு விமர்சனம் தந்துள்ளார். அதில் அவர், நான் உருவரை செய்துள்ள மூன்று காரணங்களுக்கு மேலதிகமாக நான்காவது அம்சமொன்றை (அதாவது, சட்டப்படியான நிலை குறித்து) கருத்துத் தெரிவித்துள்ளார். அவர் மேலும் கூறுகிறார்: 'ஈரானிய அரசு சட்டப்படியானதாகும்ளூ அதேநேரம், அல் சவூத் சட்டப்படியானதல்ல. இஸலாமியக் குடியரசு ஒரு மக்கள் புரட்சியின் மூலம் அமைந்ததுளூ அங்கு உண்மையான தேர்தல்;கள் நடத்தப்படுகின்றனளூ அது மனிதாபிமான நிலைப்பாடொன்றைக் கொண்டிருக்கிறதுளூ அங்கு உண்மைபூர்வமான இஸ்லாமிய அறிவுப் புலமை காண்ப்படுகிறது. மறுபக்கத்தில், அல் சவூத், பிரிட்டிஷாரின் துணையுடன் பலாத்காரமாக தாம் ஆளும் பகுதியைத் தம் கட்டுப்பாட்டிற்குள் கொண்டு வந்ததுளூ அது முற்றிலும் எதேச்சதிகாரமானதுளூ மனித சமுதாயத்தின் தீது வெறுப்பை உமிழ்கிறதுளூ மனிதர்களுக்கு தீங்கு இழைக்கின்றதுளூ அது போலி வஹ்ஹாபி 'அறிஞர்களை' தன் வசம் வைத்திருக்கிறது - இவர்கள் ஒரு விஷக் கிருமியை விட முஸ்லி;ம் உம்மத்திற்கு ஆபத்தானவர்கள். ஈரானின் வெற்றியை காண்பதற்கும், எல்லா விதத்திலுமான ஸியனனிஸப் பிரச்சாரங்களுக்கு மத்தியிலும் ஈரான் பெற்று வரும் மதிப்பு மரியாதையை உணர்ந்து கொள்வதற்கும், சட்ட விரோத அல் சவூத் அரசு தயாராயில்லை.' மேலதிகக் கருத்திற்காக நான் அவருக்கு நன்றி மொழிகிறேன். அல் சவூத் ஏன் ஈரானை இத்துணை ஆழமாக மறுதலிக்கிறது, சகித்துக் கொள்ள முடியாமலிருக்கிறது என்பதற்கு தகுந்த வாதங்களை முன் வைத்து அழகாகச் சொல்லியிருக்கிறார். அவர் கூறிய மாதிரி, சவூதி ஆட்சியின் குறைகளையும், தலை கீழான தனமையையும், அசிங்கத்தையும் காட்டும் கண்ணாடியாக ஈரான் அதன் முன்னால் நின்று கொண்டிருக்கிறது. கட்டுரையாளர் ஃபினியன் குன்னிங்காம் (1963ல் பிறந்தவர்) சர்வதேச விவகாரங்களைப் பற்றி விரிவாக எழுதியுள்ளார். இவரது கட்டுரைகள் பல மொழிகளிலும் வெளிவந்துள்ளன. இவர் விவசாய ரசாயனத் துறையில் முதுமானி பட்டதாரி. இவர் பத்திரிகைத் துறையில் பிரவேசிக்கும் முன்னர், இங்கிலாந்து கேம்பிரிட்ஜில் ரசாயனத்திற்கான அரச சங்கத்தின் விஞ்ஞான இதழ் ஆசிரியராக பணி புரிந்துள்ளார். மேலும், சுமார் 20 ஆண்டுகள் பெரும் செய்தி ஊடக நிறுவனங்களில் ஓர் ஆசிரியராகவும் எழுத்தாளராகவும் கடமை யாற்றியுள்ளார். அயர்லாந்து பெல்ஃபாஸ்டைச் சேர்ந்த இவர், தற்போது கிழக்கு ஆஃபிரிக்காவில் ஸ்தாபனம் சாராத ஒரு பத்திரிகை யளராக நிலைபெற்றுள்ளார். அங்கிருந்து கொண்டு, இவர் பஹ்ரைனையும் அரபு வசந்தத்தையும் பற்றி, தான் பாரசீக வளைகுடாவில் ஒரு செய்தி நிருபராக இருக்கும் போது கண்ணால் கண்ட அனுபவங்களை அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்டு ஒரு நூலை எழுதி வருகிறார். பஹ்ரைன் முடியாட்சியின் ராணுவம் இழைத்த மனித உரிமை மீறல்களை விமர்சித்து எழுதியதால், இவர் 2011 ஜுpனில் பஹ்ரைனிலிருந்து வெளியேற்றப்பட்டார். இவர் பிரஸ் டீவீயில் சர்வதேச அரசியல் பற்றி இப்போது பத்தி எழுதுகிறார். (தமிழில்: இப்னு புகாரி)

The Prophet (saws) and Muslim unity

by Zafar Bangash January, 2014

Merely verbalizing love for the noble Messenger (saws) will not bring glory to Muslims; emulating his noble example in practice will. A pre-requisite is to understand the Sirah in its totality, not through anecdotal episodes. There is no Muslim who does not have deep love for the noble Messenger (pbuh). This is Allah’s (swt) command to His faithful servants articulated in the majestic Qur’an. Muslims express their love for the Prophet (pbuh) in many different ways based on their level of understanding and commitment. Closely related to this is the aspect of unity among Muslims. Again, this is spelled out very clearly in the noble Book. Muslims are referred to as one Ummah (21:92; 23:52) with all its varied and important implications. In a set of ayat, the Qur’an says, O you have become firmly committed [to Allah]! Be on guard [against Allah’s corrective justice] as is due to Him, and do not pass on before you have surrendered yourselves to Him [become Muslims]. And hold fast, all together, to the bond with Allah, and do not separate from one another. And remember the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you; how, when you were enemies, He brought your hearts together, so that through His blessings, you became brethren… (3:102–103).

Allah (swt) is addressing the committed Muslims (the category referred to as al-ladhina amanu in the Qur’an) telling them “…to hold fast to the bond of Allah and do not separate from one another.” He is also reminding them that previously, they were enemies but Allah (swt) brought their hearts together. Allah (swt) does not say He made them all of one ethnicity or language. Instead, He says their hearts were reconciled and brought together. This was done through the exemplary personality of the noble Messenger (pbuh) who was sent as a mercy to all the worlds (21:107). It was his mercy and grace that brought the warring tribes of Madinah together. His was a gentle personality that preferred compassion and justice instead of retribution. This was demonstrated at the time of Makkah’s liberation when all his former enemies and tormentors stood trembling before him. He could have ordered their execution but he chose instead to forgive them. He administered justice with compassion, and compassion with justice to all and sundry. His noble personality combined in it all the elements in perfect balance. He was chosen by Allah (swt) to be the last and final messenger to deliver His final message to all humanity. As a result of his exemplary character, he converted the savage tribes of the Arabian Peninsula into the best of human beings in a short span of 23 years. Muslims truly became one Ummah above tribe or class distinctions under the leadership of the noble Messenger (pbuh). His success has forced even non-Muslims (Alan Hart, for instance) to admit that he was the most brilliant leader humankind has ever known.

But we must ask: what has happened to the two billion Muslims today that hardly register on the global scene? Muslims are so badly divided along national, tribal and sectarian lines that the concept of the Ummah appears non-existent. Where is the Muhammadi Ummah, raised as the “best community” that is supposed to be a model for all humanity (3:110)? True, there is much external interference in Muslim societies but that is to be expected. The Muslims’ enemies are not there to foster unity among them but we must examine the Muslims’ own conduct. Why have some Muslims embarked on campaigns of denunciation of fellow Muslims as kafirs and even resorted to wholesale slaughter? Does declaring everyone we disagree with a kafir serve the interests of Islam and Muslims? Did the noble Messenger (pbuh) ever indulge in such behavior? Possibly, those involved in the indiscriminate killing of Muslims and non-Muslims through car and suicide bombings as well as gruesome beheadings also read the Qur’an and may even insist they love the noble Messenger (pbuh). On what basis do they justify their behavior then? Suppose these groups were to kill all the people they disagree with; would that establish justice and peace in society? Those Muslims that claim to be faithful to their social contract with Allah (swt) — that is, have made a faith-commitment to Him — must evaluate their behavior in light of the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and the Sirah of the noble Messenger (pbuh). Allah (swt) reminds us of our base social reality in His glorious Book: we were divided and disunited, and our psychological makeup was one of enmity and hostility yet through His ni‘mah (favor and prerogative), we became brothers and friends (3:103; 49:10). The attitude of some contemporary Muslims has reverted back to that of pre-Islamic peoples where dog-eat-dog attitude and the law of the jungle prevailed. Muslims will have to make the transition from a fragmented understanding of the Qur’an, and the Sunnah and Sirah of the noble Messenger (pbuh) to the consolidated meanings with all its socio-political implications to assume their rightful place in the world as the “best community.” Racism, tribalism and sectarianism have no place in this higher calling. No people in history have ever achieved progress through wholesale slaughter. True, they may have achieved temporary success but were quickly overpowered by others with more refined values. In these troubled times, only Muslims can provide the kind of leadership the errant humanity needs. That, however, will only be realized if Muslims are true to their din as explained in the noble Book and as exemplified by the noble Messenger (pbuh).

Syria in the US-Saudi-Israeli prism

by Zafar Bangash Events in Syria are not entirely based on domestic factors. There are three other conflicts underway that are all being played out through the struggle in Syria. No conflict in any society anywhere in the world is entirely due to internal factors. There are always external players that exploit internal divisions to advance their own agendas. This is even more so in Syria that lies at the confluence of numerous political fault lines and where the interests of many powers collide. While at a superficial level, it can be said that the Syrian people were motivated by the same desire as people elsewhere in the Muslim East — Tunisia, Egypt et al. — to seek freedom and have a greater say in governance, it would be wrong to assume that this was entirely a domestically inspired movement. Enough evidence exists, courtesy of Syrian opposition sources, to confirm that the plot was hatched outside Syria, to wit, in Paris under the auspices of the Americans, Israelis and Saudis in February 2011. Events in Syria must be understood against the backdrop of three other conflicts: the Israeli-Saudi struggle against Iran for regional influence; US-Russian power struggle for regional domination, and the US-Iran struggle for ideological influence. In all three arenas, the US and its allies have suffered setbacks. Turkey and Qatar have also joined the US-Saudi-Israeli nexus against Syria, and by extension Iran. The Syrian opposition’s offer of talks with Damascus, albeit with caveats, is proof that some of them have understood the regional dynamics. They have come to realize who wields the most power and influence in the region. It is not Riyadh, Tel Aviv, Ankara or Washington; it is Tehran. And Islamic Iran can be relied upon to play the role of honest broker, unlike the duplicitous Americans and devious Saudis. The plot to weaken the resistance front against Zionist Israel has ended up weakening the gang of conspirators and the setback they have suffered in Syria will unravel their other devilish plots as well. Let us start with Russia’s role in the Syrian crisis. By refusing to cede control of Syria that would have turned the Mediterranean into an American lake, Moscow served notice that there will be no repeat of the Libya scenario. Both Russia and China felt betrayed by the manner in which a UN no-fly zone resolution on Libya was turned into a shooting rampage decimating Colonel Muammar Qaddafi’s forces and infrastructure. Once the US-NATO war was unleashed, there was little that Moscow or Beijing could do to stop it. Unlike Libya however, Syria is of great interest to Russia. There is a 40-year long relationship; Syria is the biggest importer of Russian arms in the region and there is a Russian naval base at Tartus. Russia had too much to lose and it refused to roll over at the UN leading to the use of three vetoes against US-sponsored resolutions that would have authorized a NATO attack on Syria. China, too, sided with Russia. Next came the US-Saudi-Israeli nexus that wanted to cut an important arm of the resistance front against Zionist Israel. For its own reasons that we need not go into here, Syria has been an important pillar of the resistance front. Without its cooperation, Hizbullah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad could not have been helped to maintain their resistance against Zionist aggression. Turkey and Qatar joined this axis for their own reasons. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan fancies himself as the “new leader” of the Muslim world and the Turkish model as an example for other Muslim countries to emulate. Both the US and Israel have also been peddling this line. Tiny Qatar has, by getting so deeply involved in the Syrian crisis, projected itself on the world stage but it is likely to come up against the harsh reality of global politics and its bubble will be punctured sooner rather than later.

Turkey has run into serious problems domestically as well as regionally with its Syria policy and in recent weeks, it has become more circumspect in its pronouncements about Syria. The strident demands from Ankara for Bashar al-Asad to resign have been toned down. In fact, the ruling party is facing stiff resistance not only from other opposition parties in Turkey but also from the Turkish people that see the government’s Syria policy as a failure bordering on the disastrous. Zionist Israel’s animosity toward the Islamic Republic is well known. It has made no secret of its evil intentions toward Tehran and to strike it if it could. The Zionists, however, know that any such misadventure would result in serious blowback for which even these arrogant aliens in the Holy Land are not prepared. Thus, they joined the conspiracy to undermine and overthrow the Asad regime so that Iran would lose an important regional ally. The Zionists tried their hand first against Hizbullah in Lebanon in 2006 and were soundly defeated. Then they went after the softer target of Hamas in Gaza in December 2008–January 2009, and again they were unsuccessful. Their latest foray into Gaza last November also ended in failure. In fact, it exposed them to Hamas and Islamic Jihad rocket attacks that for the first time reached Tel Aviv. Should the Zionists make another mistake, more sophisticated rockets will be used in the next go around. If the Zionists are unable to defeat Hamas in a vulnerable enclave like Gaza, what chance do they have against Iran’s dedicated Revolutionary Guards that will make minced meat of the pleasure-loving Zionists. That brings us to the tribal-ruled Saudi Arabia, the perennial troublemakers of the Muslim world. Prior to the Islamic Revolution in Iran, the Saudis had donned the mantle of leaders of the Muslim Ummah, at least in matters religious. The fact that the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah were in Saudi Arabia added to their aura although they had nothing to do with it. The Islamic Revolution in Iran exposed their fraudulent Islamic credentials. Initially, the Saudis went along with the rest of the Ummah in “welcoming” the Islamic Revolution but their true intentions were soon exposed in two developments: support for Iraq’s attack on Iran in September 1980 and soon thereafter the creation of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), bringing together the tribal sheikhdoms on the western shores of the Persian Gulf. Some dubbed the GCC as the Gulf Conspiracy Council. The Saudis have also chafed at the fact that Iraq, far from falling under the US umbrella despite being liberated from the clutches of Saddam Husain has become an ally of Iran. This has undermined Saudi influence even further hence their full throttled spouting of anti-Shi‘i venom and the murderous campaign of suicide and car bombings in places like Syria, Iraq and Pakistan. Saudi financing of terrorist operations in Syria is part of their effort to undermine al-Asad and by extension Iran. They have also dropped their mask and become open allies of Zionist Israel. They were always subservient to the US but their open alliance with the Zionists to oppose Islamic Iran has exposed them even more.

Let us finally consider the US-Iran struggle for ideological influence in the region. Behind all these moves in the region — whether in Syria, the Zionist regime’s wars against Hizbullah and Hamas or US attacks on Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003) — was the intended Western-Israeli attack on Islamic Iran. We must consider why the US is so obsessed with Islamic Iran. There are two reasons behind this. First, Islamic Iran is the only legitimate government in the region and is implacably opposed to the Zionist regime in occupied Palestine. Both the US and Israel know that the Arabian regimes were never serious in their opposition to Zionism. Their rhetoric was meant to camouflage their impotence and to hoodwink their own populations into believing that they were serious about liberating Palestine. Only Islamic Iran is serious and since the Zionists control the US, Washington’s rulers have been led by the nose to undermine Islamic Iran for the sake of Zionist Israel.

Iran’s real “sin” is that it has challenged the global order that was crafted by the victors of the Second World War. Iran has broken out of that stranglehold and refuses to abide by US or Israeli demands. Both Washington and Tel Aviv know that this poses a serious challenge to their exploitative policies because if allowed to succeed, it would influence the thinking of other people as well — both Muslim and non-Muslim — and help them launch campaigns to free themselves from the yoke of US imperialism. For more than 30 years, the US has been involved in a relentless campaign to undermine Islamic Iran through sabotage, assassinations, sanctions, wars and every kind of other illegal means. Despite all these pressures, Islamic Iran has stood its ground and not compromised on its principles. Instead, all these challenges have strengthened its resolve and given it more self-confidence. The US can clearly see that as a consequence of Iran’s successful experiment, increasing numbers of Muslims have turned to Islam to find solutions to their problems. The US attempt to destabilize the Asad regime — admittedly not democratically elected but one that is not without some degree of internal support either — is part of the ongoing campaign to destroy the Islamic Republic. Washington’s warlords have repeatedly suffered defeats in their nefarious plans and their conspiracy in Syria is also coming to naught. Unlike previous wars, the Afghan and Iraq wars have bankrupted America. Both US President Barack Obama and his former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have admitted that war is not an option for the US in Syria. This is quite an admission from an arrogant self-proclaimed superpower that was used to getting its away in the world. In the ideological struggle for the hearts and minds of people, the US and its allies have lost. There is a new world order in the making that is centered around Tehran. Muslims everywhere would do well to understand this reality and adjust their thinking accordingly. As Allah says in His noble Book, “O you who are securely committed to Allah, if you help the cause of Allah, He will give you victory and fortify your [advancing] resolve.” (47:07). What better deal do Muslims want from the Creator and Sustainer of all the worlds? March, 2013

The Ummah’s tragedy: court ulama

by Zafar Bangash July, 2013 The ulama are supposed to be inheritors of the Prophets but only if they adhere to the divine commands. When they fall for worldly temptations, they become a curse. This is what appears to have happened to Shaykh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a well-known alim, who has now joined the hate-spewing Saudis in spreading sectarianism. ‘Ulama are supposed to be successors to the Prophets (Å). Since no more prophets will come to guide humanity, the role of the ‘ulama has assumed great importance. If they adhere to the Qur’an and the Sunnah, they are a blessing for the Ummah; should they fall for temptations of the dunya, they become a curse. Who is unaware of the Pakistani politician Fazlur Rahman, a Deobandi maulana, whose antics and corruption are legendry? They have caused havoc in Pakistan. But in the hierarchy of ‘ulama, Fazlur Rahman is a minor figure. Much more serious is the role of figures like Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the Egyptian ‘alim who has a television program on the Qatari-owned al-Jazeera with a following of some 60 million people worldwide. At a rally in Doha, Qatar on June 1, Shaykh al-Qaradawi called upon “Sunni” Muslims from around the Muslim East to go to Syria and fight against Hizbullah, which had joined the battle for Qusayr in support of Syrian government forces. Al-Qaradawi alleged that “the Shi‘is [meaning Iran and Hizbullah] wanted to exterminate the Sunnis.” He went on to denounce Hizbullah as the “Party of Shaytan [Satan].” Not surprisingly, the Saudi Grand Mufti, Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz Aal al-Shaykh welcomed al-Qaradawi’s call since Saudi Arabia is in the forefront of fomenting sectarianism in the Ummah. This is the only game they know and since the Saudi rulers and court ‘ulama cannot justify on the basis of Islamic principles their illegitimate rule over the Arabian Peninsula, they want to entangle Muslims in disputes that dissipate their mental and physical energies. One is constrained to ask, when did the Saudis or Shaykh al-Qaradawi ever call upon Muslims in the Muslim East or anywhere else to go to Occupied Palestine to help liberate their Palestinian brothers and sisters from decades of Zionist oppression and occupation? Iran, Hizbullah and Bashar al-Asad’s government are the only players that have confronted US-Zionist hegemony in the region. While every Muslim, indeed every human being that cares for human rights and dignity must support the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, the issue is no longer about the rights of the Syrian people. Thousands of mercenaries from neighbouring countries backed and armed by the Saudi, Qatari, Jordanian, Turkish, American and Zionist regimes have flooded into Syria to advance the imperialist-Zionist Anglo-Wahhabi agenda. Their aim is to undermine the resistance front against imperialist-Zionist hegemony. When their direct military assault failed, they unleashed sectarianism to divide Muslims in a conflict that has already claimed thousands of lives in Syria. Shaykh al-Qaradawi has lent his considerable weight to this perfidious campaign. As Dr. Chandra Muzaffar, President of the International Movement for a Just World, Malaysia, wrote, “He was among the earliest public figures to endorse NATO’s airstrikes over Libya. In the middle of last year he even opined that if the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came back today, he would support NATO. This earned him the derisive moniker ‘NATO Mufti’ among some Arab commentators.” Imagine a noted Muslim scholar maligning the noble Messenger (pbuh) in this manner! Contrast this with the joint appeal by former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamed and former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami in May calling for an end to sectarian fighting and killings.

Regrettably, Muslim history is replete with examples of some scholars standing against injustice while others endorse it. Soon after the Khilafah was subverted into monarchy, the Umayyad and ‘Abbasid rulers punished those scholars — Imams Abu Hanifah, al-Shafi‘i and Ahmad ibn Hanbal — who refused to endorse their illegitimate rule, but those who went along with the corruption were richly rewarded with worldly goods and positions (read that: hush money). Shaykh al-Qaradawi and many in the Arabian Peninsula have also succumbed to the lure of political partronage from those who prefer to make tawaf around the White House instead of the Ka‘bah. Living in palatial homes lined with carpets and plush sofas and a bevy of servants at their call, these scholars have forgotten the Islamic duty of al-amr bi-al-ma‘ruf wa-al-nahy ‘an al-munkar. Instead, they are actively promoting munkar. Neither the Saudi nor Qatari rulers are legitimate; they have usurped power and authority in rebellion against Allah’s (swt) commands and are subservient to the power of global kufr. It is their shameless and treacherous behavior, and not the level of Islamic scholarship, that ought to determine how obedient ordinary Muslims should be to the errant recommendations of scholars who have never acquired a level of comfort with cogently analyzing things that matter. Muslims have paid a terrible price for such faulty thinking in the past and cannot afford any more disasters. Instigating hatred among Muslims to advance the illegitimate rulers’ agenda is not only shortsighted, it is also mean spirited and ultimately disastrous for the Ummah. The blood of innocent Muslims will be as much on the hands of these scholars as it is on those who pull the trigger. Zafar Bangash is Director of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought

Intensifying the proxy war in Syria

by Zafar Bangash July, 2013 With the takfiri mercenaries suffering repeated military defeats in recent weeks (they never had any mass support), they and their foreign sponsors have resorted to the most vicious form of sectarian hatred in Syria. With rebel forces on the run in the 27-month long proxy war in Syria, their foreign sponsors have panicked. Led by the US and aided and abetted by Britain, France, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan and Turkey, the so-called Friends of Syria met in Doha, Qatar on June 22 and pledged more weapons to the rebels. While US Secretary of State John Kerry said they still preferred a political solution to the conflict, their decision to supply more lethal weapons would hardly advance the cause of peace. American officials, however, have always spoken from both sides of their mouth and it is no different in the case of Syria. Only a few weeks earlier, Kerry had urged Russia to convene another conference in Geneva to work out a negotiated settlement to the Syrian conflict. What happens to Geneva-II after Doha? American and British commandos have been training Syrian rebels in Jordan where large stockpiles of weapons are stored for possible use against the Syrian army. Under the guise of conducting military exercises, the real purpose was, and has been for quite some time to train the mercenaries so that they are better able to fight. In recent weeks, the Syrian army has made major gains especially in the strategic town of al-Qusayr with the help of Hizbullah fighters. Located near the Lebanese border, the town has great strategic importance since most of the weapons and mercenaries from Lebanon transited through al-Qusayr. After two weeks of intense fighting, the rebels fled. They had occupied the town for nearly two years destroying it completely. The Syrian army is now closing in on Aleppo to flush the mercenaries from there. The foreign sponsors of the mercenaries see their plans for turning Syria into an imperialist-Zionist outpost unraveling, hence the hurried meeting in Doha.

Nothing demoralizes fighters more than successive defeats. Since they do not enjoy the support of the overwhelming majority of the Syrian people — this was evident from the first day the mayhem was unleashed in March 2011 in a non-descript town like Dar‘a rather than any major city — they are now resorting to more brutal tactics. These are signs of desperation. If people do not join them, their policy is to torture and kill them. Car-bombings, killing leading religious figures like the 84-year-old Shaykh Sa‘id al-Buti in the masjid together with scores of worshippers as well as publicly beheading supporters of President Bashar al-Asad, are standard rebel tactics. They have now turned to cannibalism. By ripping open the body of a dead Syrian soldier and chewing his organs, Abu Sakkar, a well-known rebel commander has shown the rebels’ true face. The video was aired on a rebel website with vows to continue. Such barbarism was witnessed in the Battle of Uhud when Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan ripped open the body of Hamzah (ra) and chewed his liver in a fit of rage. Muslims then and Muslims now condemn such acts of barbarism and the desecration of dead bodies. Such acts have nothing to do with Islam or its values; this is a return to the days of jahiliyah. This is not the only act of sacrilege perpetrated by the rebels. They slit the throats of children of their opponents and even descecrated the grave of Hujr ibn ‘Adi (ra), a well-known companion of the Prophet (pbuh) who was killed by the Umayyad king, Mu‘awiyah. According to reports, Hujr’s (ra) body was still intact after nearly 1,400 years. He was executed on the orders of Mu‘awiyah because he (Hujr) had objected to the vilification of Imam Ali (a) and Ahl al-Bayt from the minbar. This was a policy instituted by Mu‘awiyah because of his hatred of the family of the noble Messenger (pbuh). Muslims that go berserk and believe it is justifiable to kill fellow Muslims because they criticize some of the Sahabah, have been silent about this sacrilege against the grave and body of a well-known Sahabi. Is it alright to indulge in such behavior if it is perpetrated by people they support? The ongoing mayhem in Syria has exposed a number of players and their true character. First, those leading the so-called Syrian National Council (SNC) have little or no support inside Syria. Most of them reside abroad in five-star hotels or palaces provided by the corrupt Arabian rulers. The regimes supporting rebel fighters who have flooded in from neighboring as well as distant countries, are unrepresentative and tribal dictatorships: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan. Those calling themselves republican — Turkey, Egypt, etc. — are subservient to the US. The latest addition is President Mohamed Mursi of Egypt. He has disappointed many people both inside Egypt as well as outside by the manner in which he has surrendered to the most oppressive monarchies and to imperialist-Zionist interests. The same goes for Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan. He is already facing a blowback; Mursi will not escape that fate either. While we do not hold any brief for Bashar al-Asad and fully support the right of the Syrian people to have their own representative government, the issue in Syria has gone beyond that. It is an imperialist-Zionist project whose principal aim is to undermine the resistance front against Zionist aggression and occupation, and ultimately push for regime change in Iran. From their affiliations and statements, members of the SNC have exposed themselves as US-Zionist puppets. Those calling for US/NATO intervention should ponder over the plight of Afghanistan, Iraq and especially Libya. Since when has the US or Zionist Israel been friends of the Muslims? What is underway is no longer about the rights of the Syrian people. If the SNC thinks it has mass support in the country, it should participate in next year’s presidential elections and prove it. Destroying Syria to turn it into an imperialist-Zionist outpost will serve the interests of neither the Syrian people, nor of the SNC. Syria is being turned into a hellhole from which only the Israelis will benefit.

Respecting differences

by Zafar Bangash June, 2013

The tendency among some Muslims to insist that their particular understanding of Islam is the only correct way has caused numerous problems. These are compounded by rigidity leading to unnecessary conflict when Muslims should be tolerant of different approaches. Every Muslim sincerely and consciously commits to the One God — Allah (swt) — the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the last and final messenger for all humanity, and the Qur’an as the revealed word of Allah (swt) to guide humanity till eternity. Problems arise in the Muslims’ selective understanding and application of Qur’anic teachings and the role of the noble Messenger (pbuh) in their lives. This is further complicated by some Muslims’ insistence that their particular understanding is the only legitimate way to interpret and implement Islam in real life. When such attitudes harden into fanaticism, it leads to disunity among Muslims and divisions in the Ummah. Many different approaches can be identified but the most serious differences exist among those Muslims that are striving to establish Islamic states in their societies. Is there only one way to achieve this? Often adherents of different approaches seem to think theirs is the only correct way and all others are wrong. Our readers know where we stand. Our position is clear from our writings in this magazine as well as from our other works such as the tafsir of the noble Qur’an by Imam Muhammad al-Asi or the books we have produced on the Sirah of the noble Messenger (pbuh). But we also take the position that no matter how strongly we may disagree with other Muslims’ point of view we do not exclude them from the fold of Islam or from adding their views to the larger ferment of Islamic ideas. Denouncing other Muslims as kafirs has regrettably become fashionable among some groups (the takfiris). They go further: based on such denunciation, they think it is permissible to kill the Muslims so identified. Such behavior has no sanction in the Qur’an or the Sunnah and the Sirah of the noble Messenger (pbuh). There are a few conditions in which killing others (anyone) is permitted: three of these include engagement on the battlefield, treason, and the murder of an innocent person. In the latter case, the Qur’an stresses forgiveness over revenge. So how did Muslims end up with this strange takfiri ideology that is spreading like a virus in the Ummah? A closely related phenomenon is that of sectarianism. It is used to create hatred against a targeted group of Muslims to justify acts of violence against them — including killing them. Muslims would do well to identify the forces that are pushing them toward sectarian warfare: imperialism and Zionism. True, different sects have always existed among Muslims but their differences never took on the virulent form it has taken on today. Whose interest does it serve for Muslims to fight each other? Let us be blunt: some Muslims that call themselves Sunnis are busy instigating hatred against other Muslims that carry the Shi‘i label. This is most clearly visible in places like Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Bahrain. The launch of this campaign can be traced to the success of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, a Shi‘i majority country, in 1979. Iran’s success exposed the fraudulent claims of the puppet Arabian regimes to being Islamic. The only way they could undermine Islamic Iran was by playing up the sectarian card. Regrettably, some Sunni ‘ulama including those that have built a reputation for learning have also joined this campaign. Changes in Iran, Iraq and Lebanon have led them to describe these as the “Shi‘i project.” When a tyrant like Saddam Husain was in power in Iraq, many of these ‘ulama remained silent. Today, they seem to have fallen for the lure of comfortable living under the patronage of petro-rulers and joined their vicious sectarian game. Instead of urging Muslims to confront imperialism and Zionism and their local agents in the Muslim world, they are busy pushing Muslims into the flames of sectarianism. We have no doubt that committed Muslims will ultimately triumph over the imperialists, Zionists and their munafiq agents in the Muslim world, as promised by Allah (swt) in the noble Qur’an (47:07, 61:13), but before that victory is achieved, Muslims would have paid a terrible price in life and blood. Committed Muslims have an obligation to properly understand the global reality and take the necessary steps to guard against all such schemes aimed at dividing them. Such divisions only serve the agenda of a more and more desperate West, whose policies have failed. Leading Muslim institutions, such as al-Azhar in Egypt, have a responsibility to come out clearly against such attempts at creating divisions and work for social and religious harmony among Muslims. Al-Azhar has a rich history of working to bring Muslims together. The legacy of Shaykh Mahmoud Shaltut needs to be revived and built on. Now is the time to do it. Zafar Bangash is Director of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought

The Syrian Conflict: Qaradawi's Incitement To Violence

By Chandra Muzaffar 03 June, 2013

Countercurrents.org Any human being who abhors violence and bloodshed would be shocked by remarks made by a leading religious personality, Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawi, on the 1st of June 2013. At a rally in Doha, he urged Sunni Muslims in the region to go to Syria and fight the Bashar al-Assad government and its supporters, the Hezbollah and Iran. He regarded it as a “jihad.” He claimed that Iran and the Hezbollah want to exterminate, to “devour” the Sunnis. Between Sunnis and Shias, he insisted, there was no common ground. Qaradawi’s remarks came in the midst of the ongoing critical battle between Syrian government forces and rebels for control of the key border town of Qasair. The Lebanese based Hezbollah is helping government forces. A large number of foreign militants are fighting on the side of the rebels. Inciting Sunnis to fight Shias will only escalate a bloody conflict that has already claimed tens of thousands of lives. Religious leaders in particular should lend their moral weight to efforts to achieve a political solution. They should be imploring all sides to cease fighting immediately. Besides, Qaradawi should know that the conflict in Syria is not a simple Sunni-Shia clash. It is rooted in the larger politics of hegemony, Israel and the tussle for power among regional actors. It began as a peaceful protest against Assad’s authoritarian rule in March 2011. Assad reacted with harsh reprisals. Within a couple of weeks, groups and individuals from some neighbouring countries started to supply arms to a segment of the protesters perhaps at the behest of the centres of power in the West and Israel who have always sought to eliminate the Assad government which in the context of its close ties with both Hezbollah and Iran is seen as a challenge to their control and dominance of the region. Indeed, Iran, Hezbollah and the Assad government constitute the only organised, sustained resistance to the US-British-French and Israeli attempt to perpetuate their hegemonic hold over West Asia and North Africa (WANA). It was Hezbollah, it will be recalled, that drove Israel out of Lebanon from 2000 onwards, and in 2006, thwarted its diabolical design to gain control over Lebanon. It is this party, Hezbollah( the party of God) that Qaradawi in his Doha speech described as “the party of shaitan ( satan).” Because these forces of resistance happen to be Shia, close allies of the Western powers in WANA who happen to be Sunni, such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, are trying very hard to project the resistance as a Shia attempt to dominate the region. As a result, the more significant issues of Western hegemony, resistance within WANA and the role of Israel which continues to occupy the Golan Heights in Syria, are all submerged in a cleverly contrived Sunni-Shia narrative. Of course, Sunni-Shia differences have existed for a long while and have on occasions coloured politics in the region in the past. But it was only after the Iranian Revolution of 1979 which represented a major challenge to Western hegemony and Israeli interests that these differences have been accentuated and manipulated mainly by US ally, Saudi Arabia, to divide Sunnis from Shias. It is against this backdrop that we should view Qaradawi’s remarks. There was a time when he had a positive attitude towards Sunni-Shia rapprochement. But when some Western states began to re-assert their power in WANA in the midst of the Arab uprisings, Qaradawi appeared to legitimise their role. He was among the earliest public figures to endorse NATO’s air strikes over Libya. In the middle of last year he even opined that if the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came back today, he would support NATO. This earned him the derisive moniker ‘NATO Mufti’ among some Arab commentators. It is Qaradawi’s legitimisation of Western hegemony by invoking religious authority that makes his role so perfidious. What is worse, he has been appealing to sectarian religious sentiments which pit Muslim against Muslim, which have led to murders and massacres on a massive scale, in order to perpetuate the interests of both regional actors and global powers. It is a glaring example of the crude abuse of religion by someone who dons the garb of religion. Dr. Chandra Muzaffar is the President of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST). Malaysia.