Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JEDDAH304
2006-04-18 08:28:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:  

MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA - APRIL 14:

Tags:  KISL PREL SA SCUL 
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PP RUEHDE
DE RUEHJI #0304/01 1080828
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 180828Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9073
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1353
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1431
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6423
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000304 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016
TAGS: KISL PREL SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA - APRIL 14:
ATTACK ON MUSLIMS WORKING AGAINST THEIR FAITH, THE
PROPHET'S GOOD ATTRIBUTES, "KILL" THOSE WHO INSULT THE
PROPHET

Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).

FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE: MUSLIMS WORKING AGAINST THEIR OWN
FAITH - AN ATTACK ON AL-QADHAFI AND DR. HASAN AL-TURABI

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000304

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016
TAGS: KISL PREL SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA - APRIL 14:
ATTACK ON MUSLIMS WORKING AGAINST THEIR FAITH, THE
PROPHET'S GOOD ATTRIBUTES, "KILL" THOSE WHO INSULT THE
PROPHET

Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for reasons 1.4 (b) and
(d).

FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE: MUSLIMS WORKING AGAINST THEIR OWN
FAITH - AN ATTACK ON AL-QADHAFI AND DR. HASAN AL-TURABI


1. (C) On April 14, Imam Shaykh al-Qahtani devoted most of
his sermon at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in Khobar to
addressing the problem of Muslims working against their own
faith. He began the sermon with a condemnation of some of
the comments made by the Libyan leader, Muammar al-Qadhafi,
and the Sudanese opposition leader, Dr. Hasan al-Turabi.
(Last week press reports quoted Qadhafi questioning the
policy of barring non-Muslims from accessing the holy cities
of Mecca and Medina, while Turabi was quoted as having said
that Muslim women do not have to wear the hijab and that they
should be permitted to marry men of other faiths.) As
background for the points he wanted to make, the imam spoke
of some of the hardships the Prophet Muhammad and his
companions experienced in the early days of Islam, adding
that present-day Muslims, lacking conviction and the will to
resist and persevere, could learn a lesson from the Prophet's
life. He concluded that the comments made by the Libyan
leader and Turabi reflect the weakness inherent in Muslim
societies in the face of relentless pressure from the West.
He called on Muslims to look inward and know their own faith
in order to realize their dream of a strong and united Muslim
world.

FROM MECCA: THE PROPHET'S GOOD ATTRIBUTES AND THE DUTIES GOD
ESTABLISHED FOR MUSLIMS, INCLUDING KILLING THOSE WHO
DENIGRATE THE PROPHET


2. (U) Speaking at the Holy Mosque in Mecca on April 14, Imam
Shaykh Salih al Talib said that Allah accorded the Prophet
Muhammad the best human attributes. He said that the Prophet
was topmost for his perfect build, handsome looks, strong
reasoning, command of the senses, modesty of nature, nobility
of origin, and his perfect morals and manners. Thus,
concluded the imam, God established certain duties to the
Prophet for the nation of Islam. Among these duties is
belief in the Prophet and obeying him. Another duty, the
imam said, is showing love for the Prophet. He related
stories from Islamic history on how the Prophet's companions
loved him, glorified him, and protected him with their lives.



3. (U) In his second sermon, Imam Shaykh al Talib discussed
the same theme, adding that one of the duties to the Prophet
is supporting and defending his religion and Sunnah. He
added, "The nation is unanimous that whoever insults the
Prophet, may the peace and blessings of God be upon him,
shames him, denigrates him, or ridicules him in any way shall
be killed." Honoring the Prophet's family members and
companions, and praying for the Prophet whenever his name is
mentioned are also duties that Muslims have to the Prophet.
The imam concluded with a prayer to make Saudi Arabia and
other Muslim countries safe and secure: "O God, whoever
wishes us and Muslims and their lands evil, busy him with
himself, turn his plot against him, and spare us and Muslims
his evil."

FROM MEDINA: PRAISE FOR THE PROPHET'S LIFE


5. (U) Shaykh Abd al-Muhsin Bin-Muhammad al-Qadim offered a
traditional sermon devoted to the Prophet Muhammed at the
Holy Mosque in Medina on April 14. He said that the
Prophet's life was full of wisdoms, as well as tribulations
and hardships, which he faced as he charted the course of the
nation of Islam towards its glory. He recalled the battle of
Tabuk against the Romans and referred to those who failed the
Prophet citing the relevant Koranic Surahs about these
"hypocrites." "O Muslims, religion has only come to us after
a bitter struggle and continuous hardship," declared the
imam, pointing out that the Prophet led that conquest
personally while he was more than 60 years old. He then
referred to the hardships faced by the Prophet's companions,
who should be loved and glorified by Muslims. Moreover, he
referred again to the "hypocrites" who tried to affect Muslim
morale and says that Muslims should be careful of them. In

JEDDAH 00000304 002 OF 002


his second sermon, Shaykh Al-Qadim added that work based on
sincerity leads to paradise, while work based on mockery
leads to hell.
Gfoeller