MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA, MAY 26: EASTERN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000399

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2016
TAGS: KISL KPAL PREL SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA, MAY 26: EASTERN
IMAM REPROACHES SHI'A FOR BETRAYING ISLAM; MECCAN SAYS ONLY
GOD, NOT SONS, BRING CONTENTMENT; AND FROM MEDINA
REPENTANCE AND PLEA FOR PALESTINIANS AND IRAQIS

REF: JEDDAH 389

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Classified By: Acting Consul General Hector Morales, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE: IMAM "RELUCTANTLY" DENOUNCES SHI'A


1. (C) Speaking at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in
Al-Khobar on May 26, Shaikh Mohammad al-Qahtani devoted both
his sermons solely to an indictment of Shi'a for what he
perceives is their unmitigated hostility toward all things
Sunni and making common cause with the West in its war
against Sunni Muslims. The source expressed some surprise
that the imam was still free after his pointed attack on the
Saudi government last week (reftel). This week, the imam
began by apologizing to his listeners for bringing up "with
extreme reluctance," the matter of Shi'ite animosity toward
Sunnis. He claimed that he had striven to avoid the subject
for a long time, but announced "enough is enough." He
described to the congregation the ill-will Shi'ites harbor
toward Sunnis. Shi'ites, in his opinion, view Sunnis as evil
and unworthy of respect. "Shi'ites," he insisted, "use the
airwaves, the print media and the internet to portray Sunnis
as extremists, fundamentalists and terrorists." He accused
them of joining the West in labeling Sunnis as Wahabists,
although he declared that "I am proud to be one... as we all
should be!" The imam exonerated the "ordinary Shi'ites on
the street," but condemned the "evil poison that the sect's
political leadership and religious scholars (disseminate,)
polluting the air and sullying the Sunni Muslim's image."

SHI'A BETRAY MUSLIM COUNTRIES TO THE WEST


2. (C) The imam continued on the theme in his second sermon,
adding the charge that the Shi'a have "sold out Iraq and
Afghanistan to America and the West, with other Muslim
countries soon to be delivered on silver platters." He
testified that "Shi'ites are working very hard, hand-in-hand
with the West to destroy or at least weaken and undermine the
Sunnis." He then denounced Shi'as for treachery and
betraying the Muslim faith. He denied that Shi'as have the
right to question the legitimacy of Sunni Islam and by so
doing, mocking the prophet's companions, insisting "a faith
that attaches more importance to individuals than the Creator
cannot be monotheistic and, thus, represent true Islam."

SHI'A IN IRAQ WAR AGAINST SUNNI


3. (C) Al-Qahtani then enumerated the crimes of the Shi'a in
Iraq. He claimed the Shi'a are murdering and maiming
innocent Sunnis, including women and children, asserting that
the bodies of dead Sunnis strewn in the streets and alleyways
of Iraq bore marks of torture. His inflammatory rhetoric
continued with the assertion that the Shi'a view Sunnis as
less than human.

... AND MORE NEXT WEEK


4. (C) The imam concluded his lecture with the promise that
he would return to this subject next week.

FROM MECCA: ONLY GOD, NOT WEALTH OR EVEN SONS CAN GUARANTEE
CONTENTMENT


5. (U) Speaking at the Holy Mosque in Mecca, Shaykh Sa'ud
Ibrahim al-Shuraym delivered a comparatively uncontroversial
sermon addressing the subject of contentment, although his
message reflected the prejudices of Saudi society. The imam
began by praising God and urging Muslims to obey God and
avoid what was forbidden. The homily continued, "all logical
persons seek peace of mind." He noted that some believed
that peace of mind and contentment "can be found in money,
social prestige, or sons." Although these are important, he
conceded, "many rich and high ranking people are unhappy and
suffer from sadness and psychological disorder." In
contrast, "some people with no money, no social prestige, and
no sons are happy and enjoy peace of mind." He ended with
the argument that "faith in God and contentment are the best
way to happiness in life because the faithful focuses his
thought and his eye on noble issues."

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FAITH IN GOD ALLOWS MAN TO ENDURE


6. (U) With faith and contentment, the imam contended, "man
(can) face and overcome the storms of life. In this age,
which is full of sedition, evils, and disasters, people need
to declare their contentment with God as the Creator, with
Islam as a religion and with Muhammad, ... as messenger."
This contentment (and faith) should govern a Muslim's actions
in daily affairs, government, the economy and society.

RELIGION IS THE PATH TO CONTENTMENT


7. (U) The imam then summarized: "The spread of contentment
with God's religion on His land is the best way for Muslim
societies to attain happiness. If the nation glorifies its
religion and accepts it as a fair judge in all affairs, it
will succeed and be guided to the right path. Religion is
necessary, like water and air. Any nation neglecting its
religion will lose its greatest energy and block the factors
of its success in both life and in the hereafter." The
absence of religion "leads to confusion, fragmentation,
humiliation, panic, and chaos. Islam," the imam stressed,
"is fit for all times and places," because it is a religion
of mercy, strength, honesty, and obedience to God. "Islam is
an eternal, perfect religion that cannot be harmed or shaken
in any way."


8. (U) The imam's second sermon was a resume of his first.
It concluded with a prayer asking "God strengthen Islam and
Muslims, humiliate atheism and atheists. O God support your
religion, your book, and your prophet's Sunna." He also
asked God to grant success to Saudi leaders.

FROM MEDINA: GOD FORGIVES THE REPENTANT


9. (U) On that same day in the Prophet's Mosque in Medina,
Shaykh Salah al-Budayr's sermon dealt with the subject of
repentance. He told the congregation that obeying God was
the way to salvation. "The faithful," he admitted, "are not
immune against sin, mistake, or guilt." He comforted his
listeners, saying "God forgives the repentant. (S)inners
return to the rightness of Islam, so that they can get rid of
unhappiness, panic and loss, and the best way to repentance
is to plead guilty, to abandon disobedience to God, and not
to do injustice to other people anymore."

PRAYER TO GOD TO SUPPORT WEAK MUSLIMS IN IRAQ AND AGAINST
USURPER JEWS IN PALESTINE


10. (U) Al-Budayr's second sermon also addressed the theme
of repentance, urging Muslims to repent before it is too
late. His terminal prayer asked "God to forgive Muslims and
to grant success to the Saudi monarch." He also pled "God,
support our weak brothers in Palestine against the usurper
Jews. O God, grant wisdom to our brothers in Iraq."
Morales