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 SIPDIS SIPDIS RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU 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 JEDDAH 00000399 001.7 OF 002 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." JEDDAH 00000399 002 OF 002 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