MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 16:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000432 SIPDIS SIPDIS RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2016 TAGS: KISL KWMN PREL SA SCUL SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 16: GUIDELINES FOR AN ISLAMIC HOLIDAY SEASON REF: JEDDAH 427 Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE: AL-QAHTANI CRITICIZES MUSLIM TRAVELERS FOR RELIGIOUS PRETENSE ¶1. (C) In contrast to the past few sermons in which he has delivered strident lectures tinged with political and sectarian meaning, on June 16, Shaikh Mohammad al-Qahtani delivered a sermon from his pulpit at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in al-Khobar, applauded by our source, censuring Muslims for displaying an excessively pious manner while behaving in an irreligious way. ¶2. (C) Much of his sermon dealt with travelers. His lesson began with praise for those who displayed Islamic stickers on their vehicles. But he then warned his congregation against cultivating the appearance of piety while behaving impiously. He excoriated Muslims traveling to other countries for this form of hypocrisy. He cited an example of a fellow passenger from one of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries on a flight abroad, who ostentatiously joined in reciting the Dou'a al-Safar (the prayer of supplication upon embarking on a journey) and then according to the imam, "was one of the first to order and consume alcoholic beverages." The imam stressed that when a Muslim prays, he asks God's help and mercy, but he is also making a promise to obey the Lord and to do nothing that will displease God. This man, the imam, said, did exactly the opposite. YOUNG ACCUSED OF IMPROPER BEHAVIOR IN OTHER LANDS ¶3. (C) Al-Qahtani then rebuked Saudi youth for their behavior while abroad, saying "I have actually seen with my own eyes how some of our young men and women conduct themselves in neighboring countries" (The source interpreted this reference to mean Beirut, Dubai and Cairo.). "They engage in activities that would shame members of other societies where it's permissible to do anything you want, no matter how far-fetched or radical. These are the same women who dutifully wear their abayas, pray five times a day and act respectful when among us, yet behave like out of control monkeys elsewhere. These are the same young men who dress and behave like intelligent, God-fearing levelheaded members of society, yet display unheard of radicalism in their personal, public conduct in foreign lands." He then directed his wrath against society for allowing the growth of such attitudes, saying "Shame on our young, shame on their parents, shame on society for letting this happen. Freedom is one thing, but anarchy is another. I ask: Where is the role of the parents, the school, the scholars: Is this what Islam is all about--Hypocrisy?" FROM MECCA: HOLIDAYS MUST BE UTILIZED PROPERLY AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH ISLAMIC PRINCIPLES ¶4. (U) In recognition of the season, Shaykh Abd al-Rahman al-Sudays devoted his sermon at the Grand Mosque in Mecca to the summer holidays and proper behavior, as well. "For Muslims," the imam preached, "time is precious and every minute that is not utilized shows failure." Acknowledging that summer is the traditional season for weddings, he spoke against lavish ceremonies, instructing his listeners that: "The Muslim must be economic in his needs, rational in his money and business, and wise in his aims and hopes." ¶5. (U) Echoing other critics (reftel),he also called for "setting up summer clubs or camps under reliable supervisors to protect the young from sin and corruption and to raise and educate them according to Islamic teachings." Before concluding, he recommended "reading useful books instead of wasting time watching indecent satellite television channels or browsing lewd websites." FROM MEDINA: FIVE PRINCIPLES FOR ISLAMIC TRAVEL ¶6. (U) At the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, Imam Shaykh Husayn Ibn Abd-al-Azia Al Shaykh also addressed the subject of the proper way for Muslims to behave on their summer holidays, stating that: "On these days, people travel a lot, which JEDDAH 00000432 002 OF 002 means that they must know the Islamic rules of travel to organize their affairs and life." He distilled these principles into five rules for travel: 1. A traveler must fear God, do what he orders and avoid what he forbids. 2. He must say travel prayers before setting off on a trip. 3. He must bid farewell to his close relatives. 4. He can combine prayers while traveling. His fifth and final guiding principle for proper Islamic travel was: A Muslim woman must not travel without a male escort. COMMENT: The rules appear much less restrictive for a man traveler than for a woman. END COMMENT. PRAYER FOR AFFLICTED MUSLIMS IN PALESTINE AND IRAQ ¶7. (U) The sermon ended with the supplication: "O God improve our conditions and those of all Muslims. O God, support Muslims everywhere. O God, bring them relief. O God, spare them afflictions and disasters. O God, bring relief to our brethren in Iraq and Palestine from all afflictions." Gfoeller