Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JEDDAH436
2006-07-01 07:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 23: EASTERN
how-toVZCZCXRO6840 PP RUEHDE DE RUEHJI #0436/01 1820730 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 010730Z JUL 06 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9262 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1427 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1505 RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6591 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 000436
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2016
TAGS: KISL PREL SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 23: EASTERN
PROVINCE IMAM WARNS OF 5TH COLUMN AND ENDORSES USE OF
"KAFIR;" MECCAN ADVISES MUSLIMS TO BE GOD CONSCIOUS; MEDINA
IMAM COUNSELS PATIENCE
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE: IMAM RAILS AGAINST TRAITORS
WITHIN ISLAM
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000436
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2016
TAGS: KISL PREL SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 23: EASTERN
PROVINCE IMAM WARNS OF 5TH COLUMN AND ENDORSES USE OF
"KAFIR;" MECCAN ADVISES MUSLIMS TO BE GOD CONSCIOUS; MEDINA
IMAM COUNSELS PATIENCE
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE: IMAM RAILS AGAINST TRAITORS
WITHIN ISLAM
1. (C) On June 23, speaking at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal
mosque in al-Khobar, Imam Mohammad al-Qahtani fulminated
against a "Fifth Column within Islam." This is a subject he
has preached on before. In his sermon, al-Qahtani attacked
"secularists and hypocrites" who either wittingly or
unwittingly, work with Islam's enemies to "redesign and
tailor-make the Muslim faith to other people's standards."
He went on to condemn Arab and Muslim states for "giving
sanctuary to 'so-called' Muslims who claim that they have
Islam's best interest at heart but act otherwise." He also
criticized Muslim governments for "giving in to American and
Western political and economic pressure."
2. (C) As an example of this submission, he cited American
pressure in concert with "secularists and hypocrites to
remove the word "kafir" from Islamic books, including the
Holy Quran, and to replace it with the word 'others' simply
to appease America and the Western World." Then the imam
demanded of his audience "What else would 'they' ask for
next?" Al-Qahtani concluded by voicing his displeasure with
the activity of this "'Fifth Column,' (who) call themselves
'reformists' who are determined to reform the Muslim faith to
fit their version of Islam." He also censured members of the
Arab press for describing these people as "reformers," rather
than the traitors they were. He concluded his injunction
with the promise that "eternal hell and suffering would be
the fate of all those who engaged in attempts to tamper with
the faith." COMMENT: Al-Qahtani's assertion that any and
all reform is not only hypocrisy but betrayal of the faith to
the West would seem to preclude any prospect for a reasonable
dialogue on reform. END COMMENT.
FROM MECCA: BY RECITING SURAH, MUSLIMS ACKNOWLEDGE ALLAH
3. (U) In the Friday sermon at the Grand Mosque in Mecca,
Sheikh Saleh al-Talib spoke about the importance of the Surah
al-Fatiha which Muslims incorporate into every obligatory or
optional prayer. The imam stated that by reciting this surah
(chapter of the Quran),the worshipper is telling God "You
(Alone) we worship and You (Alone) we ask for help." By this
avowal, the worshipper declares his submission to God.
JEWS ANGERED GOD; CHRISTIANS WENT ASTRAY
4. (U) An account of this sermon in the English-language
"Saudi Gazette" reports that the imam concluded with the
observation that when the worshipper recites this surah "he
is asking God to guide him in "the Way of those on whom You
have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned
Your anger (such as the Jews),nor those who went astray
(such as the Christians.)" COMMENT: It is not clear if the
parenthetical statements reflect the words of the imam or the
prejudices of the reporter. END COMMENT.
FROM MEDINA: IMAM DESCRIBES THE VIRTUES OF PATIENCE
5. (U) Shaykh Ali Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Hudhaifi preached on
the virtues of patience to a congregation at the Prophet's
Mosque in Medina (Note: The FBIS report names the preacher
as Shaykh Husayn Ibn Abd al-Aziz Al-Shaykh. End note.). The
imam described patience as the discipline that allows a
person to do what "Allah has ordained and keep from doing
what He has forbidden." He then identifies three kinds of
patience.
6. (U) The greatest is the patience "to restrain oneself
from sins, vice and all that Allah has forbidden." The imam
observed that few have the patience to eschew that which
Allah has forbidden. Consequently these people cannot be
considered among the patient people ("Al-Sabireen") or attain
the status of patient Mujahideen ("Al-Mujahideen
al-Sabireen"),because it is great patience, piety, and fear
of the Almighty, that restrains a person from following the
dictates of his desires. Those who lack this form of
JEDDAH 00000436 002 OF 002
patience will "be lured away by many worldly matters. He
will be prone to commit sins as his will and determination
will weaken considerably.... These people will face
humiliation or imprisonment in this world and in the
Hereafter the hellfire will be his abode."
7. (U) The second form of patience, the imam describes is
"to be patient in obeying Allah and doing what he has
ordained." Finally, the third form of patience is
"forbearance in the face of tribulations and catastrophes.
This kind of patience is not commendable unless a person
believes that this tribulation or catastrophe is ordained by
Allah."
Gfoeller
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP;
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/27/2016
TAGS: KISL PREL SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 23: EASTERN
PROVINCE IMAM WARNS OF 5TH COLUMN AND ENDORSES USE OF
"KAFIR;" MECCAN ADVISES MUSLIMS TO BE GOD CONSCIOUS; MEDINA
IMAM COUNSELS PATIENCE
Classified By: Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller, for
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE: IMAM RAILS AGAINST TRAITORS
WITHIN ISLAM
1. (C) On June 23, speaking at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal
mosque in al-Khobar, Imam Mohammad al-Qahtani fulminated
against a "Fifth Column within Islam." This is a subject he
has preached on before. In his sermon, al-Qahtani attacked
"secularists and hypocrites" who either wittingly or
unwittingly, work with Islam's enemies to "redesign and
tailor-make the Muslim faith to other people's standards."
He went on to condemn Arab and Muslim states for "giving
sanctuary to 'so-called' Muslims who claim that they have
Islam's best interest at heart but act otherwise." He also
criticized Muslim governments for "giving in to American and
Western political and economic pressure."
2. (C) As an example of this submission, he cited American
pressure in concert with "secularists and hypocrites to
remove the word "kafir" from Islamic books, including the
Holy Quran, and to replace it with the word 'others' simply
to appease America and the Western World." Then the imam
demanded of his audience "What else would 'they' ask for
next?" Al-Qahtani concluded by voicing his displeasure with
the activity of this "'Fifth Column,' (who) call themselves
'reformists' who are determined to reform the Muslim faith to
fit their version of Islam." He also censured members of the
Arab press for describing these people as "reformers," rather
than the traitors they were. He concluded his injunction
with the promise that "eternal hell and suffering would be
the fate of all those who engaged in attempts to tamper with
the faith." COMMENT: Al-Qahtani's assertion that any and
all reform is not only hypocrisy but betrayal of the faith to
the West would seem to preclude any prospect for a reasonable
dialogue on reform. END COMMENT.
FROM MECCA: BY RECITING SURAH, MUSLIMS ACKNOWLEDGE ALLAH
3. (U) In the Friday sermon at the Grand Mosque in Mecca,
Sheikh Saleh al-Talib spoke about the importance of the Surah
al-Fatiha which Muslims incorporate into every obligatory or
optional prayer. The imam stated that by reciting this surah
(chapter of the Quran),the worshipper is telling God "You
(Alone) we worship and You (Alone) we ask for help." By this
avowal, the worshipper declares his submission to God.
JEWS ANGERED GOD; CHRISTIANS WENT ASTRAY
4. (U) An account of this sermon in the English-language
"Saudi Gazette" reports that the imam concluded with the
observation that when the worshipper recites this surah "he
is asking God to guide him in "the Way of those on whom You
have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned
Your anger (such as the Jews),nor those who went astray
(such as the Christians.)" COMMENT: It is not clear if the
parenthetical statements reflect the words of the imam or the
prejudices of the reporter. END COMMENT.
FROM MEDINA: IMAM DESCRIBES THE VIRTUES OF PATIENCE
5. (U) Shaykh Ali Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Hudhaifi preached on
the virtues of patience to a congregation at the Prophet's
Mosque in Medina (Note: The FBIS report names the preacher
as Shaykh Husayn Ibn Abd al-Aziz Al-Shaykh. End note.). The
imam described patience as the discipline that allows a
person to do what "Allah has ordained and keep from doing
what He has forbidden." He then identifies three kinds of
patience.
6. (U) The greatest is the patience "to restrain oneself
from sins, vice and all that Allah has forbidden." The imam
observed that few have the patience to eschew that which
Allah has forbidden. Consequently these people cannot be
considered among the patient people ("Al-Sabireen") or attain
the status of patient Mujahideen ("Al-Mujahideen
al-Sabireen"),because it is great patience, piety, and fear
of the Almighty, that restrains a person from following the
dictates of his desires. Those who lack this form of
JEDDAH 00000436 002 OF 002
patience will "be lured away by many worldly matters. He
will be prone to commit sins as his will and determination
will weaken considerably.... These people will face
humiliation or imprisonment in this world and in the
Hereafter the hellfire will be his abode."
7. (U) The second form of patience, the imam describes is
"to be patient in obeying Allah and doing what he has
ordained." Finally, the third form of patience is
"forbearance in the face of tribulations and catastrophes.
This kind of patience is not commendable unless a person
believes that this tribulation or catastrophe is ordained by
Allah."
Gfoeller