Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06JEDDAH455
2006-07-08 11:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:  

MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 30: EASTERN

Tags:  KISL PREL PTER SA SCUL 
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FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
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INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1444
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1522
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6625
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 000455 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2016
TAGS: KISL PREL PTER SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 30: EASTERN
PROVINCE IMAM LAUDS STABILITY, CALLS TERRORISTS MURDERERS;
MECCA SERMON ASSERTS RELIGION CAN NOT BE CRITICIZED; IN
MEDINA, IMAM SAYS MILITANTS HAVE BETRAYED THEIR ALLEGIANCE
TO THEIR RULER

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

FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE: SAUDI GOVERNMENT PRAISED FOR
PROVIDING SECURITY AND STABILITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000455

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2016
TAGS: KISL PREL PTER SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 30: EASTERN
PROVINCE IMAM LAUDS STABILITY, CALLS TERRORISTS MURDERERS;
MECCA SERMON ASSERTS RELIGION CAN NOT BE CRITICIZED; IN
MEDINA, IMAM SAYS MILITANTS HAVE BETRAYED THEIR ALLEGIANCE
TO THEIR RULER

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

FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE: SAUDI GOVERNMENT PRAISED FOR
PROVIDING SECURITY AND STABILITY


1. (C) In a remarkable change from his critical sermons of
preceding weeks, Imam Mohammad al-Qahtani used his sermon t
the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque at al-Khobar o praise the
Saudi government for providing securty, political stbility
and promoting the welfar of the people. The lesson began
with a descripion of God's blessings for which Saudis should
b grateful. Then he said that the Saudi government has
always striven to make the security of its citizens and
foreign residents its preeminent priority. "People," he told
the worshippers, "should realize the hard work and dedication
that has been expended on the government's part to realize
this priority."

SAUDI ARABIA OFFERS FREEDOM TO WORSHIP!


2. (C) Al-Qahtani praised the government for giving its
people and Muslim visitors the opportunity and freedom (sic)
to worship their faith in peace and security, a privilege
that he said "should be revered and protected." COMMENT:
This freedom is not extended to the non-Muslim or even
non-Sunni residents of Saudi Arabia. END COMMENT. The imam
related the story of a British Jewish woman who had come to
the Kingdom to visit her daughter and Muslim son-in-law. She
was so inspired by the peace and security she experienced,
observing: "people in Saudi Arabia can venture outdoors for a
walk on the corniche in the middle of the night or go to a
mosque for the early morning dawn prayers without fear of
being raped, assaulted, robbed, mugged or murdered," that she
converted to Islam. The imam asked the congregation to
compare that condition with the situation in Iraq. "There,
worshippers, shoppers, students, employers, ordinary folks

all get attacked with missiles and get blown to pieces for
just stepping outside their homes."

TERRORISTS: THE MURDERERS WITHIN


3. (C) Al-Qahtani then asked the audience, "Was it Bush,
Putin, Olmert, or Sharon who caused the death of countless
innocent people on our streets and highways? Were the
culprits our own flesh and blood? Who murdered the hundreds
of men, women and children? Who killed the scores of
security personnel who lost their lives defending you and me
and defending our honor and country? Yes, they all died as a
result of unprovoked and premeditated attacks on civilian
residential compounds and on security units? These were
cold-blooded murderers who came from within our very own
ranks. ... Brothers, it's time we gave our government a
helping hand. It is our duty to help our government to face
and kill off this cancer before it spreads further.
Otherwise we risk turning our country into another Somalia."
He concluded with a call "Let's all work together to protect
the Land of the Two Holy Mosques, to protect it from those
who wish it ill. Let's drive its enemies out."


FROM MECCA: RELIGIOUS BELIEFS NOT SUBJECT TO CRITICISM


4. (U) Lecturing from the pulpit at the Grand Mosque in
Mecca, Imam Shaykh Dr. Salih Bin Abdallah Bin-Humayd
delivered a sermon that superficially appeared to address an
esoteric aspect of theological doctrine, but, given the
sensitive debate over reform within the Kingdom and Islam,
could also be seen as a not-too-subtle call for inflexible
conservatism. He spoke about the names and classifications
used and different opinions expressed on religious matters
noting "Men of knowledge and opinion could differ and argue
and each might stick to his opinion and insist on his
convictions. This is his reserved right. However," the imam
declared, "the right to differ must not prejudice religious
constants, the preservation of the nation's unity, and the
achievement of the higher interests of religion and the
country."


JEDDAH 00000455 002 OF 002

SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA JUNE 30: EASTERN
PROVINCE IMAM LAUDS STABILITY, CALLS TERRORISTS MURDERERS;
MECCA SERMON ASSERTS RELIGION CAN NOT BE CRITICIZED; IN
MEDINA, IMAM SAYS MILITANTS HAVE BETRAYED THEIR ALLEGIANCE
TO THEIR RULER

RELIGION IS ETERNAL AND CONSTANT


5. (U) He enlarged on this contention thus: "Criticism of
religious provisions, constants, and roots is rejected. The
provisions of the Book and the Sunnah, the constants of
faith, the roots of religion, the greater issues of faith,
the unanimous decisions made by the nation, and religious
rules are not subject to criticism. On the contrary, the
requirement is to hold to them tenaciously and to defend them
and not accept their prejudice."

FOREIGN INFLUENCES CAUSE DISUNITY


6. (U) In his second sermon, the imam pursued the same idea.
He told the worshipers: "the crown prince of this
country,... made a speech to this nation in general, and the
men of religion, opinion, and thought, in particular,.. the
men of knowledge and opinion, who assume the greater
responsibility in refuting these terms and expressions and
the need to give them up in speech and writing." The imam
continued: "It is a mistake to use any term or expression
without understanding it or the circumstances of its
emergence and awareness of its dimensions and meanings on the
social, intellectual, political, and historical levels. It
is a mistake also not to revise these terms and expressions,
explain what is intended by them and define their meanings.
The definition of terms helps with the definition of stands
in any issue or subject. It is clear, O Muslims, these names
and classifications or many of them, are of foreign origin.
They divide the region ... by terms like progressive,
reactionary, rights, leftist." The imam cautioned the
congregation to employ terms from the Islamic tradition.

FROM MEDINA: REJECT INNOVATIONS


7. (U) Speaking at the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, Imam
Shaykh Ali Bin-Abd-al-Rahman al-Hudhayfi counseled his
audience to recognize that "religion is advice," and against
accepting "misleading innovations" that plotted against
Islam, divided Muslims and weakened them since the time of
the orthodox caliphs."

TERRORISTS ARE THE MODERN AL-KHAWARIJ


8. (U) He reminded the congregation that "the first evil
that penetrated Muslims after their agreement and the first
ideology that unsheathed the sword of fighting between
Muslims was that of al-Khawarij, who rebelled against Caliph
Uthman and then killed him, thereby sparking a great
sedition." The imam then condemned terrorists as the new
al-Khawarij, sundering the umma (Islamic Community) such as
was occurring in Iraq. He then called out to militants: "As
to the militants of our time, they have killed innocent
people and spread fear in this country. They have rebelled
against their rulers." He then cited the recently publicized
offer of the Crown Prince to grant amnesty to insurgents who
turn themselves in to authorities, saying "surrendering
themselves is better than surrendering to the devil."


Gfoeller