MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA AUGUST 25: MECCA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000576

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/29/2016
TAGS: KISL PREL SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA AUGUST 25: MECCA
IMAM ADVISES CONGREGATION TO PREPARE FOR DOOMSDAY; IN
MEDINA, MUSLIMS ARE ADVISED TO END THEIR LIVES WITH
RIGHTEOUS DEEDS


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

FROM MECCA: IMAM SAYS THE HEAT OF SUMMER SHOULD REMIND
FAITHFUL OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT


1. (U) At the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Imam Sheikh Salah bin
Mohammed Aal Talib lectured the worshipers on preparations
for Doomsday. Fortunately, in contrast to recent sermons,
today's sermon related to the theological Day of Judgment
rather than to Islam's conflicts with the "other." The imam
told the congregation that the "heat of summer should remind
people of Doomsday." He quoted Islamic tradition that "on
Doomsday, the sun is one mile away from the resurrected
people. On that day, there will be no tree to provide shade,
no water to give some relief and no rock besides which to
take rest. The land will be flat." Then, related Talib,
"amidst this suffering there will be some among the believers
whom Allah will provide with shade on the Day when there will
be no shade except that provided by Him."

THE SEVEN CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE WHOM ALLAH WILL PROVIDE WITH
SHADE


2. (C) The imam provided a list of the several categories of
the faithful who will have obtained God's special favor.
They are: 1. A just leader. 2. A youth who grows up in
the worship of Allah. 3. A person whose heart is attached
to the mosque. 4. Two people who like each other for the
sake of Allah. 5. A man, who, when called by a beautiful
woman of high social standing (for immoral acts),says, "I
fear Allah." COMMENT: One wonders how this act of abnegation
can be reconciled with the Muslim vision of a Heaven
populated by houris who entertain the male faithful. Can it
be an issue of who is the aggressor? END COMMENT. 6. One
who gives alms and does not disclose it to anyone. 7. One
who remembered Allah privately and tears flowed from his eyes.

IMAM ASKS GOD TO HUMBLE NON-BELIEVERS


3. (U) After this lesson in eschatology, the imam concluded
his sermon with the usual prayer for "God to support Islam
and Muslims, humble non-belief and unbelievers.... (A)id
whoever aides religion, humble the tyrants, atheists, and
corrupt...make this and all Muslim countries safe and
secure." And finally, "O God, whoever wishes us and Muslims
and their lands evil, busy him with himself and turn his plot
against him."

FROM MEDINA: EXHORTATION TO PERFORM RIGHTEOUS DEEDS AND SEEK
A GOOD END


4. (U) In another non-political sermon, Imam Shaykh Ali bin
Abd al-Rahman al-Hudhayfi urged the congregation at the
Prophet's Mosque in Medina to perform good deeds and seek a
good end to their lives. He told the worshipers "deeds are
driven by intention and what a person gets depends upon his
intention. Allah commands a Muslim to do good deeds and keep
away from committing sins and all that He has forbidden at
all times."

FAITHFUL ARE JUDGED BY THEIR FINAL DEEDS


5. (U) The imam then related "there is emphasis on doing
good deeds when a person becomes old, especially when
approaching the last days of life." He thereupon quoted the
Prophet "The deeds are judged by the final deeds." The imam
then explained: "Whoever Allah grants success to do good
deeds in the final days or hours of his life, then Allah has
written a good end for him." He also warned: "Whoever Allah
does not grant success and he does an evil deed in his final
hour Allah's wrath will be brought against him." Finally,
al-Hudhayfi reiterated that "Allah has commanded Muslims to
seek a good end. Whoever succeeds in having a good end, he
will be happy in the Hereafter, but whoever does an evil deed
in the last hours of life, he is at a loss in this world and
in the Hereafter."


6. (C) COMMENT: Unfortunately, this doctrine provides a
fundamental religious justification for the extremist whose

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final actions are likely to result in his death in "defense
of Islam." On the other hand, condemnation by religious
authorities of terrorist acts as evil and damning the
perpetrator, would undermine the theological basis for
committing such acts. END COMMENT.

RIGHTEOUS ACTS THAT WILL SECURE A GOOD END


7. (C) The imam described types of behavior that would
constitute a good end for Muslims. Performing the five
obligatory prayers in congregation is one good deed. Others
include: belief , being God-conscious in private and in
public, obeying Allah and keeping away from forbidden things,
following the teachings of the Prophet, not being unjust to
others, and refraining from innovations in religion.
COMMENT: The admonition against innovation serves to exclude
heterodox religious activities, such as Sufism, and
strengthen the hand of the conservative religious
establishment. END COMMENT.


8. No report was received from the Eastern Province this
week.
Gfoeller