MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, OCTOBER 6: MECCA,

C O N F I D E N T I A L JEDDAH 000665 SIPDIS SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2016 TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KISL SA SCUL SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, OCTOBER 6: MECCA, MEDINA Classified By: Acting Consul General CB Toney, for reasons 1.4 (c) and (d) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MECCA: STORIES IN KORAN ARE FACTUAL AND LITERAL - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶1. (C) Shaykh Saud Ibn-Ibrahim al-Shuraym delivered the sermon in the at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on October 6. The sermon focused on the stories in the Koran, especially the Surah of Hud, which speaks of ancient communities. The imam said, "The Islamic nation is in dire need to ponder the Koranic stories and deduce from them lessons on how to deal with life and pursue ways that lead to inheriting God on earth by upholding His religion and firmly confronting calls against this religion." The imam then instructed Muslims not to "look for light in darkness when the light of the Koran is between its hands." He went on to say that the stories in the Koran were not inventions by storytellers, but rather true stories "from the most sublime source." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ALLAH WILL PUNISH THE DISOBEDIENT - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶2. (C) The imam concluded by emphasizing Allah,s judgment on the disobedient. Quoting the Koran, the imam said, "Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous indeed and severe is His chastisement." Thereafter the imam prayed for Allah to support Islam and Muslims and humble non-belief and unbelievers. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MEDINA: RAMADAN: FAST, PRAY, READ THE KORAN, AND GIVE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶3. (C) Shaykh Abd-al-Muhsin bin-Muhammad al-Qasim delivered the sermon at the Mosque in Medina. He said that during Ramadan the days are for fasting, the nights for praying, and the Koran should be read at all times. The imam mentioned that Ramadan is also the month of almsgiving and "righteous deeds." He added that during Ramadan the doors of hell are closed and the doors of paradise are open. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FOR WOMEN PRAYER AT HOME IS BETTER THAN IN A MOSQUE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. (C) The imam said, "The woman is ordered by what the man is ordered, such as reading the Koran and praying at night. But praying in her home is better for her than praying in a mosque. The prophet said, Their homes are better for them.," ¶5. (C) No report from the Eastern Province this week. TONEY