MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, OCTOBER 27:

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000694 SIPDIS SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; PARIS FOR WALLER; LONDON FOR TSOU E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/31/2016 TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KISL SA SCUL SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, OCTOBER 27: MECCA, MEDINA Classified By: Consul General Tatiana C. Gfoeller, for reasons 1.4 (c) and (d) MECCA: GRUDGES CORRUPT THE HEART ¶1. (C) Sheikh Dr. Usamah Abdallah al-Khayyat delivered the sermon at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on October 27. He said that all people seek a happy life, and that "everyone knows that a heart free of grudges is the means to achieve happiness and success. If hostility, which stems from grudges, grows and becomes deep-rooted, it eliminates pity and peace." The imam continued, "Once evil has gripped the hearts it breaks them up and people return to a state of severity in which they sever ties and sow corruption on earth. O worshippers: Since the corruption of the heart with grudges stems from a dominant personal nature and a sense of strong selfishness, it is not strange for the heart to become a tool for destruction." The imam urged Muslims to "wipe out hatred before it exacerbates. This is a great Islamic religious rule." Citing the prophet,s tradition he said, "Do not hate each other, envy each other, or fight each other, but remain brethren." (Comment: This seems to be a call for unity amongst Muslims. It may be assumed that the imam is referring to the internal strife in Iraq and possibly Palestine. End Comment.) HATRED FOR THE SAKE OF ALLAH IS A SIGN OF SOUND FAITH ¶2. (C) In the second sermon, Sheikh al-Khayyat continued his message against hatred, but he specified and differentiated between forms of hatreds. He said, "O worshippers, hatred, which God and His messenger have prohibited, is that which is for the sake of the world and its pleasures." The imam continued, "As for hatred for the sake of Allah and the truth, it is something altogether different. In fact, it is ordered because it is a sign of sound faith and devotion to Allah and the prophet. Allah has ordered alienating His enemies, even if they are very close to you." He added, "O ye who believe! Take not for protectors your fathers and brothers if they love infidelity above faith. If any of you do so, they do wrong." The imam concluded with a prayer for Allah to "support Islam and Muslims, protect the religious seminary, destroy the enemies of religion and all tyrants and corrupt, and unite Muslims and guide their leaders." (Comment: The message in the second sermon, though seemingly similar, took a different tone. The imam's condemnation of hatred is good, but his justification of hatred for "Allah and the truth" is not helpful. The imam's call for the alienation of all who do not believe would seem to contradict his earlier comments about love. His commentary that hatred is "ordered because it is a sign of sound faith and devotion to Allah" may be interpreted wrongly, or correctly for that matter. End Comment.) MEDINA: CONTINUE GOOD DEEDS UNTIL DEATH ¶3. (C) Sheikh Abd-Bari al-Thubayti delivered the sermon at the Prophet,s Mosque in Medina on October 27. He urged Muslims to continue doing good deeds despite the end of Ramadan. He added, "he who builds a mosque, a school, a hospital, or a factory to meet the nation,s needs has made a good deed and shall be rewarded for it...He who helps a poor man, guarantees an orphan, visits a patient, saves a drowning person, helps a person in desperate need, and guides someone going astray has done a righteous deed." ALL WHO SERVE THE NATION SERVE RELIGION ¶4. (C) Al-Thubayti said, "Everyone who fulfills a mission for his nation is doing a good deed: The clerk with his righteous pen, the doctor with his useful medicines, the researcher in his plant, the farmer in his field, the teacher in his class, and the government official in his office; all of these are supporting religion and shall receive a great award." ¶5. (C) The second sermon was devoted to prayer. ¶6. (C) No report from the Eastern Province this week. JEDDAH 00000694 002 OF 002 GFOELLER