Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RIYADH6038
2006-07-30 07:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
CONSERVATIVE SAUDI CLERICS DEBATE SUPPORT FOR
VZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHRH #6038 2110715 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 300715Z JUL 06 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0117 INFO RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH 7522
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 006038
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KISL SA
SUBJECT: CONSERVATIVE SAUDI CLERICS DEBATE SUPPORT FOR
HIZBALLAH
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gfoeller
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 006038
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KISL SA
SUBJECT: CONSERVATIVE SAUDI CLERICS DEBATE SUPPORT FOR
HIZBALLAH
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gfoeller
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Last week, three revered Wahhabi sheikhs
issued advisory opinions in their own capacity on the
question of support for Hizballah. On July 17, prominent
Wahhabi Sheikh Abdullah bin Jabreen issued an advisory
opinion, reported as a fatwa declaring it impermissible for
Muslims to support Hizballah in any manner, including through
prayers. On July 22, however, another prominent conservative
religious scholar Salman al-Oudah issued an advisory opinion,
also reported as a fatwa, that emphasized the need for Shi'a
and Sunni to unite against Israeli aggression. This
sentiment was echoed on July 25 when Sheikh Nasir al-Omar, a
conservative cleric known for his stance against Hizballah,
issued a long commentary on a conservative website discussing
the need to unite against Zionist aggression. He also
strongly criticized the role of the U.S. government in
Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq. These statements reflect the
ongoing debate in Saudi society about whether or not to
support Hizballah in its confrontation with Israel. END
SUMMARY.
2. (C) On July 17, Sheikh Abdullah bin Jabreen published a
religious opinion against Hizballah on the conservative,
Wahhabi website www.islamlight.net. His opinion, published
independently and not in an official capacity, was in
response to the questions: "Is it permissible to support
Hizballah? Is it permissible to join under their leadership?
Is it permissible to pray for them to be victorious? What
is your advice for Sunnis fooled by them?" To these
questions, bin Jabreen answered: "It is not permissible to
support this Shi'a faction, or to join under their
leadership, or to pray for their victory. We advise the
Sunnis to be alienated from them and to desert those who join
them and explain their enmity to Islam and Muslims and the
harm they caused for the Sunnis in the past and present." He
further stated that the Shi'a have always been the enemies of
the Sunnis and therefore exhibiting any support for them is
equivalent to being one of them. (Bio Note: Bin Jabreen, an
outspoken, prominent Wahhabi in Saudi Arabia, is a professor
at Imam University and a member of the Permanent Commission
for Religious Fatwa, Call and Guidance. End Bio Note.)
3. (C) On July 22, conservative Saudi religious scholar
Salman al-Oudah issued an advisory opinion during an
interview on the Lebanese television network MBC regarding
Hizballah. He acknowledged the irreconcilable religious
differences between the Shi'a and Sunni, but stated that "we
should postpone our arguments at the time and be united
against Israeli aggression." This statement was a complete
change in tenor for al-Oudah, as he is well-known for his
fatwas against Shi'a, which include bans on marriage between
the two sects. (Bio Note: Al-Oudah is the supervisor of the
extremist website Islam Today and is the author of many
fatwas against the Shi'a. End Bio Note.)
4. (C) On July 25, conservative Sheikh Nasir al-Omar
published a lengthy commentary on his website
www.almoslim.net on the goals and political ties of
Hizballah. This commentary was published one week following
his reissuance of a 2005 fatwa against Hizballah, and it
replaced the fatwa online. The commentary covers the issues
of Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq, but focuses its attention on
the Zionist aggression against Lebanon and the links between
the "Zionist enemy" and the United States. In his statement
he makes links between the U.S. and Iran, criticizing the
U.S. for collaborating with the Shi'a in the conflicts in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Despite these criticisms and his
history of issuing fatwas against Hizballah, he states that,
"There is no question about the need to support the
beleaguered and oppressed people in Palestine and Lebanon,
send all possible relief aid to them, and alleviate their
ordeal by all forms of material and moral assistance." He
further states, "A Muslim is every other Muslim's brother.
He does not let him down or hand him over to the enemy."
5. (C) COMMENT: The shift in tone among the successive
fatwas should not suggest a diminution of long-standing Saudi
Sunni hostility toward the Shi'a. Rather, the statements
reflect increasing anger among Saudi clerics and the public
alike over the casualties and destruction in Lebanon. The
SAG has responded to public unhappiness with increasing
criticism of Israel, but not with praise for Hizballah.
Saudi leaders will likely tolerate statements that are
critical of Israel and call for Muslim unity in the face of
Israeli aggression so long as the statements do not directly
praise Hizballah or directly criticize the Saudi government.
END COMMENT.
OBERWETTER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR KISL SA
SUBJECT: CONSERVATIVE SAUDI CLERICS DEBATE SUPPORT FOR
HIZBALLAH
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Michael Gfoeller
for reasons 1.4(b) and (d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: Last week, three revered Wahhabi sheikhs
issued advisory opinions in their own capacity on the
question of support for Hizballah. On July 17, prominent
Wahhabi Sheikh Abdullah bin Jabreen issued an advisory
opinion, reported as a fatwa declaring it impermissible for
Muslims to support Hizballah in any manner, including through
prayers. On July 22, however, another prominent conservative
religious scholar Salman al-Oudah issued an advisory opinion,
also reported as a fatwa, that emphasized the need for Shi'a
and Sunni to unite against Israeli aggression. This
sentiment was echoed on July 25 when Sheikh Nasir al-Omar, a
conservative cleric known for his stance against Hizballah,
issued a long commentary on a conservative website discussing
the need to unite against Zionist aggression. He also
strongly criticized the role of the U.S. government in
Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq. These statements reflect the
ongoing debate in Saudi society about whether or not to
support Hizballah in its confrontation with Israel. END
SUMMARY.
2. (C) On July 17, Sheikh Abdullah bin Jabreen published a
religious opinion against Hizballah on the conservative,
Wahhabi website www.islamlight.net. His opinion, published
independently and not in an official capacity, was in
response to the questions: "Is it permissible to support
Hizballah? Is it permissible to join under their leadership?
Is it permissible to pray for them to be victorious? What
is your advice for Sunnis fooled by them?" To these
questions, bin Jabreen answered: "It is not permissible to
support this Shi'a faction, or to join under their
leadership, or to pray for their victory. We advise the
Sunnis to be alienated from them and to desert those who join
them and explain their enmity to Islam and Muslims and the
harm they caused for the Sunnis in the past and present." He
further stated that the Shi'a have always been the enemies of
the Sunnis and therefore exhibiting any support for them is
equivalent to being one of them. (Bio Note: Bin Jabreen, an
outspoken, prominent Wahhabi in Saudi Arabia, is a professor
at Imam University and a member of the Permanent Commission
for Religious Fatwa, Call and Guidance. End Bio Note.)
3. (C) On July 22, conservative Saudi religious scholar
Salman al-Oudah issued an advisory opinion during an
interview on the Lebanese television network MBC regarding
Hizballah. He acknowledged the irreconcilable religious
differences between the Shi'a and Sunni, but stated that "we
should postpone our arguments at the time and be united
against Israeli aggression." This statement was a complete
change in tenor for al-Oudah, as he is well-known for his
fatwas against Shi'a, which include bans on marriage between
the two sects. (Bio Note: Al-Oudah is the supervisor of the
extremist website Islam Today and is the author of many
fatwas against the Shi'a. End Bio Note.)
4. (C) On July 25, conservative Sheikh Nasir al-Omar
published a lengthy commentary on his website
www.almoslim.net on the goals and political ties of
Hizballah. This commentary was published one week following
his reissuance of a 2005 fatwa against Hizballah, and it
replaced the fatwa online. The commentary covers the issues
of Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq, but focuses its attention on
the Zionist aggression against Lebanon and the links between
the "Zionist enemy" and the United States. In his statement
he makes links between the U.S. and Iran, criticizing the
U.S. for collaborating with the Shi'a in the conflicts in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Despite these criticisms and his
history of issuing fatwas against Hizballah, he states that,
"There is no question about the need to support the
beleaguered and oppressed people in Palestine and Lebanon,
send all possible relief aid to them, and alleviate their
ordeal by all forms of material and moral assistance." He
further states, "A Muslim is every other Muslim's brother.
He does not let him down or hand him over to the enemy."
5. (C) COMMENT: The shift in tone among the successive
fatwas should not suggest a diminution of long-standing Saudi
Sunni hostility toward the Shi'a. Rather, the statements
reflect increasing anger among Saudi clerics and the public
alike over the casualties and destruction in Lebanon. The
SAG has responded to public unhappiness with increasing
criticism of Israel, but not with praise for Hizballah.
Saudi leaders will likely tolerate statements that are
critical of Israel and call for Muslim unity in the face of
Israeli aggression so long as the statements do not directly
praise Hizballah or directly criticize the Saudi government.
END COMMENT.
OBERWETTER