Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07JEDDAH520
2007-12-30 10:51:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Jeddah
Cable title:
MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA: MT. ARAFAT DEC
how-toVZCZCXRO1875 PP RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHGI RUEHJS RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHJI #0520 3641051 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 301051Z DEC 07 FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0438 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1682 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1759
UNCLAS JEDDAH 000520
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI KISL SA
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA: MT. ARAFAT DEC
18, MECCA AND MEDINA DEC 7, 14, 21
UNCLAS JEDDAH 000520
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI KISL SA
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA: MT. ARAFAT DEC
18, MECCA AND MEDINA DEC 7, 14, 21
1. (U) SUMMARY: The Grand Mufti gave a special sermon to
pilgrims at Mount Arafat on December 18 denouncing terrorism
and warning against the economic schemes of Islam's enemies.
Sermons in Mecca's al-Haram Mosque on December 7, 14, and 21
elaborated on traditional issues such as piety in relation to
the Hajj. Sermons in Medina's Nabawi Mosque during this
period featured similar discussions of the pilgrimage, with
the December 7 sermon also including a prayer to remove the
"filth of Jews" from Al-Aqsa Mosque. END SUMMARY.
--------------
MOUNT ARAFAT
--------------
2. (U) The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz
bin Abdullah al Sheikh, gave a December 18 sermon from Namira
Mosque at Mount Arafat, one of the required stops for the
Hajj. The Mufti claimed that enemies are targeting the
global Islamic community and "attempting to annex it to their
economic system." He also said that these enemies were
trying to spread disunity within the Islamic community, and
that Muslims worldwide were being labeled as terrorists
through no fault of their own. The Mufti said that all
Muslims denounce acts of terrorism, and urged Muslim youths
not to become tools for those seeking to create chaos within
their countries.
--------------
MECCA
--------------
3. (U) In Mecca's al-Haram Mosque on December 7, Sheikh
Salih Bin-Abdallah Bin-Humayd urged piety and fidelity to
God, and then discussed the importance of pilgrimage and the
status of Mecca in Islam. In the December 14 sermon, Sheikh
Usamah Khayyat stated that noble goals are the basis of
success for any gathering, and then related this idea to the
Hajj. On November 21, Sheikh Abd-al-Aziz al-Sudays talked
about the end of the pilgrimage season, and urged pilgrims to
"avoid doing anything that would disturb the purity of these
great rituals." He closed by praying for victory for
mujahidin "everywhere and in Palestine" and for the return of
Al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslims. All three sermons closed by
praying for God to defend Islam and to humiliate or destroy
its enemies.
--------------
MEDINA
--------------
4. (U) At Medina's Nabawi Mosque on December 7, Sheikh Salah
Al Budayr discussed the rituals of pilgrimage and God's
rewards to pilgrims. He closed by asking God to "purge the
Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of Jews." In his December 14
sermon, Sheikh Abd-al-Rahman al-Hudhayfi discussed the reward
of paradise and the punishment of hell. In the sermon on
December 21, Sheikh Abd-al-Bari al-Thubayti congratulated
this year's pilgrims, and urged Muslims to continue doing
good deeds and obeying God. All three sermons concluded by
beseeching God to support Islam and to humiliate or destroy
its enemies.
GFOELLER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN; DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV SOCI KISL SA
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FOR SAUDI ARABIA: MT. ARAFAT DEC
18, MECCA AND MEDINA DEC 7, 14, 21
1. (U) SUMMARY: The Grand Mufti gave a special sermon to
pilgrims at Mount Arafat on December 18 denouncing terrorism
and warning against the economic schemes of Islam's enemies.
Sermons in Mecca's al-Haram Mosque on December 7, 14, and 21
elaborated on traditional issues such as piety in relation to
the Hajj. Sermons in Medina's Nabawi Mosque during this
period featured similar discussions of the pilgrimage, with
the December 7 sermon also including a prayer to remove the
"filth of Jews" from Al-Aqsa Mosque. END SUMMARY.
--------------
MOUNT ARAFAT
--------------
2. (U) The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz
bin Abdullah al Sheikh, gave a December 18 sermon from Namira
Mosque at Mount Arafat, one of the required stops for the
Hajj. The Mufti claimed that enemies are targeting the
global Islamic community and "attempting to annex it to their
economic system." He also said that these enemies were
trying to spread disunity within the Islamic community, and
that Muslims worldwide were being labeled as terrorists
through no fault of their own. The Mufti said that all
Muslims denounce acts of terrorism, and urged Muslim youths
not to become tools for those seeking to create chaos within
their countries.
--------------
MECCA
--------------
3. (U) In Mecca's al-Haram Mosque on December 7, Sheikh
Salih Bin-Abdallah Bin-Humayd urged piety and fidelity to
God, and then discussed the importance of pilgrimage and the
status of Mecca in Islam. In the December 14 sermon, Sheikh
Usamah Khayyat stated that noble goals are the basis of
success for any gathering, and then related this idea to the
Hajj. On November 21, Sheikh Abd-al-Aziz al-Sudays talked
about the end of the pilgrimage season, and urged pilgrims to
"avoid doing anything that would disturb the purity of these
great rituals." He closed by praying for victory for
mujahidin "everywhere and in Palestine" and for the return of
Al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslims. All three sermons closed by
praying for God to defend Islam and to humiliate or destroy
its enemies.
--------------
MEDINA
--------------
4. (U) At Medina's Nabawi Mosque on December 7, Sheikh Salah
Al Budayr discussed the rituals of pilgrimage and God's
rewards to pilgrims. He closed by asking God to "purge the
Al-Aqsa Mosque from the filth of Jews." In his December 14
sermon, Sheikh Abd-al-Rahman al-Hudhayfi discussed the reward
of paradise and the punishment of hell. In the sermon on
December 21, Sheikh Abd-al-Bari al-Thubayti congratulated
this year's pilgrims, and urged Muslims to continue doing
good deeds and obeying God. All three sermons concluded by
beseeching God to support Islam and to humiliate or destroy
its enemies.
GFOELLER