Crown Prince Abdullah at the international conference on Islam and terrorism in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
LGF has an intriguing juxtaposition of news items: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah has declared Islam a religion of peace. However, some recent sermons suggest that not everyone has gotten the idea. First, Abdullah, from Arab News:
RIYADH, 21 April 2004 — Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, yesterday reaffirmed that Islam is a religion of peace and moderation.The crown prince was delivering the inaugural address at an international conference on Islam and terrorism, organized by Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University.
“Islam condemns all forms of terrorism and we must strive to correct wrong perceptions about our religion,” he said. “This is my vision.”
More than 200 experts on terrorism and academics from European, American and Asian universities and think-tanks attended the event, titled “The Stand of Islam on Terrorism, Violence and Extremism.”
Higher Education Minister Dr. Khaled Al-Angary, in a keynote address for the conference, reiterated Saudi Arabia’s resolve to combat terror.
Constant clashes between the West and the Islamic world were a bad omen for the future of the world, the education minister said, adding that the three-day conference was intended to clarify these misconceptions.
Dr. Al-Angary also underlined the importance of unearthing the roots of terrorism and extremism.
He said Islamic teachings called for dialogue, and asked the faithful to expose lies and accusations about the religion.
Later, the crown prince laid the foundation stone of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University’s SR350-million women’s campus and of an SR100 million project for a college of languages, translation and computing.
The university has been trying to shed its extremist image after it emerged that a number of terror suspects on the government’s most-wanted list were IMSIU graduates.
On the sidelines of the conference, it screened a documentary highlighting the growth of the university and its contribution to curbing extremism and violence.
Gee, that's swell. Yet meanwhile, on Saudi TV, Shaykh Salih Bin-Abdallah Bin-Humayd denounces extremism in language obviously meant to refer to Al-Qaeda, but his overall message is not quite peaceful. From IMRA:
Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia TV1 in Arabic, official television station of the Saudi Government, at 0929 GMT on 16 April 2004 carries a 25-minute live sermon from the holy mosque in Mecca.Shaykh Salih Bin-Abdallah Bin-Humayd delivers the sermon. ... The imam then recalls how the Al-Khawarij [dissident group in early Islam, which rebelled against caliphs whom it regarded as corrupt] killed two caliphs, fought the messengers' companions, and alleged that theirs was the only right path. The imam also warns Muslims against "religious extremism," which he describes as "the reason behind destruction." The imam says that "acts of violence, such as bombings, destruction, and bloodshed cannot defeat great values, destroy great achievements, liberate a nation, or impose a religious school," stressing that "extremism, violence, and terrorism result only in destruction." ...
In the second sermon, the imam says "the recent sinful aggressions, reckless actions, and criminal behavior will not discourage our brothers, the security men, from carrying out their duties," urging everybody to be alert to "what is being concocted against this nation, its religion, its people, its security, and its leaders."
In conclusion, the imam asks God to strengthen Islam, protect our homeland and our leaders, support the "mujahidin" in Palestine and elsewhere, "destroy the Zionist Jews," and lift the suffering of the Iraqi people.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, the same message:
Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic, official television station of the Palestinian Authority, and Gaza Voice of Palestine in Arabic -- Second Program -- official radio station of the Palestinian Authority broadcasting from Gaza -- at 0950 GMT on 16 April 2004 carry a 25-minute live sermon from Shaykh Zayid Mosque in Gaza.Shaykh Ibrahim al-Mudayris delivers the sermon. After praising God and His messenger, he says suffering leads to victory, citing relevant Koranic verses. ... He says: "Our battle with our enemy is bigger than some politicians and media men think. Our battle is not with a Zionist prime minister, a government, or a jailer. The battle is between Islam and unbelief in this land. It is a battle in which crusaders and World Zionism have united. Zionism and crusaders are two sides of one coin. We are waging a big battle against Zionism, which rules the world and influences international decisions and economies. This alleged state will soon vanish, God willing. We are waging a big battle with crusaders and World Zionism, which dominates US decision-making."
The imam then denounces the US President for urging Palestinians to relinquish their repatriation right in order to "please his Zionist masters and to keep his post." Addressing President Bush, the imam says: "You are mistaken, Bush. Your decisions and statements will dump you into the dustbin of history. We stand firm on this land, and we defy all these decisions and statements though our belief in our rights."
In conclusion, the imam asks God to support Palestinian prisoners, destroy Jews, "take revenge against the United States and Israel," and help our kinfolk in Iraq and Palestine.
As well as in Syria:
Damascus Syrian Arab Republic Radio in Arabic, official station of the Syrian Government, at 0954 GMT on 16 April 2004 carries a 29-minute live sermon from Al-Rawdah Mosque in Damascus.Shaykh Muhammad Abd-al-Rahman Barakat delivers the sermon. ... The imam urges the Arab nation to close ranks in the face of "the arrogant Zionist enemy," to put minor differences aside, "to deter the Zionist enemy," and to help the fraternal Iraqi people "restore their security, stability, and prosperity." He says President Bashar al-Asad's tour of a number of Arab countries "has cleared the Arab atmosphere and reactivated Arab and Islamic solidarity in order to regain the land and rights from the Zionist enemy and to achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the resolutions of international legitimacy."
In conclusion, the imam asks God to unite Arabs and Muslims, to help them defeat their enemy, "to destroy the Zionist Jews and their supporters," and to give success to the Syrian president.
Destroy the Zionist Jews. Revenge upon the U.S. Remember, these are not political rallies, but sermons inside mosques (in each case carried on government television). What about the peaceful picture Abdullah painted? Is there room in it for this kind of sermon? Imagine the uproar if a Christian preacher prayed that God destroy -- any group. If Abdullah's bland assertion that Islam condemns terrorism doesn't encompass sermons like these, it's meaningless.
Dr. Al-Angary also underlined the importance of unearthing the roots of terrorism and extremism.
roots of terrorism is “Reality, the external world, exists independent of man’s consciousness, independent of any observer’s knowledge, beliefs, feelings, desires or fears. This means that A is A, that facts are facts, that things are what they are — and that the task of man’s consciousness is to perceive reality, not to create or invent it.”
The belief in God and the acting on that belief is evil. It divorces one's knowledge and actions from reality, with consequences ranging from the trivial (wasting one morning a week) to the disastrous (crusades, having unwanted children, Israelis and Arabs slaughtering each other over a patch of desert, wasting one's entire life working for a purpose not one's own, etc.)
KSA Prince Abdullah is a shameless, devious Wahhabist puppet. He is merely mouthing these platitudes in a naive attempt to placate the West, while safeguarding his corrupt, despotic, medieval satrapy. Neither goal will be achieved.
If he told me the sky was blue, I would disbelieve it.
This article is but one of a recent spate that points to a Madison Avenue type campaign to chance the PERCEPTION of Islam in the eyes of the West, not the CONTENTS.
Anyone who can't see through this cynical attempt at manipulation is truly brain dead.
Of course, Ethylred is correct. Change my post from "naive" to "highly sophistcated". It is the Saudis that are playing the West for naifs.
Islam - Peace and Moderation.
Is the torturing and imprisonment of Christians in Saudi Arabia who talk about their faith, or hold a prayer service in their home or even have a Bible moderation?
Is the burning of Churches in Nigeria peace? Is the genodice against Christians and Animist in Southern Sudan peace? Is Anti-Semitism in Europe peace? Is the taking of hostages and executing innocent civilian in Iraq peace? Is the kidnapping and raping of Coptic Christian women in Egypt peace?
No, I will believe that Islam is about peace and moderation when muslims speak out against these injustices.
John
"..Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah has declared Islam a religion of peace..."
And there is Gold at the end of a rainbow!...really!
Islam is a religion of peace......As long as a Muslim says it, it must be true.....LOL LOL LOL
Religion of pieces is more like it......Kaboooom!!!
Almost every armed conflict in the world involves muslims. This is not just a coincidence. It is not a religion of peace, love & understanding - no matter how many times they say it, it does NOT make it so. It is a religion of intolerance, sexual dominance, fear, aggression & violence. It's proponents are not allowed (much less encouraged) to think for themselves & will not tolerate anyone who does think for themselves or who has a differing opinion. Rote memorization of tired old rhetoric & promotion of glorious death achieved through "holy" war with anyone who does not agree with them & the rewarding of such behavior with 72 virgins may make for some wet dreams while baking in the desert sun, but should not serve as the basis for how you live your life!
depends what the meaning of 'peace' is
http://www.melaniephillips.com/diary/archives/000435.html
"Muslims claim such violence is only to be used in self-defence. But the essence of the problem is that they interpret ‘self-defence’ very broadly to include a long list of grievances against the west. On BBC TV’s Newsnight, Sacranie listed Kashmir, Chechnya, Palestine and Bosnia. This came close to excusing terror simply because Muslims were embroiled in such places.
For since Muslims regard it as a grievance if any action is taken against them, regardless of whether they may be in the wrong, this means any action the west takes in legitimate self-defence against Muslim aggression is twisted into a justification for further Muslim violence — which is perceived in those circumstances as a religious duty. Yes, of course there are peaceful, spiritual elements in the Koran which teaches virtues such as tolerance or patience. But these exist side by side with messages of hatred and violence, such as ‘Make war on those who believe not, even if they be people of the Book’, ‘Slay the idolaters wherever you find them’ and numerous other exhortations to fight unbelievers.
The fact is that Islam is the only religion for which jihad, or holy war against all unbelievers, is a duty. That is why it is historically a religion of conquest. True, most religions contain warlike elements. After all, Christianity’s wars of religion in the middle ages were of unconscionable savagery. But those ended when the Reformation separated out church and state and disavowed violent conquest altogether. The big problem for Islam is that it never had a reformation. So the orthodox interpretation of jihad has never been refuted."
islam is an abomination
The fact is that Islam is the only religion for which jihad, or holy war against all unbelievers, is a duty. That is why it is historically a religion of conquest.
Posted by ploome at April 22, 2004 03:17 PM
Thank you ploome. Good post. This is true and since it is, who could be blamed for blasting Islam into submitting to total reform of the religion?
a teacher said/quoted: "...This means that A is A, that facts are facts, that things are what they are — and that the task of man’s consciousness is to perceive reality, not to create or invent it.
first off, i disagree with your epistemology in general. however, i see a particularly peculiar contradiction in the above quote. if a = a and facts are facts, then it follows that 2 + 2 = 4. so my question is why would the second part of the above statement support totalitarianism? in orwell's 1984, goldstein was able to break winston's will and force him to believe 2 + 2 = 5 after subjecting him to oscillating torture and perceived friendship over time. this was the process of converting winston from a free-thinker into a drone. a drone only perceives reality -- i.e. the reality that the totalitarian state manufactures -- whereas a free-thinker creates and invents.
to apply this metaphor to terrorism, i would argue that the terrorists are subjects of a totalitarian system whose basis is derived from a philosphy that includes the koran, historical memory, and the philosophies created in the muslim brotherhood of which bin laden and al zawahiri are the representational figureheads -- thus, the creators and inventors. it is the mushy perceiving of this islamofascistic totalitarian reality that turns the erstwhile totipotent minds of young muslim men into brainwashed murderers.
perception is not enough -- as we are fast learning from the uncovering of various pieces of information by the 9/11 commission. luckily for us, bush has created/invented a new reality of pre-emptive war to counter the islamofascist totalitarianism that seeks to pull all of us under its sway.
"The belief in God and the acting on that belief is evil."
Therefore, schools established to eductate (as most if not all of the Europe and American universities were) are evil. Hence, education is evil.
Therefore, many hospitals are evil, because the belief in a loving God motivated people to establish places where their physical bodies could be healed.
The rest of your logic is similarly unthinking. It amazes me that you can look at what's going on today and still think that there's no difference between Christianity, Islam and Judiasm. Methinks you watch too much network TV.
What possible excuse do you have for your ignorance?
In English, "peace" = (rudimentarily) "the absence of war"; in Arabic, it translates more as "the absence of enemies".
A small, subtle, telling difference.
"Islam" doesn't derive from "salaam", "peace", as the duplicitous Moslems and their running-dogs so volubly and often claim, but from "aslam", meaning "submission".
Don't be fooled....
Oh dear,
Looks like Crown Prince Abdullah will have to recall the millions of "Da'wah" books he and his family have commisioned the publishing of, due to their recent change of heart then. ; )
One of my Muslim students gave me one of them about a year ago;
"The General Prescripts Of Belief In The Qur'an and Sunnah" by Abdul Rahman Abdul Khaliq - "Cooperation Office of Invocation and Virtue in Diriyah" - Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. "Under Supervision of Administration Ministry Of Islamic"
Article 108 & 109;
"Muslims are commanded to fight the Arabs (in particular) until they believe (ie embrace Islam) if they declare belief, their blood and property are inviolable, and it is up to allah to judge their intention.
Non-Arab Nasara, (Christians) Jews, Magians and others are to be fought until they believe (in the message of Islam) or pay 'Jizyah' in acknowledgement of their submission to the authority of the Muslims"
"The belief in God and acting upon that belief is evil."...
REALLY! And what about the last century, which taught us that the belief in no G-d was the best way to go..? Oh, wait a minute, I see your point... 11 plus million under Hitler, 25 million under Stalin, 65 million under Mao Tse Dung, millions in the killing fields... Yeah, it's the belief in G-d that causes all of the evils in this world. I can hang with that. :-)
Saying Islam is a religion of peace is like saying that they eat pork scratchings as they run around kaa'ba
WELL...DUH...I WOULD BE MOST HAPPY TO SEND PRINCE ABDULLAH THE 21 PLACES IN THE KORAN...THAT HE AND HIS FELLOW TURBAN-HEADS CAN TAKE A PENCIL ERASER AND GET RID OF....THE "ROOTS OF VIOLENCE" WHERE IT SAYS IN THE KORAN (PARAPHRASED) TO KILL, MUTILATE, ENSLAVE, CUT THE HANDS OFF OFF, AND CRUCIFY...ALL NONMOSLEMS WHO DO NOT SUBMIT TO ISLAM.
CROWN PRINCE ABDULLAH IS BEING FACETIOUS WHEN HE SAYS HE WILL TRY AND DISCOVER WHERE SUCH ROOTS LIE...AS AN EDUCATED MAN, THE PRINCE VERY WELL KNOWS WHERE THE MOTIVATION CAME FROM...THE KORAN.
OTHER SUCH JEWELS FROM THE KORAN ARE: DO NOT MAKE FRIENDS WITH NONMOSLEMS....DO NOT HAVE SEX WITH SLAVE WOMEN, UNTIL YOU HAVE KILLED ALL THEIR CHILDREN AND MEN.
THESE ARE THE ROOTS OF VIOLENCE AND EVIL IN ISLAM. PRAYING FIVE TIMES A DAY ALSO ACTS AS A BRAINWASHING TOOL...BELIEVING THAT THE DEVIL LIVES IN YOUR NOSE AT NIGHT AND OTHER SUCH SILLYNESS ALSO LEADS TO INCREDIBLE VIOLENCE AND SUPERSTITION
...BELIEVING THAT WOMEN ARE "IMPURE, LEAKING VESSELS" DOES NO HELP BRING ISLAM INTO THE 20TH CENTURY EITHER.
BEATING WOMEN WHO DO NOT OBEY, OR STONING THEM TO DEATH, WHICH CONTINUES TO OCCUR AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK...FOR JUST ACCUSATIONS OF ADULTERY, DOESN'T HELP EITHER.
HOWEVER, PRINCE ABDULLAH KNOWS ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS, HE WAS EDUCATED IN THE WEST.
AND IT IS MOSLEM DOUBLE-TALK FURTHERMORE TO US IMPURE, NONMOSLEM ANIMALS...THAT ESPECIALLY INSULTS MY INTELLIGENCE.
JUDY WEISMONGER