Escalation of Incitement to Violence During the Month of Ramadan

According to MEMRI: "The month of Ramadan, the month of fasting, has a special status as the month of religious spirituality and devotion. However, in Muslim tradition it is also perceived as a month of Jihad, a month in which Allah grants military victories to His believers. It was during Ramadan that Muslims triumphed in many battles throughout the history of Jihad for the sake of Allah – among them the battle of Badr in 624, the conquest of Mecca in 630 and of Andalusia in 711, the battle of Al-Zallaqa (in Andalusia) in 1086, the battle of Ein Jalut in 1260, as well as the 1973 War (called The Ramadan War).

"Given the historic religious and military significance of Ramadan, Islamist groups, as well as some mainstream Arab organizations, escalate incitement to terrorism during this period."

Numerous illuminating examples follow. Says Sheikh Ibrahim Mudeiris, a PA employee in a sermon broadcast on Palestinian TV: "Has the time not come for the Muslims to say: 'We will achieve victories in Ramadan as did our predecessors'? Has the time not come for Muslims to say: 'We will achieve victory and liberate the blessed Al-Aqsa [Mosque] in the month of Ramadan'? It is surprising that the soul of a Muslim who says 'there is no God but Allah,' fasts during the day, and prays and reads the Koran through the night does not call on him to fight the battle of Jihad to liberate the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and the land of Palestine."

There is more at MEMRI, all bearing out what I explained in connection with the Riyadh bombings.

Posted by Robert at November 20, 2003 9:57 AM
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