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“Islam’s biggest rock star” banned in Iran after performing in Israel

Jul 31, 2015 5:13 pm By Robert Spencer

CoffeeThis story illustrates the intransigence of the mullahcracy and the depths of its Jew-hatred. Sami Yusuf didn’t perform for Israeli Jews, but for Muslims — but he did it in the “occupied territories,” and that was enough for the Iranians.

This is the regime that the Obama Administration is enabling to get nuclear weapons.

“‘Islam’s biggest rock star’ banned in Iran after performing in Israel,” i24 News, July 29, 2015:

“Islam’s biggest rock star” has been banned on Iran’s state-run television because he recently performed in an Israeli city, The Guardian reported on Tuesday.

Sami Yusuf, 35, who left Tehran for Britain with his family when he was three, performed for Israeli Arabs and Palestinians in Nazareth during the Ramadan.

Entekhtab, an Iranian news website, reported, “Sami Yusuf’s recent trip to the occupied territories (Christian and Jewish holy sites including the site of the baptism of Jesus Christ) is the reason why his works are banned from the state television.”

The singer issued a statement Monday on Instagram, Facebook and his website, writing: “I was very surprised to hear that the official state TV and Radio for the Islamic Republic of Iran has banned my music and likeness due to my recent performance in Nazareth.

“I was not aware that bringing smiles to the faces of my beloved Palestinian brothers and sisters could cause such offense to the government of Iran. I am sorry that my precious listeners in Iran will be denied my music for sometime, but I will not apologize for performing in Palestine.

“Music is permeable and was never meant to be confined to borders nor used for political ends, rather, it was meant to echo freely throughout space and time. May we one day see a Free Palestine.”

Yusuf, 35, who Time magazine has called Islam’s biggest rock star, is one of Britain’s most famous Muslims worldwide.

Traveling to Israel is a crime in Iran punishable by up to five years in prison.

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Filed Under: Iran, Islamic antisemitism, Israel Tagged With: Sami Yusuf


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Comments

  1. Angemon says

    Jul 31, 2015 at 5:38 pm

    Yusuf, 35, who Time magazine has called Islam’s biggest rock star, is one of Britain’s most famous Muslims worldwide.

    Second only to Jihadi John.

  2. Parousia says

    Jul 31, 2015 at 5:39 pm

    “May we one day see a Free Palestine.”

    Not even a free Iran. Pathetic

    • Georg says

      Aug 1, 2015 at 6:44 pm

      Saves me posting it…

  3. VRWC member77 says

    Jul 31, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    Well he sure isn’t as big as the WORLD’S BIGGEST CHRISTIAN ROCK STAR who is……….or the WORLD’S BIGGEST JEWISH ROCK STAR who is….um…..or the WORLD’S BIGGEST BUDDHIST…hmmmm.. yeah you get the point.

    “Islam’s biggest rock star”; what a massively pathetic cult of insecure collective skints, these “islams”

  4. Cecilia Ellis says

    Jul 31, 2015 at 6:32 pm

    Sami Yusuf issued the following statement on social media:

    “I was not aware that bringing smiles to the faces of my beloved Palestinian brothers and sisters could cause such offense to the government of Iran.”

    Ayatollah Khomeini issued the following statement after establishing a theocracy in Iran:

    “Allah did not create man so that he could have fun. The aim of creation was for mankind to be put to the test through hardship and prayer. An Islamic regime must be serious in every field. There are no jokes in Islam. There is no humor in Islam. There is no fun in Islam. There can be no fun and joy in whatever is serious.”

  5. John C. Barile says

    Jul 31, 2015 at 6:33 pm

    In Nazareth? Nazareth is in northern Israel proper. So that would surely be “Occupied Territory” to the mullahs in Iran.

  6. abad says

    Jul 31, 2015 at 8:11 pm

    I thought Islam forbade music?

    Cat Stevens had to give up his music career when he chose to convert to Islam.

    Or is this Iranian apostate?

    • Goat Pimp says

      Aug 1, 2015 at 5:58 am

      Cat Stevens went from being a great artist pacifist to getting rid of all his guitars and calling for the death of Salmon Rushdie.

      That’s what Islam does to you.

      Wake-up West.

      • Nick D says

        Aug 1, 2015 at 3:00 pm

        Cat Stevens is again making pop albums and performing live around the world.

  7. vladtepesblog says

    Aug 1, 2015 at 9:59 am

    I think this person needs to familiarize himself with the role of music in islam. I believe it is the 10th most forbidden thing, and in a doctrine of a million forbidden things, that’s pretty serious. It is more surprising that iran allows music and rock music at that, on its airwaves at all.

    Probably because it hasn’t reached that far in its hijra yet. But it will.

  8. John Scott says

    Aug 1, 2015 at 5:10 pm

    Here is an entry about a band called SEEDS OF EBLIS.
    I think it is interesting, as it highlights the problem of the lack of freedom of expression in Islamic countries.

    “Seeds of Iblis is a part of the Arabic Anti-Islamic Legion along with Janaza from Iraq, تدنيس from Saudi Arabia, مسجد الشيطان (Mosque of Satan) from Lebanon and False Allah from Bahrain.

    Seeds of Iblis claims to be from Iraq, they also claim that they are initially formed as a four-member band including two men and two women with the concept to desecrate the principles of Islam. However, none of the previous information is certain.

    At some point in 2012 the band claimed that changes in the line-up had to be done due to security reasons. Therefore, the two male members Younes and Yousef left the band and according to Seeds of Iblis no information about the identity or the existence of the new members will be ever published. Nevertheless, the band announced Jebrael and Mohammad as the new members. In effect, it’s not known if anyone of the supposed members and ex members of the band actually exists. The band also claimed that two of the initial members obtained unknown help from the French embassy assuming that they will relocate to France.

    All of the pictures circulating on the Internet representing Seeds of Iblis or any actual or ex band member are faked. As a matter of fact, the members of the band will never release any photo representing their true identity.”

    Source: http://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Seeds_of_Iblis/3540334240

    Here is one of their albums, Anti-Quran Rituals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vx-qtEKhzi0

    It’s VERY heavy metal, and I recognize that this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, of course.

    I just wanted to share their story, as it highlights the lack of freedom of expression in the Islamic world.

    John

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