• Why Jihad Watch?
  • About Robert Spencer and Staff Writers
  • FAQ
  • Books
  • Muhammad
  • Islam 101
  • Privacy

Jihad Watch

Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

Iraq: Shi’ite Muslims set fire to TV channel offices for broadcasting music during Ashura

Sep 9, 2020 3:00 pm By Robert Spencer 32 Comments

Islamic apologists in the West frequently boast of what they claim to be high levels of piety and morality in majority-Muslim countries, as opposed to the galloping decadence of the post-Christian West. In all too many cases, however, that piety and morality is a manifestation of a fear of actions like this one. It is a piety of coercion, not of conviction.

“Protesters storm offices of Iraqi TV channel that broadcast music during Islamic holy day of Ashura,” by Fatma Ben Hamad, France 24 Observers, September 4, 2020 (thanks to The Religion of Peace):

On August 31, a group of men set fire to the Baghdad headquarters of Dijlah–a media group of news and entertainment TV channels. The Dijlah music channel had continued its usual programming in the days leading up to the holy day of Ashura, an important day of mourning for Iraq’s Shiite Muslim population. Our Observer, a reporter working for the Dijlah news channel, said that this attack is about more than just religion.

On August 20, Muslims celebrated the Hijrah (Prophet Muhammad’s journey from Mecca to Medina in the year 622 AD), which also marks the start to al-Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar[.]

This holy month is particularly significant for Shiite Muslims. In the year 680, Iman Hussein Ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed and an important figure in Shia Islam, was murdered in Kerballa, Iraq along with members of his family. The day he was martyred is known as Ashura and it marks the start to a somber, 40-day period of mourning for Shia Muslims. Ashura is always on the tenth day of the month of al-Muharram (which fell on August 30 this year). Many people travel to Kerbala to see his tomb during this time.

On August 30, Baghdad’s public prosecutor ordered the arrest of the president of the Dijlah media group because the group’s music channel had continued to broadcast during the ten days of al-Muharram that lead up to Ashura. This time is intended to be a period of mourning for Imam Hussein. Even though there is no law banning media outlets from broadcasting music at this time, most outlets only broadcast poems, prayers and lectures on religion.

The next day, civilians stormed the offices of Dijlah, located in the centre of Baghdad, setting fire to the buildings and smashing equipment. Videos of the protest march to Dijlah’s headquarters and the attack on the buildings circulated widely on social media. They show a giant fire burning in the Dijlah building.

Some of the photos and videos posted online by the assaillants [sic] show them carrying flags marked with Shiite prayers mourning the death of Iman Hussein. Some of the protestors also spraypainted these prayers on the outer walls of the building.

“Our equipment was ransacked under the watch of security forces”

Bashir Al Kubaisi is a journalist and producer at Dijlah. He told the FRANCE 24 Observers team about what happened the day of the attack:

The day before Ashura began, we noticed that there was a violent campaign against Dijlah on social media. Our music channel “Dijlah Tarab” [which translates to “Dijlah music”] promotes the Iraqi musical tradition. Because it only broadcasts music, we continued our musical program as normal during al-Muharram. The campaign against us targeted our entire group, including the news channel where I work even though we had adapted our normal programming for the holy month and created several special programs. This “online army” didn’t differentiate between the two channels and continued to hurl insults at Dijlah Tarab.

At 4:30pm on August 31, a group of civilians forced their way into our offices on Avicenne Street in Baghdad. There were security forces on hand in front of the buildings. There were also governmental vehicles about 40 or 50 metres from there. Even though they were there, they didn’t stop the group from entering by force. It was a clear violation of private property. I don’t think that the Iraqi constitution permits this kind of violence.

Most of our equipment was destroyed, as security forces looked on. Photos and videos taken at the scene document both their presence and their failure to act….

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Follow me on Facebook

Filed Under: Featured, France, Jihadist intimidation and thuggery, Sharia Tagged With: Ashura, Baghdad, Dijlah


Learn more about RevenueStripe...

Comments

  1. CogitoErgoSum says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 3:21 pm

    Ashura is a remembrance of the breach of a treaty and of Muslims killing Muslims. The breaching of treaties and fighting, always fighting until ALL are subdued under the rule of the successor of Muhammad … the rule that goes to the one who is the strongest. As it was from the beginning and ever shall be:

    Reply
  2. Ade Fegan says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 3:24 pm

    I had always supposed that a factor as to why the BBC and others do not broadcast anything unflattering about islam is because these institutions and their staff do not wish to fall foul of jihad .. This article supports my theory

    Reply
    • Jaydam says

      Sep 9, 2020 at 4:41 pm

      The BBC has become over run with spineless marxist’s, and useful propaganda tool for Muslim apologists.
      And British tax payers are still “forced” to pay for a “TV” licence, that goes to fund this left wing racket, of a once respected TV Channel.

      Reply
      • James Lincoln says

        Sep 9, 2020 at 8:28 pm

        Jaydam,

        To your point, it looks like the British taxpayers will be on the hook even if they try to cancel their license.

        “The BBC has looked at whether the licence fee could ultimately be replaced with a new special income tax, based on the Swedish model for funding public service broadcasting…”

        https://www.theguardian.com/media/2020/aug/31/tim-davie-faces-battle-to-find-new-bbc-funding-model

        Reply
        • Jaydam says

          Sep 9, 2020 at 10:00 pm

          Good point James, and the powers that be will always find a way to fleece the British public, like they have always done. And in my personal opinion, The Guardian is the paper version of the BBC. It has always been biased towards the left of Politics, and would’nt deny it either.

      • Michael Copeland says

        Sep 10, 2020 at 6:04 am

        See “The BBC’s Useless Waffle About “British Islam”” for confirmation:

        https://gatesofvienna.net/2020/09/the-bbcs-useless-waffle-about-british-islam/

        Reply
    • toomanyhobbies says

      Sep 10, 2020 at 2:27 pm

      Hey CS media, still think you are immune just because you do not report their terrorism???

      Reply
  3. Ade Fegan says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 3:31 pm

    so now you know !

    Reply
  4. Rarely says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 3:39 pm

    And remember: No humming on Tuesdays, Thursdays and alternate Saturdays…or else.

    Reply
    • elee says

      Sep 9, 2020 at 3:51 pm

      And don’t think it’s any kind of excuse if you just listen to music in your head either, kafir!

      Reply
  5. elee says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 3:49 pm

    Somebody explain to me again why it is that we want to encourage these guys to populate the First World. Oh and I suddenly feel a desire for some nice loud music.

    Reply
    • FYI says

      Sep 9, 2020 at 4:00 pm

      And I was just listening to Junior Brown{semi crazy .. album}and the awesome guitar magic whilst reading JW and realized that musical instrumentation is haram in islam and so…

      Let me put down my juicy non-halal bacon sandwich and my cold infidel beer for a second and say..

      Thank God I’m an infidel.

      What kind of shite religion hates music?

      Celebrate being an infidel.

      Reply
      • Jaydam says

        Sep 9, 2020 at 4:47 pm

        With that kind of attitude FYI, Im sure the Im’am of you’re local mosque would have you in for a 100 lashes.

        Reply
      • gravenimage says

        Sep 9, 2020 at 4:49 pm

        Hear, hear, FYI!

        Reply
      • tim gallagher says

        Sep 9, 2020 at 6:28 pm

        Well said, FYI and elee as well. What a curse it would be to be a member of Islam. It is truly an inhuman, demented ideology. Islam opposes so many of the pleasant aspects of human life. I am also very glad to be an infidel. At least we are allowed to enjoy some of life’s enriching experiences, such as listening to music and also the visual arts, which I think Islam also considers to be unacceptable. Like many people, there are some types of music I wouldn’t ever listen to, but no music at all, you’ve got to be kidding. Islam is one very sick religious ideology with an incredibly sick view of life. I agree with what you say, elee, why would we be foolish enough to let these types of people into our countries? I’m damned if I know why our countries let them in. Letting them in is such a foolish idea.

        Reply
        • Michael Copeland says

          Sep 10, 2020 at 6:08 am

          ” I’m damned if I know why…”
          Petrodollars?

        • tim gallagher says

          Sep 10, 2020 at 5:57 pm

          Thanks for the comment, Michael. I suspect you are right. I have often thought, when it comes to the country I live in, Australia, that we do take in Muslims because, maybe, if we did ban Muslim migration then the Muslim oil producing countries might refuse to sell us the oil that we rely on to keep our economy afloat. I don’t know if that would be the case, but being dependent on Muslim Arab oil probably does leave us powerless to anger the Muslim oil producing countries. I often do think that if these Muslim countries didn’t get lucky with their oil wealth, just dumb luck those countries have received, all our countries would be able to ignore their barbaric garbage. Then again, in Australia, I also think that the majority of people do still seem to think that most Muslims are OK and only a minority are trouble.

      • Michael Copeland says

        Sep 10, 2020 at 6:12 am

        BREAKING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
        Islam does not tolerate music. Music is haram, forbidden.
        The Manual of Islamic Law, “Reliance of the Traveller”, has a section entitled:
        “Commanding the Right and Forbidding the Wrong”.
        This includes “Righting the wrong by hand”, such as
        “breaking musical instruments” (q5.6).

        Reply
  6. gravenimage says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 3:58 pm

    Iraq: Shi’ite Muslims set fire to TV channel offices for broadcasting music during Ashura
    …………..

    More Muslim-on-Muslim savagery–with a bit of crushing of freedom of expression thrown in for good measure…

    Reply
  7. Martin says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 4:34 pm

    ASHURA 2020 – BAGHDAD – Dijlah TV station set ablaze

    Reply
  8. Martin says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 4:43 pm

    SEPTEMBER 01 2020 – ASHURA rituals in IRAQ

    75 graphic videos on this page :

    https://vladtepesblog.com/2020/08/28/ashura-2020-graphic-videos/

    ===================================================

    Inside the Imam Hussain mosque in Karbala, Iraq

    Reply
    • talleyrand says

      Sep 10, 2020 at 2:06 am

      mad as bloody meat axes stark raving nutters

      Reply
  9. Martin says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 4:52 pm

    ASHURA rituals in Iraq – SEPTEMBER 2020

    Reply
    • gravenimage says

      Sep 10, 2020 at 7:48 pm

      Utter savagery. Muslims bloody their babies’ heads, as well.

      Reply
  10. Martin says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 5:01 pm

    ASHURA ritual in NAJAF, IRAQ – September 2020

    Reply
    • revereridesagain says

      Sep 9, 2020 at 5:14 pm

      Americans and other civilized human beings died trying to help these animals?

      Reply
  11. revereridesagain says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    Probably just got back from vacationing in Portlandia.

    Reply
  12. Vladimir says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 6:49 pm

    I know that this sounds a little off the wall, but I’ve become convinced that the ”Hidden Imam Mahdi” of Twelver Sect Shia Islam, is the coming Antichrist. I have no problem believing that God could in His providence allow for a man animated by Satan to live for over 1100 years so far, for him to come and claim what the Twelver Shia say is his right to be the prophesied ‘Islamic Messiah” So I wanted to get a feel for how this whole thing looks and watched these videos;

    The Hidden Imam;

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqITaMLi4T4&t=175s

    The Government of the Imam Mahdi;

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WXkqzMb1Bw

    If there’s a more exact counterfit against and in place of Jesus Christ, an Islamic Antichrist, I don’t know what or who it could be.

    Reply
  13. Clive Delmonte says

    Sep 9, 2020 at 9:27 pm

    In all this fuss, is anyone curious as to why the grandson of the Prophet was murdered ?

    Reply
  14. Giacomo Latta says

    Sep 10, 2020 at 9:31 am

    ”Most of our equipment was destroyed, as security forces looked on.”
    There’s always somebody more muslim than you are.

    Reply
    • gravenimage says

      Sep 10, 2020 at 7:49 pm

      Yep. And most security forces in Iraq post-Saddam are Shia, so they probably agreed with the violent rioters.

      Reply
  15. ARISH SAHANI says

    Sep 10, 2020 at 11:30 am

    THIS IS ONE RELIGION IN THE WORLD WHO KNOWS AND PROMOTES DESTRUCTION . DESTRUCTION OF ALL THE PAST . THIS RELIGION CALLED ISLAM HAS GIVEN NOTHING GOOD TO HUMAN TO BE PROUD OF ISLAM. ALL FOLLOWERS LIVE IN SHAME AND FEAR .
    50% FOLLOWER WOMEN LIVES A LIFE OF SLAVE WITH NO RIGHT AND PRODUCTIVITY .
    HOW 57 CONVERT ISLAMIC STATES IN BURIAL STATE .
    UN SHOULD PLAY ACTIVE ROLL TO SAVE WORLD CIVILIZATION AND DIVERSITY

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

FacebookYoutubeTwitterLog in

Subscribe to the Jihad Watch Daily Digest

You will receive a daily mailing containing links to the stories posted at Jihad Watch in the last 24 hours.
Enter your email address to subscribe.

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!
If you are forwarding to a friend, please remove the unsubscribe buttons first, as they my accidentally click it.

Subscribe to all Jihad Watch posts

You will receive immediate notification.
Enter your email address to subscribe.
Note: This may be up to 15 emails a day.

Donate to JihadWatch
FrontPage Mag

Search Site

Translate

The Team

Robert Spencer in FrontPageMag
Robert Spencer in PJ Media

Articles at Jihad Watch by
Robert Spencer
Hugh Fitzgerald
Christine Douglass-Williams
Andrew Harrod
Jamie Glazov
Daniel Greenfield

Contact Us

Terror Attacks Since 9/11

Archives

  • 2020
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2019
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2018
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2017
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2016
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2015
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2014
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2013
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2012
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2011
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2010
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2009
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2008
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2007
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2006
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2005
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2004
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • September
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    • April
    • March
    • February
    • January
  • 2003
    • December
    • November
    • October
    • March

All Categories

You Might Like

Learn more about RevenueStripe...

Recent Comments

  • Crusades Were Right on Canadian Mental Health Association studies Muslim women’s mental health due to ‘discrimination’ and ‘hate crimes’
  • Crusades Were Right on Muslim cleric: ‘We welcomed the takeover of ISIS because they wanted to implement the Sharia’
  • curious george on Israel At A Crossroads?
  • Crusades Were Right on Muslim cleric: ‘We welcomed the takeover of ISIS because they wanted to implement the Sharia’
  • William Garrison on The Fantasy Islam of Rice University’s Craig Considine (Part 3)

Popular Categories

dhimmitude Sharia Jihad in the U.S ISIS / Islamic State / ISIL Iran Free Speech

Robert Spencer FaceBook Page

Robert Spencer Twitter

Robert Spencer twitter

Robert Spencer YouTube Channel

Books by Robert Spencer

Jihad Watch® is a registered trademark of Robert Spencer in the United States and/or other countries - Site Developed and Managed by Free Speech Defense

Content copyright Jihad Watch, Jihad Watch claims no credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted. Images on this blog are copyright to their respective owners. If there is an image appearing on this blog that belongs to you and you do not wish for it appear on this site, please E-mail with a link to said image and it will be promptly removed.

Our mailing address is: David Horowitz Freedom Center, P.O. Box 55089, Sherman Oaks, CA 91499-1964

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.