Muslim Friday Sermons Bid Farewell to Ramadan

Friday Sermons Bid Farewell to Ramadan, Iraqi Imam Calls on Iraqis To Rely
on God
Based on FBIS Report
[With thanks to www.mideastweb.org/mewnews1.htm ]

Highlights:
Saudia "O God, deal with the Zionist Jews for they are within your power. O
God,
disperse them and make them a lesson for others and booty for Muslims. "

Sudan: "it is upon you to restrain and contain the Jewish murderers so as to
establish
security in the region"

Iraq: ""If the clique of evil ones attacks.. the whole universe will shake.
The
angels, the heavens, and the whole world will shake if Iraq is attacked,
because our strength is from God's strength."

Following is a roundup of Friday sermons carried by the news media of
Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, West Bank and Gaza Strip, Syria, Iraq, and
Qatar on 6 December 2002:

SAUDI ARABIA

Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia TV1 in Arabic, official television
station of the Saudi Government, carries at 0921 GMT a live sermon from the
holy mosque in Mecca.

Shaykh Abd-al-Rahman al-Sudays delivers the sermon, in which he bids
farewell to the month of Ramadan, congratulates Muslims on the Id al-Fitr
feast, and prays to God to answer their prayer and accept their fasting in
the holy month of Ramadan.

The imam urges Muslims to continue with their piety before death
overtakes them. "Muslims," he says, "have only weakened before their enemies
because they have given up the main basis of their victory and sovereignty;
namely, Islamic religion." He appeals for aid and support for fellow
Muslims, saying: "O nation of Islam, remember, as we celebrate
Id al-Fitr in peace and safety, our brothers in faith on whom the feast
descends while they suffer from continuous grinding wars and tragedies.
Consider the situation of our Muslims brothers in the land of Palestine, the
first qibla and destination of the prophet's night journey, and other
countries. Consider how they face the feast threatened with death and
destitution. Don't forget them in your prayer and aid."

The imam continues with the same theme in the second sermon. He calls
on Muslims to think of the needy as they celebrate the feast in peace and
prosperity.

The imam concludes with a prayer to God to strengthen Islam and
Muslims, humble infidelity and infidels, destroy the enemies of religion,
and make this and other Muslim country safe and secure. He prays to God to
guide the king for the wellbeing of the country and the people, as well as
the unity of Muslims. He prays: "O God, support our brother mujahidin for
your sake in Palestine and elsewhere. O God, we ask you to save Al-Aqsa
Mosque from the aggressor and usurper Jews. O God, deal with the Zionist
Jews for they are within your power. O God, disperse them and make them a
lesson for others and booty for Muslims. O God, inflict your might on the
criminal ones."

Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia TV2 in Arabic, official television
station of the Saudi Government carries at 0923 GMT a live sermon from the
holy mosque in Medina.

Shaykh Abd-al-Muhsin al-Qasim delivers the sermon, in which he, too,
bids farewell to the month of Ramadan, congratulates fellow Muslims on
Id-al-Fitr feast and prays to God to answer their prayer and accept their
fasting in this holy month. He also urges Muslims to continue with their
piety for the rest of their lives.

The imam continues with the same theme in the second sermon. He urges
Muslims to devote their lives to worshipping God and avoiding sins before
death overtakes them.

The imam concludes with a prayer to God to support Islam and Muslims,
humble infidelity and infidels, destroy the enemies of religion, and make
this and other Muslim countries safe and secure. He prays to God to enable
the king to work for the wellbeing of the country and people and calls on
all Muslim rulers to rule according to the Koran and the Sunna.

YEMEN:

Sanaa Republic of Yemen Television in Arabic, official television
station of the Republic of Yemen, carries at 0902 GMT a live sermon from the
Grand Mosque in Sanaa.

Shaykh Ahmad Abd-al-Razzaq al-Ruqayhi delivers the sermon, in which he
urges Muslims to pursue their religious duties, especially the five daily
prayers. He also emphasizes the importance of Friday prayer.

The imam continues with the same theme in the second sermon. He bids
farewell to the month of Ramadan and urges worshippers to continue with
their piety, especially their observance of the five daily prayers and
Friday prayer for the rest of their lives.

The imam concludes with a general prayer for God's mercy and
forgiveness. He prays to God to support those who support Islam and humble
those who humble Muslims.

JORDAN:

Amman Jordan television Channel 1 in Arabic, live
sermon from martyr King Abdallah mosque in Amman.

Shaykh Dr. Abd-al-Nasir Abu-al-Basal, dean of the Shari'a Faculty at
the Yarmuk University, delivers the sermon, in which he says that despite
current tragedies, Islam would triumph in the end. Thus, he adds, Muslims
should rejoice with the Id-al-Fitr feast and place their trust in God. God,
he says, has ordered Muslims to express their joy in view of its positive
psychological effect.

The imam then calls for a generation of Muslims which believes in
"enlightened" Islam rather than "fanaticism." He calls for a generation,
which does not oppress, betray, attack, become arrogant, run after sedition,
or get misled by mirages. He calls for "a generation whose conscience and
feelings are filled with love for the higher ideals, virtues, and moral
values, which the world lacks today in its international and domestic
relations." He says that it was on the basis of such ideals and values that
the state of Islam was established. But, before resolving the problems of
the world, we must resolve our own problems, he adds.

The imam continues with the same theme in the second sermon. He calls
on worshippers to place their trust in God, pray for mercy, and hope for
paradise.

The imam concludes with a general prayer to God for forgiveness and
mercy, as well as guidance for the king and all Muslim rulers to rule in
accordance with the Koran and the Sunna.

WEST BANK & GAZA STRIP

Gaza Palestine Satellite Channel Television in Arabic, a live
sermon from the Shaykh Zayid Bin-Sultan Al Nuhayyan Mosque in Gaza.

Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Mustafa Najm delivers the sermon, which he begins
by thanking God for "cursing the brothers of apes and pigs" until doomsday
and warning Muslims "of their evil and arrogance." He cites the Koranic
verse that refers to "Jews" as the most hostile. He also hails Prophet
Muhammad, "the imam of the mujahidin and strugglers, who fought Jews and
expelled them from the Arabian Peninsula."

Continuing, the imam says it is not strange for Jews to carry out
massacres and invasions even on Muslim religious holidays. This, he adds,
has always been their hostile attitude toward Muslims, who only demand their
rights. He also says that it is not strange for Jews, who tried to kill the
prophet, to kill Palestinians after placing them under siege, beginning with
their leader. "Our leader," the imam adds, "is unfairly besieged not only by
our enemies, but also by those who provide them with political, military,
economic, cover."

The imam says that the United States sponsors world terrorism and
practices all methods of terrorism, especially against Muslims. So what is
required of us in the Holy Land and the Arab and Islamic nation is to unite
and fight solidly, he says. We must rise above our differences, he adds.

The imam emphasizes the need for unity and says: "Muslims are being
besieged, killed, and butchered. Our kinfolk and brothers in Iraq are being
besieged. The so-called United States fabricates allegations and lies in
order to wage war on them. If Muslims do not support their brothers in
Palestine and Iraq, there will come a day when it would be too late to
regret our inactivity. For they will swallow us up one by one, Muslim after
Muslim, country after country, and seize our resources." He calls on Muslim
to guard against such aims and support their brothers.

The imam continues with the same theme in the second sermon. He defends
the role of mosques in Islam. He says mosques must not be used for party
politics. Mosques, he adds, must be used only by the ulema for their
cultural, historical, and Islamic role in teaching shri'a rules to Muslims.
We are all equal and there are not "first or second class Muslims," he says.
Some people, he adds, have appointed themselves arbiters over God's
subjects, "pardoning and forbidding." This is not their affair, he says,
since God is the only arbiter. There must be unity, if we are to triumph, he
adds.

The imam concludes with a general prayer for the success of Palestinian
struggle.

Ramallah Voice of Palestine, official radio station of the Palestinian
Authority, carries at 0940 GMT a live sermon from Al-Aqsa Mosque in
Jerusalem.

Shaykh Yusuf Abd-al-Wahhab Abu-Sunaynah delivers the sermon, which he
begins by bidding farewell to the month of Ramadan and congratulating the
ones whose prayer and fasting were accepted. He urges Muslims to continue
with their piety throughout the year.

In the second sermon, the imam refers to "renegade groups" that sow
corruption on earth and extort people. He refers in particular to false
travel agencies that swindle pilgrims and other false groups that issue fake
"reunion cards," "ID cards," "national social security cards," "documents"
and even "power of attorneys" to seize the property of absentee landlords.
"These," he says, "are the manifestations of corruption in our society, and
we are called upon to close our ranks and stand firmly against these rogue
groups."

The imam concludes with a prayer to God for the fulfillment of Arab and
Islamic aims. He also prays to God to strengthen Islam and Muslims, humble
infidelity and infidels, support those who support this religion, and pardon
Muslims.

SYRIA:

Damascus Syrian Arab Republic radio in Arabic, live sermon from
President Hafiz
al-Asad's mosque.

Shaykh Bashir Id al-Bari delivers the sermon, which he begins by
bidding farewell to the month of Ramadan and wondering if Muslims have
fulfilled their duty of prayer and fasting. He hails Id-al-Fitr feast and
urges Muslims to rejoice and spread joy among their relatives and the needy.

The imam asks Muslims as they celebrate the feast to think about the
ones "displaced by imperialism and sinful, criminal Zionism" in Palestine.
The Islamic and Arab nation, he adds, is "waging a very serious battle and
passing through an important and critical phase, the phase of life or death.
The enemies have attacked the lands, desecrated holy places, violated
sanctities, and sowed corruption on earth." "Jihad," he affirms, "has become
a duty for everyone who can help with his or her soul and money. Every
individual must be ready to become a soldier fighting with his soul.
Sacrifice of spirit is the most expensive thing for the best aim of saving
the countries and freeing the holy lands from the occupier tyrants. Every
rich person has a duty to spend his money as much as possible in order to
supply the resistance with the modern weapons that will help them remain
steadfast against the enemies and end their aggression." Arabs and Muslims
have never succumbed to invaders, he adds.

"Our nation, will not be intimidated by the United States and those who
help Israel openly and secretly," the imam says, adding: "Let Israel expel
peaceful people from their homeland and let it drop its bombs and fire on
peaceful villages. It will only face steadfastness, firmness, and bravery,
as we believe in our just cause and our right to a free, respectable life."

The imam says: "Muslims and Arabs in all their countries, and the
blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque which is part of their belief, are called upon to
rise as one man and fight with their funds and souls for the sake of freeing
their countries and saving Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy places from the
tyrannical Jews." The imam calls for unity, saying Syria under President
Bashar al-Asad has always called for Arab-Islamic unity

The imam devotes the second sermon to a general prayer for forgiveness,
mercy, unity, and liberation of Arab lands.

IRAQ:

Baghdad Republic of Iraq Television in Arabic, a live sermon from
Shaykh Abd-al-Qadir al-Jaylani mosque in Baghdad.

Shaykh Abd-al-Ghafur al-Qaysi delivers the sermon, in which he bids
farewell to the month of Ramadan and congratulates those whose prayer has
been answered and fasting accepted.

Turning to current developments, the imam says: "In our jihad against
the administration of tyranny and evil today, we represent faith. In its
present jihad, Iraq represents faith while the United States represents
infidelity. We appeal to our Muslim brothers and tell them the camp of faith
is here and the camp of infidelity is in the United States. The faithful is
the one who joins the camp of faith under the flag of Allahu Akbar. The
hypocrite is the one who fails to express an opinion and the infidel is the
one who stands with evil and tyranny. We shall triumph by our dependence on
God. Come closer to God as much as you can, because victory is no doubt
coming. History is full of lessons."

The imam recalls incidents from Islamic history showing how God backed
the faithful with His angels in times of adversity and says God will not
disappoint Iraq, the country of saints -- Imam Ali, Imam Al-Husayn, Imam
Al-Abbas, Imam Abu-Hanifah, and Shaykh Abd-al-Qadir al-Jaylani. "If the
clique of evil ones attacks," he says, "the whole universe will shake. The
angels, the heavens, and the whole world will shake if Iraq is attacked,
because our strength is from God's strength."

The imam calls on worshippers to depend on God and place their trust in
God. "Do not weaken," he adds, "and do not listen to the media of evil and
lies. They are not ashamed to tell lies. They have no scruples about telling
lies. They tell lies unashamedly." He adds: "Let them threaten as they want
and let them say what they want. We have barricaded ourselves with faith and
depend on God."

The imam devotes the second sermon to a solemn prayer to God for
support. He prays: "O God deal with the Americans for they are within your
power. O God, shake the land under their feet. O God, fight them with your
angels. O God, make their plans destroy them. O God, we ask you on this
blessed hour to support and aid the intifadah people in Palestine. O God,
support the mujahidin in the land of Palestine." He also prays: " God,
protect our country from every evil, unify our ranks, and strengthen us." He
also prays to God support President Saddam Husayn to achieve victory for
Islam.

QATAR:

Doha Qatar Television Service in Arabic, live sermon from Umar
Bin-al-Khattab
Mosque in Doha.

An unidentified imam delivers the sermon, which he devotes to urging
Muslims to uphold the Koran and Sunna so as to win paradise. He notes that
more Muslims observed prayer, fasting, and performed small pilgrimage in
millions during the month of Ramadan. But, he also notes that in practical
life, Muslims do not uphold Islamic manners as their predecessors, who
through their Islamic faith and manners set up the state of Islam.

The imam devotes the second sermon to a general prayer for support of
Islam and Muslims, safety for this and all Islamic countries, and victory
for "our brother Muslim mujahidin."

Egyptian TV Carries Friday Prayers Sermon from Cairo 6 Dec 02
AFP20021206000138 Cairo Egyptian Satellite Channel 1 Television in Arabic
0950 GMT 6 Dec 02
[FBIS Report]
Cairo Egyptian Satellite Channel 1 Television in Arabic at 0950 GMT carries
a live relay of the Friday prayers sermon from Al-Rifa'i mosque in city of
Cairo.

Dr Ahmad Umar Hashim, the head of Al-Azhar University, supreme head of
the world Muslim youth association and member of the Egyptian higher Sufi
council, delivers the sermon. Dr Hashim starts his sermon by praising God
Almighty and the prophet and says that feasts in Islam come as an interval
between periods of worship.

He also speaks about the historical backgrounds of Islamic feasts and
about the features of religious celebrations during the days of the prophet.
Later, Dr Hashim speaks about the merits of Arab calendar month of Ramadan
that comes before the celebrations of the Lesser Bairam holiday and says
that Ramadan teaches Muslims unity. He adds that it is time for the
Islamic nation to be united, and for those who claim that Islam is a strict
religion to understand that Islam is a religion of tolerance. To support
his earlier statements, Dr Hashim says that when the prophet and his
followers won the last battle against the infidels and entered city of
Mecca, he did not punish the infidels who fought against him and told his
followers to call that day the day of mercy.

He says that when Islam achieves victory and its instructions spread,
security prevails everywhere, even for its enemies. He also says: "You,
who were unjust towards our religion, this is our religion. You who are
ignorant of the call of Islam, this is the call of Islam. It is the call
of mercy and bliss for all humanity. It is mercy for the entire world,
with its east, west, north, and south, for Muslims and non-Muslims, and
Arabs and foreigners." Dr Hashim continues to relate stories of Mecca's
conquest that prove Islam's mercy towards enemies. He says that Islam with
its tolerant instructions calls upon the world to understand the true Islam
and to believe in and follow the prophet, as the prophet is the last
messenger of God. He adds that God has ordered all nations on earth to
follow the prophet so that peace and security prevail on earth. He also
stresses that Islam is an international religion for the whole world.

Concluding his sermon, Dr Hashim prays to God: "O Lord, bestow victory
upon Islam and Muslims. O Lord, strengthen the banner of the religion. O
Lord, make the Islamic nation united. O Lord, support us and make us
achieve victory over our enemies. O Lord, support our weak brothers,
support our brothers in Palestine and support Mujahidin [strugglers for the
sake of God] everywhere. O Lord, make our leaders successful in achieving
what satisfies you. O Lord, make our leader and the president of our
republic, President Muhammad Husni Mubarak successful in doing what
satisfies you. O Lord, support him with righteousness and support
righteousness with him, and guide the rest of his brothers, the kings and
leaders of the nation to do what realizes victory for Islam and Muslims. O
Lord, forgive all our guilts, heal all our sick, relieve all our worries,
guide all people who go astray and make us realize all our wishes. O Lord,
make the ruler and subjects successful. O Lord, make the Islamic nation
united. O Lord, cover our weaknesses and send fear away from us. O Lord,
do not disappoint us as we pray to you and do not torture us as we beseech
you. We prayed to you as you ordered us, so respond to our prayers as you
promised. O Lord, do not make enemies gloat at us, and do not make us
offend friends. Do not make our religion our weakest point, do not make
life in this world our greatest concern, let us pass away while you are
satisfied with us, and make us do good deeds."

The sermon lasts for 22 minutes and ends at 1012 GMT. FBIS plans no
further processing of the sermon.
[Description of Source: Cairo Egyptian Satellite Channel 1 Television in
Arabic -- government TV]

Sudan: Friday prayers' preacher calls on west to restrain "Jewish murderers"
AFP20021206000224 Omdurman Sudan Television in Arabic 1100 GMT 6 Dec 02
[FBIS Translated Text]
Sudan: Friday prayers' preacher calls on west to restrain "Jewish
murderers"

Text of report by Sudanese TV on 6 December

Today's Friday prayers was broadcast live on Sudanese TV from The Martyr's
Mosque in Khartoum. The preacher, who was Fadilah Mawlana Al-Shaykh [all
honorific] Abd-al-Jalil al-Karuri, started by explaining the importance of
fasting in the month of Ramadan and its merits.
He said fasting enhanced men's fear of God. He said fasting taught man
self-control and made him abstain from evil and encouraged him to do good.
He called for moderation in dealing with women and not stopping them from
speaking in public. He stressed the importance of marriage. He also strongly
defended Islamic banking system which is against usury. Most of the
30-minute first sermon dealt on religious matters.
In the second sermon, the preacher stressed on proper utility of TV
satellite channels to make them instil morality and not spread immorality.
He said the most popular movies were the ones produced by the Jews because
they exploit man's lust and encourage immorality.
Turning to politics, the preacher said: "If it is a must that I comment on
general political affairs, of which people would like to hear, then, the
battles are surrounding us and have come up to our neighbouring countries,
up to Kenya, and being made to spread to Ethiopia [presumably because of
Ethiopian premier's current visit to USA linked to terrorism]. The
international advice to Kenya and Ethiopia is that if you want your
countries to be secure, it is upon you to restrain and arrest the murderers.
We would like to respond to this international advice and, likewise, say
indeed it is upon you oh world to restrain and arrest the murderers if you
want peace in the Horn of Africa.
The peace talks in Machakos [in Kenya] were only tampered by Western
support for the murderers through the issuance of the [US] Sudan Peace Act
and the millions of dollars which were poured on the rebels [Sudan People's
Liberation Movement] so as to make them occupy the town of Torit again and
consequently retarding the peace process to this day. We would also like to
advise those who are advising our neighbours - with their Western pieces of
advice to Kenya and Ethiopia, that for them to secure their role [as
advisers], they should restrain the murderers. We would like to tell the
West to restrain the murderers and prevent them from coming to the region.
All the problems of the region - east and central Africa, the Horn of
Africa - derive from the Jewish project [the Greater Jewish State]. The
Zionist problem is the one which is negatively affecting peace in the whole
region. There is no way this region can enjoy security, be it by the means
of the Sudanese rebels or the Nairobi bomb blasts or the fighting in
Palestine, no way can there be security so long as there is a state which is
being established at the expense of others. This state aims at sweeping out
the others so as to create room for the establishment of its greater state.
It wants to clear everything out its way in so as establish Jewish
sanctuaries in Jerusalem Mosque.
We are now departing from our prayers safe and peace, and, likewise,
yesterday we did so by the grace of God. However, where did the Palestinians
pray? They prayed in Jenin ruins. In those ruins, they placed their prayer
mats. The Palestinians were not allowed to perform prayers in Jerusalem
except those within Jerusalem. Even in Palestine, everyone below the age 40
was obstructed from attending prayers because they are the future of
Palestine.
Therefore, here is our advice from these pulpits, advice that we wish to
tell the world which is hearing us: if you to establish security in Sudan,
Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, it is upon you to
restrain and contain the Jewish murderers so as to establish security in the
region, since it is a region which had enjoyed tolerance [presumably before
the formation of the state of Israel in 1947]. We are now the ones defending
the churches and freedom of worship [in Jerusalem]. When we [Muslims]
entered Jerusalem, we did not pray in the church in an attempt to forcibly
convert it into a mosque, this is the history of Islamic tolerance."
The preacher concluded the 10-minute sermon with an Islamic supplication.