Middle East Friday Prayer Sermons Denounce US 'Plots' Against Arabs [destroy
the Jews, US, etc.]
GMP20021228000138 Middle East -- FBIS Report in Arabic 27 Dec 02
[FBIS (a US government agency) Report]
[With thanks to www.mideastweb.org/mewnews1.htm ]

Following is a roundup of Friday sermons carried by the news media of
Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Syria, Iraq, and
Qatar on 27 December 2002:

SAUDI ARABIA:

Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia TV1 in Arabic, official television
station of the Saudi Government, at 0930 GMT carries a 21-minute live sermon
from the holy mosque in Mecca.

Shaykh Sa'ud Bin-Ibrahim al-Shuraym delivers the sermon. He praises God,
the messenger, and his companions, urging Muslims to follow God's orders and
avoid the forbidden and stressing that the Islamic society protects the
dignity of individuals and rejects tyranny and arrogance. He says that
science and industry have made progress at the expense of the Islamic
values, arguing that the Islamic society can abide by the Islamic law and
achieve material progress at the same time. Those, who believe that material
progress can only be achieved at the expense of faith in God, he says, are
mistaken. Muslims' weakness, he says, is due to their abandonment of Islam
and their failure to abide by their religious duties. Citing Prophet
Muhammad's Traditions, the imam urges Muslims not to follow the "examples of
Jews and Christians." "The people of infidelity," he says, "have not scored
victory because of their power but because of the empty hearts of Muslims."

In the second part of the sermon, the imam calls on Muslims to abide by
their religion, stressing that only those fearing God and believing in his
law can determine the future of Muslims.

Concluding, the imam prays to God: "O God, strengthen Islam and Muslims,
humiliate infidelity an infidels, destroy your enemies, the enemies of
Islam, and protect this country." He goes on: "O God, help our mujahidin
brothers, who fight for your sake everywhere. O God, help them score victory
over your enemy and their enemy."

Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabic TV2 in Arabic, official television
station of the Saudi Government, at 0932 GMT carries a 17-minute live sermon
from the holy mosque in Medina.

Shaykh Abd-al-Muhsin Muhammad al-Qasim delivers the sermon. He praises
God, the messenger, and his companions and urges people to obey God,
stressing the importance of thanking God to win his blessing in life and in
the Hereafter. The imam devotes his sermon to thankfulness to God as basic
in Islam.

Concluding, the imam prays to God: "O God, strengthen Islam and Muslims,
humiliate infidelity and infidels, destroy the enemies of Islam, and protect
this country."

YEMEN:

Sanaa Republic of Yemen Television in Arabic, official television
station of the Republic of Yemen, at 0912 GMT carries a 23-minute live
sermon from the Grand Mosque in Sanaa.

Shaykh Akram Abd-al-Razzaq al-Ruqayhi delivers the sermon. He praises
God, the messenger, and his companions, calling on the faithful to obey God
as a way to forgiveness, success, and happiness. Obedience to God, the imam
says, will enable Muslims "to meet challenges in a world dominated by
unjust, tyrant forces--the Americans and their allies--in a world, where
injustice prevails and Muslims are massacred." He also regrets the fact that
Muslims massacre one another because of their ignorance of Islam. The
problem, he says, does not lie in Islam but in Muslims, recalling how the
forefathers understood Islam in the right way and stressing that Muslims are
weakening themselves by themselves despite the serous dangers threatening
their very existence.

Turning to politics, the imam describes what is taking place in
Palestine as a tragedy and regrets the fact that Muslims are sitting with
folded arms, asserting that everybody "is responsible for these shameful and
humiliating positions." Blaming the Arab leaders for their silence over
"what is going on in Palestine with the blessing and support of the United
States," he warns that "the Zionist role is part of a larger US plan to
strike Iraq." He also criticizes some Arab and Islamic countries for their
secret support, their neutrality, or their silence over what is being
planned for the Islamic nation. The imam says: "You all know that the US
designs will not be restricted to Iraq. Conspiracies are being concocted for
other countries with the aim of striking Islam and Muslims, humiliating
them, and subjugating them to the tyrant will." Muslims, he says, "are
facing terrible and huge challenges, and the so-called globalization poses
dangers to Muslims and Islam," urging Muslims to achieve development in the
Islamic world "in order to meet these challenges."

Concluding, the imam prays to God: "O God, support those supporting
Islam, disappoint those disappointing Muslims, and give success to our
president in serving the people. O God, destroy criminal infidels and
atheists. O God, destroy the United States and its allies and let them
suffer, particularly tyrant and arrogant Americans. O God, destroy the Jews,
for they are within your power."

JORDAN:

Amman Jordan Television Channel 1 in Arabic, official television station
of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, at 0948 GMT carries a 22-minute live
sermon from martyr King Abdallah mosque in Amman.

Shaykh Mahmud Shuwayyat delivers the sermon. He praises God, the
messenger, and his companions, urging people to obey God and his messenger
all the time. Criticizing Muslims, who worship God only in the month of
Ramadan, as having two faces, the imam says it is necessary for the Islamic
nation to stick to its Islamic identity. The imam devotes his sermon to the
need for Muslims to fear God and carry out their religious duties.

Concluding, the imam prays to God: "O God, return us to your book and to
the prophet's traditions. O God, do not blame us for what the ignorant do. O
God, close the ranks of Muslims. O God, relieve our brothers in Palestine. O
God, give success to King Abdallah II."

WEST BANK & GAZA STRIP

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 0955 GMT carry a 16-minute live
sermon from Shaykh Ijlin mosque in Gaza.

Shaykh Ibrahim al-Mudayris delivers the sermon. He praises God, the
messenger, and his companions. He says "the brutal military and political
onslaught against our people, our cause, and our leadership is escalating
day by day. They [Israelis] are carrying out a military onslaught on our
people. They commit massacres, destroy our homes, uproot our trees, and
tighten the siege." Arabs, Europeans, and the United States, he says, are
also pressing the Palestinians "to make concessions on our Palestinian
cause, but that despite the massacres, they [Israelis] will fails to weaken
our people, God willing." The recent Israeli massacres against our people,
the imam says, are part of the Israeli electoral campaign, urging the
Palestinian people and the Arab nation to close their ranks. Addressing the
Palestinian conscience, the imam calls on the Palestinian people "to close
their ranks in the face of our enemies" in order to score victory over the
enemy. He says: "Compared to the Palestinian people, neither Israel nor the
United States, the strongest country in the world, does not enjoy the traits
of a real society. The United States, which dominates the Arab and Islamic
world and even the whole world, has a material power, but its society is
corrupt and is expected to collapse, God willing, as long as it uses its
weapons against weak Arabs and Muslims."

He devotes the rest of his sermon to the need for Muslims to respect
their parents.

Concluding, the imam prays to God: "O God, lift the siege imposed on us.
O God, lift the siege imposed on our people and our Arab nation. O God,
destroy the unjust Jews. O God, avenge the blood of our martyrs."

Ramallah Voice of Palestine, official radio station of the Palestinian
Authority, at 0955 GMT carries a 14-minute live sermon from Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Shaykh Muhammad Husayn delivers the sermon. He praises God, the
messenger, and his companions, calling on people to obey God and to die as
Muslims. He says: "Another colonialist Crusade is under way to dominate the
Arab and Islamic countries under weak excuses, like the implementation of
Security Council resolutions on weapons of mass destruction in Iraq."
Denouncing plans to destroy the whole region, the imam also says: "The
United States and its supporters and allies are planning to destroy the
region, although Iraq has accepted the relevant Security Council's
resolutions and the inspectors are still looking for weapons of mass
destruction, but with no avail. Nevertheless, the United States, with the
support of its allies, is planning to launch a war against this Muslim
country." Assailing the Arab regimes, the imam says: "The Arab regimes'
defeatist positions encourage the enemies to commit aggression and carry out
their designs." The imam then condemns some Western press circles slandering
Prophet Muhammad, the imam says that such a behavior "shows these circles'
hatred to Islam, its prophet, and its nation, as well as their racism and
hatred to this genuine religion," urging the Islamic nation to defend its
religion. The upcoming devastating war, he says, "does not only target Iraq,
but also the whole region in a wicked plan to redraw the map of the region
in accordance with the ambitions of the invading colonialist." The imam
criticizes the Arab rulers' "negative stand" as unacceptable and urges the
Arab nation to stage demonstrations against the "aggressive war." Turning to
the Palestinian situation, he says that "martyrs are buried, the wounded and
treated, homes are demolished, cities are closed, villages are besieged, and
curfews are imposed," urging Palestinians to close their ranks.

Concluding, the imam prays to God: "O God, relieve Muslims everywhere of
their worries. O God, have us back to you, relieve Muslims, and grant them
faithful, merciful leaders to close their ranks and score victory."

SYRIA:

Damascus Syrian Arab Republic Radio in Arabic, official station of the
Syrian Government, at 0955 GMT carries a 20-minute live sermon from
Al-Rawdah Mosque in Damascus.

Shaykh Muhammad Abd-al-Rahman Barakat delivers the sermon. He praises
God, the messenger, and his companions, saying that the faithful worship God
and carry out their religious duties as a way to God's mercy and
forgiveness. He also says that Islam, as a monotheistic religion, is the
basis for the nation's dignity, brotherhood, security, courage, and
stability, citing relevant Koranic verses. The messenger, he says, scored
his victories through unity and cohesion among Muslims, adding that late
President Hafiz al-Asad launched the Corrective Movement to close the ranks
through popular organizations and the National Progressive Front in order to
preserve the homeland's dignity and "to liberate the land and the
sanctities." This, in turn, he says, "resulted in a clear victory over the
Zionist enemies during the 10 Ramadan war." Praising President Bashar
al-Asad, the imam says: "He has exerted every effort to achieve Arab and
Islamic solidarity. He also extended support to our kinfolk in the occupied
Arab territories in the face of the tyrannical Zionist enemy, which has
occupied the land, violated the forbidden, made the brothers and sisters
homeless, and killed children in conflict with the simplest principles of
humanity." The imam also praises the president's visits to big countries and
his talks with officials in the services of the homeland. During these
visits, he says, the president "stressed solidarity with the fraternal Iraqi
people and called for lifting injustice on them and sparing them another
disastrous war. He also stressed the Palestinian people's right to liberate
their land and to establish their independent state after putting an end to
occupation through all means." As a result, the imam goes on, the people and
the Arab nation are rallying around his leadership in order to attain the
cherished goals.

Concluding, the imam prays to God: "O God, help Arabs and Muslims score
victory over your enemy and their enemy and destroy the treacherous Zionists
and their followers. O God, support our mujahidin brothers in the occupied
Arab territories." He also beseeches God to support President Bashar al-Asad
and have mercy on late President Hafiz al-Asad.

IRAQ:

Baghdad Republic of Iraq Television in Arabic, official television
station of the Iraqi Government, at 0925 GMT carries a 23-minute live sermon
from Abd-al-Qadir al-Jaylani Mosque in Baghdad.

Shaykh Abd-al-Razzaq al-Sa'di delivers the sermon. He praises God, the
messenger, and his companions, calling on Muslims to worship and obey God
and urging the faithful to beware infidels and hypocrites. He says defeatism
in front of the enemy is a cardinal sin, criticizing those alleging that
"they cannot confront US tyranny and power." He urges these people to step
back and give room to those, who believe the opposite and who can lead the
nation to the right path under Islam. Addressing the Arab nation, the imam
warns Muslims that in the Hereafter, neither the United States nor others
will be of any use. He urges Arabs "not to help infidels or give them a
foothold on our land," reminding that those, who have betrayed God and his
messenger, will die some day and will be punished for their deeds. The imam
then beseeches God "to save the Islamic nation, including the Iraqis and the
Palestinians, from the evils of the Americans, Jews, Zionists, and Britons."
The imam also calls on all Muslims in both the East and the West "to stand
in the face of tyrant, unjust Americans," criticizing "conferences
discussing trivial matters" and denouncing Muslims carrying arms against
their Muslim brethren.

Concluding, the imam prays to God: "O God, support Islam and Muslims,
elevate justice and Islam, and help the faithful score victory over
infidels." He goes on: "O God, help your mujahidin servants in Palestine and
Iraq. O God, strengthen them and help them score victory over your enemy and
their enemy. O God, destroy unjust infidels, criminal Americans, and
aggressive Zionist Jews. O God, destroy them, shake the ground under them. O
God weaken them, disperse them, down their planes, and drown their ships."
The imam also beseeches God to help President Saddam Husayn confront
infidels and liberate Palestine.

QATAR:

Doha Qatar Television Service in Arabic, official television station of
the State of Qatar, at 0841 GMT carries a live sermon from Umar
Bin-al-Khattab Mosque in Doha.

An unidentified shaykh delivers the sermon. He praises God, the
messenger, and his companions, calling on each Muslim to stick to Islam and
to die as a Muslim and denouncing enemies for attempting to dissuade Muslims
from their religion and their culture. Citing a koranic verse, he says "Jews
and Christians will not be content until Muslims follow them." In modern
times, he says, "the enemies of Islam are trying to deviate Muslims from
Islam," recalling how the Crusaders dominated the region and tried to damage
Islam and how Muslims scored victory over them. Tartars, he says, were also
defeated and many of them entered Islam, stressing that Muslims will never
agree to live under the rule of non-Muslims. The enemies, he says, "are now
working to change ideas, doctrines, and values through sweet talk and
slogans," by using education, the media, and missionary schools in order to
change the Muslims' social life and system. Americans, he says, "want us to
change our values," forgetting the fact that Muslims have the Islamic law
and their own values and denouncing Western attempts to impose Western
values on Muslims.

Concluding, the imam prays to God: "O God, destroy the usurper Jews. O
God, shake the ground under them. O God, disperse them and let their plots
destroy them. O God, support our weak brothers in Palestine, Kashmir, and
elsewhere."