Sudais Urges End to Tragedy in Iraq
P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News Staff

JEDDAH, 12 April 2003 — The imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah yesterday
urged the international community to take speedy action to end the human
tragedy in Iraq. He also urged Muslims to stand united in the face of
challenges.

“We call upon peace-loving people, protectors of legitimacy and advocates of
freedom and human rights to take action to end the human tragedy in Iraq
before people lose their confidence in the credibility of international
organizations,” Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais said.

Delivering his Friday sermon to nearly 500,000 faithful who thronged the
large mosque complex, the imam also called for immediate action to stop the
bloodshed in both Iraq and Palestine. “The killing of civilians, destruction
of property, looting and robberies must stop,” Sudais said.

He called for peaceful solutions to conflicts, based on wisdom and justice
as well and international charters that honor the sovereignty of nations.

Sheikh Sudais expressed his fear that the war against Iraq would plunge the
region into uncertainty. “Wars only breed wars and aggravate clashes of
civilizations,” he warned.

Sudais urged Muslims to stand firm in the face of crises. “The Ummah has
witnessed several painful events and crises in recent years and has emerged
victorious. Crises are a reminder for the careless and a lesson for the
faithful,” the imam said.

The imam called on Muslims to study the causes of the defeat in Iraq and
urged them not to lose faith “in the ultimate victory of Islam.”

Sheikh Sudais also appealed for unity in Saudi Arabia, insisting that only
authorized Islamic scholars should issue fatwas, or religious edicts. Public
sentiment in Saudi Arabia has been strongly against the US-led war against
Iraq.

The imam said the massive deaths and destruction in Iraq caused by the
US-led campaign had shocked peace-loving people around the world.

Sheikh Sudais advised Muslims to be cautious about rumors, “which are like
dangerous and destructive weapons, and weaken the unity of ranks and damage
relations between the rulers and the ruled.” The imam also warned Muslims
against hasty decisions. “Reason should prevail over emotions,” he said.

Sudais called upon the international community to stop the Zionist Israeli
forces which have stepped up their brutal campaign against Palestinian
civilians while the world was preoccupied with the Iraq war.

Abdul Bari Al-Thubaithy, the imam of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, also
urged Muslims to be confident of the victory offered by God. “Don’t be
disappointed and depressed,” he said and cited Qur’anic verses concerning
God’s destruction of tyrants and aggressors in the past.

Courtesy: ARAB NEWS



With the very best of good wishes,
Musa Amadu Pembo
Glasgow,
Scotland
UK.
[log in to unmask]
Da’wah is to convey the message with wisdom and with good words. We should
give the noble and positive message of Islam. We should try to emphasize
more commonalities and explain the difference without getting into
theological arguments and without claiming the superiority of one position
over the other. There is a great interest among the people to know about
Islam and we should do our best to give the right message.
May Allah,Subhana Wa Ta'Ala,guide us all to His Sirat Al-Mustaqim (Righteous
Path).May He protect us from the evils of this life and the hereafter.May
Allah,Subhana Wa Ta'Ala,grant us entrance to paradise .
We ask Allaah the Most High, the All-Powerful, to teach us that which will
benefit us, and to benefit us by that which we learn. May Allaah Subhanahu
Wa Ta'ala grant blessings and peace to our Prophet Muhammad and his family
and
companions..Amen.




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