By Catherine Shakdam
Of the many and grave abominable crimes the House of Saud committed over the centuries: from the pillage of Karbala at the turn of the 19th century, to the destruction of Medina’s historical heritage, and the systematic disappearing of the Hijaz vibrant religious traditions, it is al-Saud’s latest stunt against Yemen’s Resistance Movement which echoes most vulgar and despicable.
Sitting atop its self-righteous Wahhabist throne, the kingdom claimed in late October that the Houthis of Yemen attempted to hit the holy city of Mecca in a missile attack. Grand-standing on their self-proclaimed religious sanctity – the so-called keepers of Islam, those so-called guardians of a tradition Wahhabism has tried so very hard to obliterate in the name of puritanism, manifested a lie into existence in a desperate bid to garner sympathies and deflect from their own ignominy … and the world went along with it.
Without so much a shred of evidence, against good conscious, and I would personally add against rational thinking, mainstream media acted Riyahd’s echo-chamber, crying outrage over an affront which never was.
Has the world lost its mind so completely that insanity can be served on a platter and called truth by the power of one lunatic regime? Are we seriously expected to rise to the defence of al-Saud for they have argued that Mecca’s sanctity was allegedly almost breached by those devilish Houthis, the kingdom has long branded as apostates for they speak a tradition its clergy abhor most of all?
Riyadh forbids you see any contention to its religious diktat. The House of Saud ambitions you see to imprint on Islam in the same manner it imprinted on the Hejaz as it branded its name on both a land and a people. Who are the Saudis today but the followers of al-Saud – this one house hailing from the sands of Nejd?
Crazy talks ….
But is it? Is it really crazy to look upon the political construct of Saudi Arabia and not recognise a blind hatred for all that denies al-Saud’s absolute power over mind and matter? Is it insanity to look upon the kingdom and recoil before the radicalism it rose upon the Islamic world while calling it holy?
Have you ever wondered what ires the kingdom so, that when it looks upon Yemen, Iran, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq it is heresy its clergy cries?
Have you ever considered that al-Saud’s real reproach against Shia Islam, is not theological but rather feudal? It is obedience the kingdom craves. It is political and religious absolutism Nejd want to forever commands so that the Shias of Muhammad could be renamed the Shias of Saud …
In this construct such names as Imam Ali, Imam Hassan, Imam Hussain and the long line of Imams which hail from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, the prophet of Islam have to be denied, rewritten, and altogether forgotten. It is legitimacy the kingdom demands to its name even though legitimacy was appointed to another. Another House … another blood line … another tradition, a Truth build not on fear and oppression but just liberation.
This charade Riyadh weaved against Yemen’s Resistance only serves to reaffirm its determination to pervert Islam’s holy sites and rise them a weapon when they should stand a call for Justice.
“There has been widespread condemnation of the attempt by Houthi militias to strike the Holy City of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, Al-Resalah has reported. The Saudi government revealed on October 27, 2016 that its forces had intercepted a “ballistic missile” 65 kilometres from the city. It was fired by the Houthis, it claimed.
“The Houthis and Saleh’s militiamen did not care about the holy sites and targeted the city from where Islam sprang and to which all Muslims in the world turn their faces during their prayers,” commented Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir.
Right on cue, Yemeni Foreign Minister in exile, Abdel-Malik al-Mikhlafi, accused the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh of “trying to ignite a regional war” by targeting “honourable Mecca.”
And then of course there was the Committee of Supreme Scholars in Saudi Arabia, “Targeting [Mecca and Madinah] is a massive crime.” It is, the Ulema added, evidence of Iran’s intention behind planting the Houthis in Yemen.
Hmmm … so let me recap that for you: any attack on the sanctity of Mecca and Medina – Islam’s two holiest of cities, constitute a crime so grave that it serves as proof of Iran’s guilt? Am I reading this correctly? Iran is guilty because only IT could imagine such a terrible attack against Islam? Is that an accusation or a drug-induced sectarian slur?
Has anyone bothered to acknowledge the fact that Yemen Resistance never actually targeted Mecca, or Medina for that matter? Why would Yemen even consider hitting Islam’s holy sites?
Unless of course Riyadh’s accusation is meant as a challenge of Yemen’s religiosity … Painting Yemen as the great big bad infidel would make things so much easier for the kingdom. Think about it: should Saudi Arabia succeed in dehumanizing the Yemenis, worse still, should it conflates its war against Yemen with a righteous Islamic crusade against dangerous heretics its officials would no longer have to rationalise their brutal genocide of civilian populations.
Should the world be made to equate non-Wahhabi Islam with criminality, Riyadh’s radical clergy could forever redact Islam’s traditions, and History to claim its interpretation holiest.
Has the world been hit by general amnesia?
Those very sites, Riyadh claims to defend against Yemen’s Resistance, it itself raided, looted and burnt. Of that of course no one makes mention of!
The religious tradition al-Saud claims to represent, speak for and protect, its princes and kings have perverted, sold and disappeared – to the point whereIslamic History has become sole property of the king.
So no Yemen’s Resistance Movement did not target Mecca or Medina … Yemen does not want to see Islam’s holy sites burn … if anything they would like Islam to be liberated from the yoke of tyranny.
If anyone has taken a sledge-hammer to both Mecca and Medina it is al-Saud Royals. Actually no it is much more than that! The Saudi monarchy has been responsible for the destruction of several religious traditions, and no power so far has dared offer but a whisper in condemnation!
Where was Muslims’ outrage when al-Baqee al-Baqee cemetery in Medina was reduced to rubbles? What does the world remember of the Christians of Najran and the Jewish tribes of Medina? Nothing of course since the kingdom disappeared all traces of their existence.
Who spoke against the violations Mecca has endured, and continues to endure under the “care” of the grand holy kingdom of Wahhabi Saudi Arabia?
How many holy doors were brought down, and martyrs made that we are not allowed to mention?
How many shrines, prophets’ tombs, churches, synagogues and mosques have been brought down by Wahhabism amid deafening silence?
By Catherine Shakdam – Director of Programs for the Shafaqna Institute for Middle Eastern Studies. This article also appeared in the Huffington Post
But is it? Is it really crazy to look upon the political construct of Saudi Arabia and not recognise a blind hatred for all that denies al-Saud’s absolute power over mind and matter? Is it insanity to look upon the kingdom and recoil before the radicalism it rose upon the Islamic world while calling it holy?
Have you ever wondered what ires the kingdom so, that when it looks upon Yemen, Iran, Bahrain, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq it is heresy its clergy cries?
Have you ever considered that al-Saud’s real reproach against Shia Islam, is not theological but rather feudal? It is obedience the kingdom craves. It is political and religious absolutism Nejd want to forever commands so that the Shias of Muhammad could be renamed the Shias of Saud …
In this construct such names as Imam Ali, Imam Hassan, Imam Hussain and the long line of Imams which hail from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, the prophet of Islam have to be denied, rewritten, and altogether forgotten. It is legitimacy the kingdom demands to its name even though legitimacy was appointed to another. Another House … another blood line … another tradition, a Truth build not on fear and oppression but just liberation.
This charade Riyadh weaved against Yemen’s Resistance only serves to reaffirm its determination to pervert Islam’s holy sites and rise them a weapon when they should stand a call for Justice.
“There has been widespread condemnation of the attempt by Houthi militias to strike the Holy City of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, Al-Resalah has reported. The Saudi government revealed on October 27, 2016 that its forces had intercepted a “ballistic missile” 65 kilometres from the city. It was fired by the Houthis, it claimed.
“The Houthis and Saleh’s militiamen did not care about the holy sites and targeted the city from where Islam sprang and to which all Muslims in the world turn their faces during their prayers,” commented Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir.
Right on cue, Yemeni Foreign Minister in exile, Abdel-Malik al-Mikhlafi, accused the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh of “trying to ignite a regional war” by targeting “honourable Mecca.”
And then of course there was the Committee of Supreme Scholars in Saudi Arabia, “Targeting [Mecca and Madinah] is a massive crime.” It is, the Ulema added, evidence of Iran’s intention behind planting the Houthis in Yemen.
Hmmm … so let me recap that for you: any attack on the sanctity of Mecca and Medina – Islam’s two holiest of cities, constitute a crime so grave that it serves as proof of Iran’s guilt? Am I reading this correctly? Iran is guilty because only IT could imagine such a terrible attack against Islam? Is that an accusation or a drug-induced sectarian slur?
Has anyone bothered to acknowledge the fact that Yemen Resistance never actually targeted Mecca, or Medina for that matter? Why would Yemen even consider hitting Islam’s holy sites?
Unless of course Riyadh’s accusation is meant as a challenge of Yemen’s religiosity … Painting Yemen as the great big bad infidel would make things so much easier for the kingdom. Think about it: should Saudi Arabia succeed in dehumanizing the Yemenis, worse still, should it conflates its war against Yemen with a righteous Islamic crusade against dangerous heretics its officials would no longer have to rationalise their brutal genocide of civilian populations.
Should the world be made to equate non-Wahhabi Islam with criminality, Riyadh’s radical clergy could forever redact Islam’s traditions, and History to claim its interpretation holiest.
Has the world been hit by general amnesia?
Those very sites, Riyadh claims to defend against Yemen’s Resistance, it itself raided, looted and burnt. Of that of course no one makes mention of!
The religious tradition al-Saud claims to represent, speak for and protect, its princes and kings have perverted, sold and disappeared – to the point whereIslamic History has become sole property of the king.
So no Yemen’s Resistance Movement did not target Mecca or Medina … Yemen does not want to see Islam’s holy sites burn … if anything they would like Islam to be liberated from the yoke of tyranny.
If anyone has taken a sledge-hammer to both Mecca and Medina it is al-Saud Royals. Actually no it is much more than that! The Saudi monarchy has been responsible for the destruction of several religious traditions, and no power so far has dared offer but a whisper in condemnation!
Where was Muslims’ outrage when al-Baqee al-Baqee cemetery in Medina was reduced to rubbles? What does the world remember of the Christians of Najran and the Jewish tribes of Medina? Nothing of course since the kingdom disappeared all traces of their existence.
Who spoke against the violations Mecca has endured, and continues to endure under the “care” of the grand holy kingdom of Wahhabi Saudi Arabia?
How many holy doors were brought down, and martyrs made that we are not allowed to mention?
How many shrines, prophets’ tombs, churches, synagogues and mosques have been brought down by Wahhabism amid deafening silence?
By Catherine Shakdam – Director of Programs for the Shafaqna Institute for Middle Eastern Studies. This article also appeared in the Huffington Post
No comments:
Post a Comment