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DE RUEHJI #0399/01 1511317
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FM AMCONSUL JEDDAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9209
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1406
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 1484
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 6541
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JEDDAH 000399 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
RIYADH, PLEASE PASS TO DHAHRAN, DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP; 
PARIS FOR ZEYA; LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2016 
TAGS: KISL KPAL PREL SA SCUL
SUBJECT: MOSQUE SERMONS FROM SAUDI ARABIA, MAY 26:  EASTERN 
IMAM REPROACHES SHI'A FOR BETRAYING ISLAM; MECCAN SAYS ONLY 
GOD, NOT SONS, BRING CONTENTMENT; AND FROM MEDINA 
REPENTANCE AND PLEA FOR PALESTINIANS AND IRAQIS 
 
REF: JEDDAH 389 
 
JEDDAH 00000399  001.7 OF 002 
 
 
Classified By: Acting Consul General Hector Morales, for 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
FROM THE EASTERN PROVINCE:  IMAM "RELUCTANTLY" DENOUNCES SHI'A 
 
¶1.  (C) Speaking at the Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal Mosque in 
Al-Khobar on May 26, Shaikh Mohammad al-Qahtani devoted both 
his sermons solely to an indictment of Shi'a for what he 
perceives is their unmitigated hostility toward all things 
Sunni and making common cause with the West in its war 
against Sunni Muslims.  The source expressed some surprise 
that the imam was still free after his pointed attack on the 
Saudi government last week (reftel).  This week, the imam 
began by apologizing to his listeners for bringing up "with 
extreme reluctance," the matter of Shi'ite animosity toward 
Sunnis.  He claimed that he had striven to avoid the subject 
for a long time, but announced "enough is enough."  He 
described to the congregation the ill-will Shi'ites harbor 
toward Sunnis.  Shi'ites, in his opinion, view Sunnis as evil 
and unworthy of respect.  "Shi'ites," he insisted, "use the 
airwaves, the print media and the internet to portray Sunnis 
as extremists, fundamentalists and terrorists."  He accused 
them of joining the West in labeling Sunnis as Wahabists, 
although he declared that "I am proud to be one... as we all 
should be!"  The imam exonerated the "ordinary Shi'ites on 
the street," but condemned the "evil poison that the sect's 
political leadership and religious scholars (disseminate,) 
polluting the air and sullying the Sunni Muslim's image." 
 
SHI'A BETRAY MUSLIM COUNTRIES TO THE WEST 
 
¶2.  (C) The imam continued on the theme in his second sermon, 
adding the charge that the Shi'a have "sold out Iraq and 
Afghanistan to America and the West, with other Muslim 
countries soon to be delivered on silver platters."  He 
testified that "Shi'ites are working very hard, hand-in-hand 
with the West to destroy or at least weaken and undermine the 
Sunnis."  He then denounced Shi'as for treachery and 
betraying the Muslim faith.  He denied that Shi'as have the 
right to question the legitimacy of Sunni Islam and by so 
doing, mocking the prophet's companions, insisting "a faith 
that attaches more importance to individuals than the Creator 
cannot be monotheistic and, thus, represent true Islam." 
 
SHI'A IN IRAQ WAR AGAINST SUNNI 
 
¶3.  (C) Al-Qahtani then enumerated the crimes of the Shi'a in 
Iraq.  He claimed the Shi'a are murdering and maiming 
innocent Sunnis, including women and children, asserting that 
the bodies of dead Sunnis strewn in the streets and alleyways 
of Iraq bore marks of torture.  His inflammatory rhetoric 
continued with the assertion that the Shi'a view Sunnis as 
less than human. 
 
... AND MORE NEXT WEEK 
 
¶4.  (C) The imam concluded his lecture with the promise that 
he would return to this subject next week. 
 
FROM MECCA:  ONLY GOD, NOT WEALTH OR EVEN SONS CAN GUARANTEE 
CONTENTMENT 
 
¶5.  (U) Speaking at the Holy Mosque in Mecca, Shaykh Sa'ud 
Ibrahim al-Shuraym delivered a comparatively uncontroversial 
sermon addressing the subject of contentment, although his 
message reflected the prejudices of Saudi society.  The imam 
began by praising God and urging Muslims to obey God and 
avoid what was forbidden.  The homily continued, "all logical 
persons seek peace of mind."  He noted that some believed 
that peace of mind and contentment "can be found in money, 
social prestige, or sons."  Although these are important, he 
conceded, "many rich and high ranking people are unhappy and 
suffer from sadness and psychological disorder."  In 
contrast, "some people with no money, no social prestige, and 
no sons are happy and enjoy peace of mind."  He ended with 
the argument that "faith in God and contentment are the best 
way to happiness in life because the faithful focuses his 
thought and his eye on noble issues." 
 
JEDDAH 00000399  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
FAITH IN GOD ALLOWS MAN TO ENDURE 
 
¶6.  (U) With faith and contentment, the imam contended, "man 
(can) face and overcome the storms of life.  In this age, 
which is full of sedition, evils, and disasters, people need 
to declare their contentment with God as the Creator, with 
Islam as a religion and with Muhammad, ... as messenger." 
This contentment (and faith) should govern a Muslim's actions 
in daily affairs, government, the economy and society. 
 
RELIGION IS THE PATH TO CONTENTMENT 
 
¶7.  (U) The imam then summarized: "The spread of contentment 
with God's religion on His land is the best way for Muslim 
societies to attain happiness.  If the nation glorifies its 
religion and accepts it as a fair judge in all affairs, it 
will succeed and be guided to the right path.  Religion is 
necessary, like water and air.  Any nation neglecting its 
religion will lose its greatest energy and block the factors 
of its success in both life and in the hereafter."  The 
absence of religion "leads to confusion, fragmentation, 
humiliation, panic, and chaos.  Islam," the imam stressed, 
"is fit for all times and places," because it is a religion 
of mercy, strength, honesty, and obedience to God.  "Islam is 
an eternal, perfect religion that cannot be harmed or shaken 
in any way." 
 
¶8.  (U) The imam's second sermon was a resume of his first. 
It concluded with a prayer asking "God strengthen Islam and 
Muslims, humiliate atheism and atheists.  O God support your 
religion, your book, and your prophet's Sunna."  He also 
asked God to grant success to Saudi leaders. 
 
FROM MEDINA:  GOD FORGIVES THE REPENTANT 
 
¶9.  (U) On that same day in the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, 
Shaykh Salah al-Budayr's sermon dealt with the subject of 
repentance.  He told the congregation that obeying God was 
the way to salvation.  "The faithful," he admitted, "are not 
immune against sin, mistake, or guilt."  He comforted his 
listeners, saying "God forgives the repentant.  (S)inners 
return to the rightness of Islam, so that they can get rid of 
unhappiness, panic and loss, and the best way to repentance 
is to plead guilty, to abandon disobedience to God, and not 
to do injustice to other people anymore." 
 
PRAYER TO GOD TO SUPPORT WEAK MUSLIMS IN IRAQ AND AGAINST 
USURPER JEWS IN PALESTINE 
 
¶10.  (U)  Al-Budayr's second sermon also addressed the theme 
of repentance, urging Muslims to repent before it is too 
late.  His terminal prayer asked "God to forgive Muslims and 
to grant success to the Saudi monarch."  He also pled "God, 
support our weak brothers in Palestine against the usurper 
Jews.  O God, grant wisdom to our brothers in Iraq." 
Morales