The Imam of Khaled Ibn Alwaleed Mosque in Albasteen district, Jeddah, started reasonably well. He denounced Iran's schemes and agents in the region, reminding us of their hegemony ambitions and exposed their plans to spread “fintnah” and ignite conflicts, as in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.
To this point, it was an acceptable and reasonable political analysis, if presented in a fair way! But then, he went right to the point he was preparing us for: The Sunni-Shiite divide.
While criticizing Iran for doing the same, he called Shiites the worst enemies of Islam. To drive the point home, he focused on religious differences, and attributed every horrendous deed any Shiite group or government has committed in history toward all sect followers. He even dared to call our "Decisive Storm" a holy war against them.
I raised the matter with a government official, who told me it was totally unacceptable. The conflict, he explained, is a political matter with Iran. The government of the Farsi nation is meddling destructively in Arab affairs. Their grand dreams of reinstating the Sassanian and Parthian Empire is not a secret anymore.
Ali Younasi, who was Iran's head of intelligence and lately adviser to President Hassan Rouhani, announced recently that the Grand Farsi Empire is back, and it had already controlled four Arab nations and that Baghdad would be returned as their historical capital, Ctesiphon. He assured his audience in a televised speech that Iran is occupying Iraq and will never let go.
The situation in Yemen, the Saudi official says, is an evidence of what Younasi revealed. They built up the Houthis in twenty years — training and arming them — to become dangerous militias and de-facto rulers of most of North Yemen. “This is not acceptable to the rest of the Yemenis and their legitimate, elected government, who called the GCC countries for help," the official says, “and it is not acceptable to us and the rest of the Arab and Muslim world as well because early on they threatened our nation and vowed to keep driving until they control holy Makkah and Madinah.”
For all these reasons, he explains, “we and allies had to act decisively. This is a war on the agents of death, destruction and anarchy. This is a war on the agents of Iran in a neighboring Arab country. Once stability and security is restored, we will go back to what we have always been doing — supporting the legitimate government and all people and sects without differentiating or siding with one group or the other.
“We will not tolerate any attempt to turn this noble cause into a sectarian war,” he emphasized, “for this is exactly what the Iranians want us to do.
This is exactly what they have been doing and spreading in the Arab and Muslim world, from Afghanistan to Nigeria. We have loyal, peaceful and productive Shiites citizens. They deserve our respect, protection and inclusion. Therefore, I am asking any and every one who hears the preachers of hate to report them with name, date and place, to regional governances or the Islamic Affairs Ministry.”
I believe the official has said it well. I would only add that if Iran was really about exporting Shiism and Islamic revolution and caring for world Shiites, they wouldn't have well-treated the Jewish minority and oppressed the Shiite Arabs in Al-Ahwas; sided with Christian Armenia against Shiite Azerbaijan; and endangering the peaceful coexistence of Shiite minorities in the Muslim world. Its an imperialist ambition dates back to pre-Islamic history.
To face this challenge, we need to support all oppressed people in and outside Iran. We also need to continue cutting the hands of its agents everywhere in the Arab and Muslim world. Meanwhile, our Shiite brethren should not be alienated.
What are your take, dear readers? Here's your comments on my last article.
Threat
“The Muslim Ummah supports the action taken by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman along with Arab countries, plus Turkey and Pakistan. This is a clear message to the Houthis and their masters. There should be no let-up until they are sent back to their mountain homes. There should be no negotiations with Ahmad Ali Saleh or Iran. The UN too should send a clear message.” Eng. Ismaeel Marikar
Wisdom and intuition
“As our life becomes more dynamic and less structured, intuition gains more and more recognition as an essential decision- making tool. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has recognized the best course of action and "Decisive Storm" was decisive and crucial by all means. Enough room was given for diplomatic solution but the ears of Ahmad Ali Saleh and company were deaf. The King's wisdom, intuitions and faith made him a very distinguished decision maker.” Dr. Abdullah AlKheliewi
Guns and peace
Nations bestowed with natural wealth should timely invest in uplifting the quality of human life of their neighbors to earn respect and loyalty, and not despots. Poverty produces ignorance and manipulation. Bali
Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi is a Saudi writer based in Jeddah. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him at Twitter:@kbatarfi
