[Hamoudeh]

Apologies, double post.

[Hamoudeh]

I'm sorry, I tried to view Galloway's video but never made it to the first minute. This man is absolutely delusional and an insult to the Libyan people, who like the Syrian people, he cares nothing about. Black people swinging from trees in nine emirates? La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. He is an insult to all Africans. I followed the Libyan revolution with personal interest, although obviously not the same as now with Syria, for we have a Libyan Shaykh here who could offer insights that few others could, but without all of that it only takes some thoughtfulness, putting in a little effort and paying attention to understand what happened in Ghaddafi's personal madhouse called the "Jamahiriyya" [non-existing word, Ghaddafi's invention] of Libya and why exactly the people revolted against him. Kudos to Galloway though, the Tuareg tribesmen hired by Ghaddafi as mercenaries and armed to the teeth didn't exactly swing from trees, but went on to hook up with the local al-Qa`ida, separate from Mali and establish Azawad. Then the Qa`idists became too strong and took over, and now Timbuktu is being tombraided and terrorized. And Libya? Free and "Liberal"! Like the sister from the Arabiya commercial says, Libya democratia, Libya hukme qanun!

[Hamoudeh]

For the rest of the list [40 Mosques I counted so far]

Assad’s War on Mosques
http://freehalab.wor...war-on-mosques/

Hasbun Allah wa-nim`a l-Wakil

[someone50]

Hamoudeh, on 30 July 2012 - 03:24 PM, said:

Assalamu `Alaykum

If you mean through military means, very little, though perhaps more so through unofficial channels than official ones. Turkey has had a more prominent role considering their hosting of the FSA leadership and allowing certain things to take place on their territory. Something significant happened in the US a few days ago, where they now legally allow for the FSA to collect money for weapons.

Sheik Imran Hosein on armed "Syrian Opposition"

[Husayni]

Thank you for your replies Hamoudeh..

Can you tell us the difference between FSA and SNC ?

[Hamoudeh]

someone50, on 05 August 2012 - 07:59 AM, said:

Sheik Imran Hosein on armed "Syrian Opposition"

Absolute nonsense, and not the first time either. But that's fine, if defending yourself and your people against the onslaught of this Hitlerist, Stalinist regime is terrorism, then viva terrorism!

Husayni, on 05 August 2012 - 12:09 PM, said:

Can you tell us the difference between FSA and SNC ?

The FSA is an army, the SNC (Syrian National Council) is a political alliance between various opposition parties.

[Hamoudeh]

The Struggle of Shaykh As`ad al-Kahil
http://freehalab.wor...-asad-al-kahil/

Also new:

The Call of Imam Zaid Shakir to Support of the Syrian People
http://freehalab.wor...-syrian-people/

The Call of Shaykh al-Qurra’ Krayyim Rajeh
http://freehalab.wor...-the-mujahidin/

[Hamoudeh]

Shaykh Mahmoud Abul Huda al-Husayni - one of the Shadhili Shaykhs of Halab - Supporting the Syrian Revolution
http://freehalab.wor...the-revolution/

I think there are some people here who would know him, have seen him, and perhaps even met him. Please note how he speaks about what those "American-Zionist-Wahhabi-Martian" rebels have been doing to the neighbourhood, with all the cleaning and civility and positive leaflets and committees and what not. Our people must be longing back to the filth, corruption and oppression of the Ba`athist fascists.

The Struggle of Shaykh Mahmoud al-Dalati of Homs
http://freehalab.wor...dalati-of-homs/

Since I had trouble finding people even resembling Wahhabis all those times in Syria, those crowds demanding Jihad against the regime must have been flown in from Saudi and dropped right onto the square.

[Hamoudeh]

The Struggle of Shaykh Ahmad Siyasna, Imam of the Revolution in Der`a
http://freehalab.wor...lution-in-dara/

Has Salaheddin fallen to the regime?
http://freehalab.wor...mains-standing/

[Hamoudeh]

Homs: Before and After
http://freehalab.wor...fore-and-after/



Shaykh Mouaz al-Khatib’s Courageous Call for Freedom in the Face of Oppression
http://freehalab.wor...-of-oppression/

[Hamoudeh]

Ezaz: Another Massacre, Another Escalation
http://freehalab.wor...her-escalation/




From Hama 1982 to Homs 2012
http://freehalab.wor...2-to-homs-2012/


The Release of Shaykh Ahmad Shumays
http://freehalab.wor...-ahmad-shumays/

Shaykh Ya`qoubi: The regime is an enemy of itself
http://freehalab.wor...nemy-of-itself/



Shaykh Adnan al-Saqqa, Imam of the Revolution in Homs
http://freehalab.wor...lution-in-homs/



Mufti of al-Bab (Aleppo), Shaykh Ahmad al-Nasaan warns the regime
http://freehalab.wor...rns-the-regime/

[Hamoudeh]

Statements from the Scholars of Homs
http://freehalab.wor...holars-of-homs/

[Hamoudeh]

Qadi `Askar, Aleppo City: Another Sickening Massacre
http://freehalab.wor...ening-massacre/

Another day, another 200 people killed by Assad. Of those, about 40 people were killed in what is yet another sickening massacre which took place today in Qadi `Askari, Aleppo city. People have so far been massacred in funerals, in demonstrations, in their homes. This time, all the martyrs of Qadi `Askari did was stand in line for bread as they were hit by another bombardment in the city.

[yabaniadam]

someone50, on 05 August 2012 - 07:59 AM, said:

Sheik Imran Hosein on armed "Syrian Opposition"

He also said on the full-length video

"The mumin are the ones who have faith in the heart, not the barbarians who are dropping bombs indiscriminately on little children, women and on massjids. They have no shame. No (Islamic) ethnics of warfare"

This is the Islamic guideline, it is not disputable.

In another video, advice to syrian rebels

Imran Hossein says that "The sunni majority in Syria, should want to seek liberation from the minority sect (Alawi), it is only natural..but the timing is chosen by the Zionist to be part of the Arab spring which is meant to blossom into a zionist summer". The Zionist effort is made to overthrow the government, whilst a legitimate effort is required by the Sunni Muslims of Syria.

His suggestion is to - (as our prophet (pbuh) prophesied we would) - make an alliance with Rum/Russia, not with the Zionists. Please listen to these lectures.

[Hamoudeh]

First I'm glad that he acknowledges the barbarism of this regime. Our revolution however is not against any minority rule but against this barbarism. Sectarianism is not the call of our scholars, the FSA, activists, opposition parties or the people at large. The reasons for this are many, but the irony is that such a sectarian call belongs to the Wahhabis. As for the timing, it was not chosen by any zionists, they are not gods, it started when parents decided to stand up against the regime's kidnapping and torture of their children in Dar`a, March 2011, and it naturally developped into what we see today in the course of a year and a half. They are also not overthrowing anything, the people are. Silence is appropriate when ignorance prevails, nothing more than the condemnation of the regime's barbarism is justified. So I ask again: are the people of Syria, their sons who are the FSA, terrorists? If they are, then I don't understand what the problem is with being indiscriminately bombed, for when you do something about it apparently you are a terrorist. Only then it would make sense to ally the Russians (Rum, seriously?) who have manufactured and supplied the entire Assad arsenal: planes, choppers, tanks, mortars, bombs, bullets, you name it they made it. With all due respect, there is no compare of these words that are out of sync with reality, expressed by an Islamic author of conspiracy books, to the words of Shaykh al-Qurra' and the Mashayekh of the Rifa`i, Shazili and Naqshbandi Tariqas who have lived what others only hear about. Anyone still believe in the Abdal of Syria or are those just legends that come up in talks? How about we make an alliance with them instead?




Shaykh Mahmoud al-Hout Has Had Enough!
http://freehalab.wor...has-had-enough/



Memory Lane: Hadra with Shaykh Mahmoud Abul Huda al-Husayni
http://freehalab.wor...23/memory-lane/



Shaykh Jamaluddin Serawan and the Assoc. of Syrian Scholars
http://freehalab.wor...yrian-scholars/



The Sons and Students of the late Shaykh al-Qurra Bakri al-Tarabishi
http://freehalab.wor...i-al-tarabishi/

[Hamoudeh]

Daraya: the largest massacre on the bloodiest day yet
http://freehalab.wor...odiest-day-yet/



Assad Resumes Bombardment of Damascus
http://freehalab.wor...nt-of-damascus/



Amnesty Reports from Aleppo
http://freehalab.wor...ts-from-aleppo/

[Qadri-Jilani]

Salam and jazakAllah brother Hamoudeh for all all the information, clearly you have put a lot of effort into keep up to date and informing others about what is going on. Looking at the awful destruction of the mazaaraat of the awliya in Libya (not to mention Somalia, Mali, Egypt etc.), are you not at all concerned that similar (even if not to the same level) could happen in Syria? No one expected this could happen in Libya so what can we expect will come after the fall of Assad?

[Hamoudeh]

Wa-`alaykum salam wa-rahmatullah

Of course I'm concerned brother, about many things. For decades, every war in which Muslims have been involved has attracted Wahhabi extremists, and every time they had the chance they sought to take advantage of the situation and put their views to practice. In the past few years this meant going on a rampage against the shrines of the Awliya' and that's indeed what we've seen in Somalia, Egypt, Mali and Libya. What recently happened in Libya could have been expected because it started over a year ago already. What I personally didn't expect was the scale and ease of it all, though there is a lot to be said about that. This was different in Somalia where it eventually lead to the opening of a new front (see: ) and Egypt where vigilance amongst the Tariqas has prevented much damage being done. Mali has a very different story: Qaddafi's heavily armed Tuareg mercenaries returned to Mali after his defeat and allied the local al-Qa`ida to establish Azawad, when they did al-Qa`ida turned on them and took control over Timbuktu and went on a rampage. So what about Syria then? A few general things:

1. The Syrian people are fighting for their very survival; concerns about the future are a luxury, there is no future for anyone for as long as the regime is able to continue its genocide and total destruction of the country. So whoever is concerned about the future, should be concerned about having one first. This can't be stressed enough because the scale and savagery is absolutely beyond words.

2. If we are concerned about the future of the shrines of the Awliya', we also have to be concerned about the Awliya' being waged war against right now, as they are being hunted down, murdered or chased out of the country. We have to be concerned about the dozens of Mosques, many of them historical and containing shrines, that already have been and continue to be destroyed and desecrated in Syria. If we worry about what Wahhabis might do in the future, we have to be worry about what the open enemies and haters of Islam, Assad's Shabbiha and his elite forces, have already been doing for a year and a half. All of this and so much more is the reality of this regime's war against Syria; we cannot ignore it yet at the same time be concerned about what the future might bring.

3. The Assad regime is the first one responsible for any rise of Wahhabism in Syria. First they made the whole thing up, and then actively worked to make it a reality in various ways. On the one hand they completely denied any real, including Sunni, opposition and in order for that to become a reality they tried to kill them all. One the one hand the opposition was al-Qa`ida, and in order for that to become a reality they sought to bring al-Qa`ida into the country. This tactic of turning fantasies into realities has been part of the regime's strategy since the beginning. The idea is that it gets a life of its own at some point, and then actually becomes the reality so much that it overshadows whatever the regime has been doing. Anything can happen this way.

4. The longer it takes to remove this regime from power, the grimmer the future looks. With every passing day, things have been getting worse and continue to get worse. That the regime is directly making it worse through their incredible savagery should be clear, but all of this has many consequences for Syrian society on numerous other levels as well. When the entire social fabric has been destroyed, when there is no security or food, when religion has been removed by force and there are no scholars, no Mosques, no schools, not everyone will still have the strength needed to stand up for what's right at some point. The Syrian people are not Wahhabis and greatly value their religious heritage. The same applies for the Syrian opposition and for the FSA. Scholars and students have been an important part of this revolution. But when their own brothers, and in fact the whole world, just leaves them to themselves in this struggle for survival in the face of this insane tyranny, and they aren't able to defend themselves, their families, their homes and their Mosques, how are they going to be able to defend the shrines in them from yet another enemy?

Besides the entire Assad regime, there are now a couple of hundred armed Qa`idists who came into the country and who potentially pose a danger to the shrines. Perhaps there are a few hundred or more Syrians who joined them as well. If they decide to attack a shrine tomorrow, with or without Assad's help, who is going to do something about it? If people coming from the outside to destroy shrines, and the Syrians are helpless, shouldn't those who are concerned be doing something about that? I'm not sure how much appreciated that would be though, people seeing a bunch of armed men guarding a shrine while bombs are falling everywhere. But at least it would be something.

Back to the present:

HRW: The Bread Line Massacres
http://freehalab.wor...line-massacres/

[WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES]

[Hamoudeh]

On Libya:

http://www.facebook....252805031506652
Please read and share the following statement by ‘Umar Mawlud ‘Abdalhamid, a member of the League of Libyan `Ulama’, concerning the recent wave of destruction of tombs and places of worship at the hands of some Libyans who claim themselves to be Salafis:

28 August 2012

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace

Statement by the League of Libyan Ulema

Regarding the Assault on Libya’s Mosques and Mausoleums

Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings on the Prophet Muhammad, his Family, and his Companions.

The Libyan revolution, which was launched on February 17th of last year, initially sought to achieve legitimate goals through peaceful means. Despite the fact that the government was flagrantly killing innocent Libyan men while carrying out sexual assaults on Libyan women, many young men remained in their homes, under the influence of scholars who argued that the government was legitimate, and accordingly, rising up against it was an act of sedition.

Only after the Lord granted the revolutionaries victory did these youth join the fray, trying to present themselves as leaders of the movement – this despite the fact that up until that moment (and even afterwards) they had allied themselves with Saadi Gaddafi who financed the establishment of a puritanical Salafi school for them in one of the mosques of Tripoli.

This group has repeatedly attempted to undermine the stability of our country to achieve their fiendish goals. To this end, they have set off bombs at the tombs of saints, destroyed places of worship, burned down religious schools, pillaged libraries with rare and priceless manuscripts, and abducted and tortured dozens of those whose only crime was to refute their errors or stop their destruction, as in Zliten. In this, the more radical elements of the security apparatus have been complicit.

These renegades are inspired by a school of thought foreign to our venerable and indigenous traditions, a school of thought comprised of the most errant positions at odds with the teachings of the vast majority of Muslim scholars.

Assaulting a tomb and exhuming its inhabitant is a grave sin in Islam. The classical jurist Malik narrated in his Muwatta that the Prophet (peace be upon him) cursed those who dig up the graves of others.[1] Similarly, the Prophet (pbuh) declared, “Breaking the bone of a dead Muslim is as grave as breaking their bone when they are alive.”[2] And at the funeral of the Prophet’s wife Maymouna, Ibn Abbas firmly instructed the pall-bearers: “When you raise up the bier, make sure not to let it shake back and forth, but carry it with the utmost care.”[3] It should go without saying that digging up someone’s body and blowing up their grave is that much more blasphemous. [4]

These renegades claim that visiting the mausoleums of the saints amounts to idolatry, a position which contradicts the Prophet (pbuh)’s saying that “While I used to forbid you from visiting people’s graves, feel free to do so now, since visiting them is a good remembrance of one’s own mortality”[5] not to mention that it contradicts the well-established practice of Muslim society from its very beginnings. To the extent that there are some people who pray to these saints to the exclusion of God, this is due to their own ignorance and does not in any way call for the destruction of these sites or the murder of its attendants.

The Grand Mufti of Libya recently published a fatwa legitimizing the destruction of mosques built around a tomb; this fatwa is inappropriate for several reasons. First of all, the mufti should well know that all tombs in Libya, without exception, which are attached to a mosque are separated from the actual prayer area by a wall. Secondly, the mufti bases his fatwa on the isolated position of the medieval jurist Ibn Taymiyya, whom he describes as “the great sage of Islam (shaykh al-Islam)” – as if there have not been scores of scholars who have shared this encomium. The fact is that the vast majority of Muslim scholars have found no problem with having a tomb adjoin a mosque in the manner found in our society. And in any case, the Great Mosque of Medina contains not only the tomb of our Prophet (pbuh), but those of his close Companions Abu Bakr and Umar – and not a single Muslim from the Prophet’s generation ever suggested that their bodies be moved out of the mosque precinct or that the mosque should be relocated. Furthermore, the fact that the Companions debated whether to bury the Prophet (pbuh) beneath his pulpit only underlines the acceptability of this. And the Prophet himself (pbuh) commanded that “A prophet should be buried wherever he breathes his last.” [6] And Lady Ayesha, who was well-versed in Islamic law, would perform her prayers next to his grave. Thirdly, the mufti has contravened the position of the dominant school of law here in Libya – namely, the Maliki school – even though he formally committed himself to its rulings through the Fatwa Law which he himself drafted.

Accordingly, those who murder civilians and destroy our very heritage are renegades who defy God’s law. Islam enjoins on us to restrain them by force and hold them accountable for all their crimes, for as the Lord says in scripture: “It is but a just recompense for those who make war on God and His apostle, and endeavour to spread corruption on earth, that they are slain in great numbers, or crucified in great numbers, or have, in result of their perverseness, their hands and feet cut off in great numbers, or are [entirely] banished from [the face of] the earth: such is their ignominy in this world. But in the life to come [yet more] terrible suffering awaits them” [7] and “Hence, who could be more wicked than those who bar the mention of God’s name from [any of] His houses of worship and strive for their ruin, [although] they have no right to enter them save in fear [of God]? For them, in this world, there is ignominy in store; and for them, in the life to come, a terrible suffering.” [8]

In conclusion, it is the responsibility of the National Conference and the Interim Government to take measures to deter these renegades and hold them to account; to rebuild what they destroy and retrieve what they steal; as well as to hold to account those elements in the security apparatus who have betrayed their office to aid these criminals.

Similarly, the League of Libyan Ulema calls on the venerable National Conference and Interim Government to pressure the government of Saudi Arabia to restrain its clerics who meddle in our affairs in the following ways: providing intensive courses for Libyan youth where they are brainwashed with extremist ideas and taught to give their allegiance to the Saudi clerics to the exclusion of the just Lord Himself; promoting millions of free books and tapes in Libya which attack our moderate religious traditions; and pounding the simple masses with the propaganda that Libyan scholars are worthless and should not be heeded. Accordingly, a formal complaint should be submitted to the League of Arab States and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation regarding this flagrant intervention in our domestic affairs.

Neglecting the grave responsibility of the security and stability of our country is a dereliction of duty; as the Prophet himself (pbuh) stated, “Those who do not actively care for the well-being of the Muslim community are not part of it.” [9]

Sedition ever lies below the surface; May God curse those who would stir it up.

Peace be upon you and the blessings of God

The League of Libyan Ulema

Dr. Umar Mawloud Abdu l-Hamid

[1] The Book of Funerals, On Matters of Disappearance, No. 44.

[2] Narrated by Imam Malik in The Muwatta’, The Book of Funerals, On Matters of Disappearance, No. 45.

[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari, The Book of Marriage, Chapter on Having Several Wives.

[4] Refer to the Al-Mabsut (The Unravelled) of Al-Sarakhsi, vol. 1, p. 190; Al-Sharh Al-Kabir (The Great Commentary) of Al-Dardir, vol. 1, p. 188; Al-Hawi (The Container) of Al-Mawardi, vol. 2, p. 336 and Al-Insaf (The Equity) of Al-Mawardi, vol. 1, p. 348.

[5] The Sunan of Abu Dawud, The Book of Funerals, Chapter on Visiting Graves, No. 3235.

[6] The Sunan of Ibn Majah, The Book on What Has Been Related Regarding Funerals, Chapter on What Has Been Related Regarding His (PBUH) Death and Burial, No. 1628.

[7] The Holy Qur’an [Al-Ma’idah 5:33]

[8] The Holy Qur’an [Al-Baqarah 2:114]

[9] Narrated by Al-Bayhaqi in The Branches of Faith, Chapter on Asceticism, No. 10586.

[Hamoudeh]

Quote

...many young men remained in their homes, under the influence of scholars who argued that the government was legitimate, and accordingly, rising up against it was an act of sedition.

Only after the Lord granted the revolutionaries victory did these youth join the fray, trying to present themselves as leaders of the movement – this despite the fact that up until that moment (and even afterwards) they had allied themselves with Saadi Gaddafi who financed the establishment of a puritanical Salafi school for them in one of the mosques of Tripoli.

This group has repeatedly attempted to undermine the stability of our country to achieve their fiendish goals. To this end, they have set off bombs at the tombs of saints, destroyed places of worship, burned down religious schools, pillaged libraries with rare and priceless manuscripts, and abducted and tortured dozens of those whose only crime was to refute their errors or stop their destruction, as in Zliten. In this, the more radical elements of the security apparatus have been complicit.

This brings back some memories. First, Libyan state TV was constantly showing Fatwa's from famous Salafi scholars denouncing rising up against the government. Second, at some point Qaddafi threatened to ally with al-Qa`ida against NATO. In the end that's exactly what his Tuareg mercenaries did back in Mali, which eventually lead to the destruction in Timbuktu.