Introduction
Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), a jihadist terror organization that is leading the current wave of systematic killings of Shi'ite Muslims across the length and breadth of Pakistan, has released its first magazine in English, calling upon its followers to ensure the fall of Iran first before liberating Palestine.
The SSP, which is perhaps more powerful in its countrywide reach than Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, also operates under two names that are nationally familiar in Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), which enjoy some official support from government leaders in Pakistan's Punjab province, where 60 percent of the country's 180 million people live.<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[1]<!--[endif]-->
The first issue of the English-language magazine is titled Al-Rashideen, referring to the four early Islamic caliphs who are considered the Righteous Caliphs. The cover page of the magazine carries the slogan "Iran Must Fall Before Palestine Can Be Liberated."
The Pakistani group's focus is also against the Shi'ite regime headed by Bashar Al-Assad in Syria.
The SSP enjoys support among college-age Pakistani youth, and has branches all over Pakistan, notwithstanding a Pakistani government ban over the past decade.
In an editorial, the magazine's editors, who are not identified, note that it is aimed at Muslim youth: "We present you this first issue of Al-Rashideen. We hope this to be a platform where relevant issues facing the Ummah are studied/analyzed upon by students of colleges and universities, and Muslim youngsters whose first or second language is English."
On February 21, 2013, the SSP opened a Facebook account under the name "Al-Rashideen."<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[2]<!--[endif]--> The group has many other Facebook accounts that preach hatred of Shi'ite Muslims.<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[3]<!--[endif]--> In March 2012, MEMRI published a detailed research paper on how the SSP and its sub-units LeJ and ASWJ are using social media networks, especially YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, to spread hatred of Shi'ite Muslims across the world.<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[4]<!--[endif]--> The SSP, with literally thousands of militant clerics across Pakistan working as its members, deems Shi'ites, who constitute roughly 20% of Pakistan's population, as infidels. The group has been working alongside Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
In recent years, armed members of the SSP and its affiliated organizations have been systematically killing Shi'ite Muslims across Pakistan, pulling them from passenger buses, checking identity cards to ascertain that they carry Shi'ite surnames, and shooting them dead, or simply bombing their homes and religious congregations. The scale of attacks against Shi'ite Muslims in Pakistan has spiked so high that the international press is beginning to carry images of placards held by protesting Pakistani youth with slogans: "Stop Shi'ite killing, stop genocide." On September 25, 2012, MEMRI published a detailed research paper on persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan, including Shi'ite Muslims, stressing the calls for putting Pakistan on a genocide watch.<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[5]<!--[endif]-->
In the first issue of Al-Rashideen, it is perhaps for the first time that the SSP formally endorses the global jihad launched by Al-Qaeda under Ayman Al-Zawahiri. In several articles, the magazine delivers a distinctly jihadist narrative of Islamic history, and cites anecdotes from the lives of Prophet Muhammad and his companions to legitimize the killings of Shi'ites and non-Muslims. Arguing for the legitimacy of any Muslim taking upon himself to implement Islamic shari'a rules, the magazine states in one of the articles: "[Examples from Prophet Muhammad's life] should remove the doubts in the minds and hearts of every Muslim that there is no place for zero self-confidence or impotence in carrying out the shari'a law in Islam, regardless of what the society and world says." It also cites examples of a number of alims, or Islamic scholars, on how they emerged to defend the supremacy of Islam against the non-Muslim world, ultimately becoming part of the jihadist movements worldwide, as cited below.
Over the past two years, the SSP affiliates have used their Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube accounts to express support for Al-Qaeda in its fight against the Shi'ite regime of Bashar Al-Assad. A major focus of the magazine is, therefore, also on Syria, with images and slogans accusing the international community of standing by silently; one statement is: "We are all Jabhat Al-Nusrah [the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria]" and another quotes the Prophet Muhammad as saying: "Know that Paradise is under the shade of [the] sword."
The magazine also carries excerpts from a book on jihad by Maulana Masood Azhar, one of the three militant commanders released by India in exchange for the passengers of an Indian plane hijacked from Kathmandu to Kandahar in 1999. Azhar heads Jaish-e-Muhammad, a jihadist organization that is active across Pakistan in teaching explanations of what it calls "jihadist verses" of the Koran.<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[6]
Excerpts From The Magazine's Articles
"We Have Been Under Attack... Militarily, Ideologically, And Psychologically Since The Last 200 Years"; "Be It Hindu India, Christian USA-Russia, Buddhist and Communist China-Burma-Philippines, Shi'ite Iran-Syria, Every... Non-Muslim Has Stepped On The Bandwagon [Of Anti-] Muslim Crusades"
In an unsigned article - titled "2013: What Next?" - the SSP outlines a jihadi narrative of Islamic history, arguing that throughout in recent decades alims (Islamic scholars), from Palestine through Iraq and Chechnya to Pakistan have stood in the frontline of jihad for the supremacy of Islam. The article notes that Islamic scholars are "acting as a fire-wall against the Judeo-Christian, Hindu, and Shi'ite nexus." Following are excerpts:"<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[7]<!--[endif]-->
"Another year has passed by and [we are] on the dawn of 1434 [Islamic calendar year beginning November 16, 2012]. Taliban are battling with the Crusader armies in the rugged terrains of Afghanistan, Chechen guerillas fighting for an emirate in the Caucasus, Palestinians with stones in hand defying the Israeli onslaught, Kashmiris protesting against the Indian militancy [i.e. military], Syrians rising up against the Shi'ite Nusayri Bashar, Ulema [Islamic scholars] getting martyred in the streets of Karachi, Pakistan, by Shi'ite militias. A cursory look at these conflict areas brings to light the Muslim plight. With meager resources and scarce bullets at their disposal, they [Islamic scholars] are nevertheless acting as a fire-wall against the Judeo-Christian, Hindu, and Shi'ite nexus.
"Not much has changed vis-à-vis Muslim fortunes since [the war of] 1757 when the British entered the Indian Subcontinent, gained charge and then eventually snatched the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924. Since then, it's been a series of unfortunate events starting from Kemalist reforms in Turkey, Israel's independence in 1948, little or no Islamization in Pakistan, break-up of Bangladesh [in 1971 from Pakistan], Russian invasion of Afghanistan and continuing all the way to the 1979 Shi'ite heretic revolution in Iran to 2011's Arab Spring. Our debacle and its causes had begun a long time ago, but for the sake of brevity let's just not limit ourselves to the American invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq as the setting up the stage for Muslim conflict.
"We have been under attack... militarily, ideologically, and psychologically since the last 200 years and more so since the last one century. Be it Hindu India, Christian USA-Russia, Buddhist and Communist China-Burma-Philippines, Shi'ite Iran-Syria, every possible non-Muslim has stepped on the bandwagon [of anti-] Muslim Crusades. Hindu India stepped in since 1948, USA and Russia were there remotely behind the scenes before, but directly since the '80s, China, Burma, and Philippines hopped in since the late-'80s and early '90s, and Iran and Syria have been cruising along since the '70s.
"We were analyzing and discussing the withdrawal of NATO and American forces from Afghanistan in 2014, when all of a sudden the Arab Spring came up and the mass butchery of Muslims was done [by Shi'ite regimes] in Bahrain [and] Syria, aided by their Shi'ite master-patron Iran. We are under attack; there is no denying that. And we are being so right, left, and center. And the reality as espoused in a popular Hadith [saying of Prophet Muhammad]: 'that there would be a time when the kuffar [infidels] would invite each other (the way we invite people at food) against Muslims' is very much visible now."
"[The] Only Good News... Is The Rise Of The Mujahideen Movements And Their ... Courage To Move On Despite Heavy Odds; And What Is Driving Them? One Reason Is The Spirit Of Jihad... Which Is Expressedly... [Permitted] In The Koran And Sunnah"
"[The] only good news in the midst of all this is the rise of the mujahideen movements and their resilience and courage to move on despite heavy odds. And what is driving them? One reason is the spirit of jihad and shahadat [martyrdom] which is expressedly present [and permitted] in the Koran and Sunnah [deeds and sayings of Prophet Muhammad]. In the words of noted Egyptian jihadi ideologue [and Al-Qaeda leader Ayman] Zawahiri, 'The West can snatch away our territories, kill our women and children, but they can never extinguish in us the spirit of jihad and martyrdom as espoused in the Koran and Sunnah.
"Another reason is the renewing of this Koranic spirit (of jihad) by individuals who have time and time again saved the Islamic Tradition from being ignored by the Muslim masses. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in the late-'70s, it was Abdullah Azzam (a Palestinian alim) who through his speeches and dawah [preachings], rallied the support of Muslim youngsters the world over to join the holy cause in the mountains of Afghanistan. When Serb and Croat Christians aided by the U.S. and Russian petro-dollars started the Muslim carnage in Bosnia, it was Shamil Basayev (Bosnian) and Ameer Khattab (Arab) who led the Muslim resistance.
"When the U.S. and NATO forces were using the tacit help of the Shi'ites of Iran and Iraq, it was Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi (Jordanian) who dampened any hopes of a complete American and Shi'ite take-over of Iraq for a long time to come. When the Indian Goliath was on the verge of winning the battle of hearts and minds in Kashmir, it was [Jaish-e-Muhammad founder] Masood Azhar (a Pakistani alim) who re-ignited the spirit of jihad in the hearts of Kashmiris and mujahideen posted there. When the Jewish aggressor [Israel] was getting accustomed to Muslim slumber in Palestine, it was Ahmed Yaseen (a Palestinian alim) who woke the Muslims by forming Hamas. When in the early '80s the Shi'ite revolution in Iran started being exported via Iranian petro-dollars in Iraq, Pakistan, and parts of the Middle East, it was [founder of SSP] Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi (a Pakistani alim) and his supporters, who stood up to check the Shi'ite-inspired onslaught."
"Being Muslim Does Not Mean That Our Loyalties Rest Within The Boundaries Of States And Nations Where We Reside"; "We Are With Our Backs On The Wall, The Only Way Out Is To Hit And March Forward! There Is No Turning Back"
"All the above-mentioned examples point in one direction: The presence of internationalism in Islam. And that has been the case and point of Islam's growth as a world religion. The Holy Prophet ... was an Arab, among his Sahaba [companions] there were Hazrat Salman from Persia, Sohaib from Rome, Bilal from Africa and many others. Out of the 144,000 Sahaba thousands are buried outside the Arab heartland in China, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Russia and ... the world over. Islam strengthened and grew in Spain, Indian Subcontinent, Persian Iran and many other regions. Being Muslim does not mean that our loyalties rest within the boundaries of states and nations where we reside.
"We are one the world over, and the examples highlighted above are enough to prove that. As a relevant example I would quote, [Pakistani leader Zulfiqar Ali] Bhutto: 'Gandhi once observed that if Islam is uprooted from the Subcontinent, it will flourish elsewhere, but if Hinduism is uprooted from the Subcontinent, it would be the end of Hinduism. The meaning of the remark was that if Hinduism had to be protected at the cost of uprooting Islam from the Subcontinent, there was a justification in it [i.e. partitioning India, creation of Pakistan]....'
"What Bhutto points out is that had Gandhi not clandestinely paved the way for the break-up of India, and had Muslims and Hindus continue to live together, Islam would have thrived in India at the cost of Hinduism. And he was right, today according to the World Religious Freedom Report 2012, 94% of the world's Hindus reside in India.
"And before signing off, the New Year [of 1434 beginning November 2012] brings us to the point of no-return. We are being constantly taken for granted, our lands taken away in petty deals, our life-styles and culture snatched at the gun-point of immunity marketing. All this and much more has made the Muslim an easy prey to kill. We are with our backs on the wall, the only way out is to hit and march forward! There is no turning back…."
"Zero Self-Confidence [Among Muslims] Is The Outcome Of Secularism As A State Of Mind"; [We Must] Save The Current Arab Spring From A Judeo-Christian Onslaught"
<!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->In the image above, the SSP presents its key argument that Shi'ite Muslims are infidels. The image accompanies an article titled "The Road Ahead – Obstacles 1." Usman Khan, the author, while calling upon Muslims to ensure Islamic supremacy against the West, analyzes how world events during the past two centuries have created "zero confidence" among Muslims. The following are excerpts from the article:
"Whatever that has happened and continues to be happening in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Tunisia, Syria, and the likes is resonant to so many revolutions that have taken part in the Muslim world in the 21st century. We have the independence movements of Egypt, Algeria, and Pakistan as a prime example of hijacked revolutions. The Pakistan Movement [which led to the creation of Pakistan in 1947] was steeped into a religious awakening owing to the masses and the visionary leadership of men such as [Islamist national poet of Pakistan Muhammad] Iqbal, Quaid-e-Azam [Great Leader or founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah], and Maulana Shabbir Ahmad Uthmani. But what happened afterwards is a trend most unfortunate that has time and time again resulted in a deep despair among the Muslims. It is this trend which caused a pioneer of the freedom movement to retort. 'Who's Shari'a? I don't want to get involved. The moment I enter this field the Ulema will take over....'
"This zero self-confidence is the outcome of secularism as a state of mind. But leaving that argument aside... [we] assess the havoc played by such an indifferent attitude towards religion. [We] ... would be limiting my arguments to the 19th and 20th century realm. The examples to follow are disheartening to say the least, and in order to save the current Arab Spring from a Judeo- Christian onslaught, we need to ponder over them....
"[Discussing British rule in the 20th century and end of the Ottoman caliphate:] The Crusader dream of avenging Saladin's victory of Jerusalem came true, but not without the hypocrisy of Muslims such as Habibullah Khan [of Afghanistan] and Mustafa Kamal [of Turkey]. What made them do what they did isn't a very difficult question to answer. It was zero self-confidence which built around them a façade of Judeo-Christian supremacy at whose altar they sacrificed Islam.
"The next example is that of Kashmir. The Radcliffe Award meant that Muslim majority areas [of undivided India] go to Pakistan.... The Indian government in a last-ditch effort managed to convince Maharaja Hari Singh [ruler of Muslim-majority Kashmir state] to play his 'Hindu' card, and side with India. This was one wrong i.e. to go against the wishes of an entire Muslim population, and also against the Radcliffe Award. For those of us who argue 'Two wrongs don't make a right,' the Quaid-e-Azam [Muhammad Ali Jinnah] ordered [Prime Minister] Liaquat Ali Khan to administer a 'covert' war... [in Kashmir against India]."
"[Pakistani Military Ruler] Zia-Ul-Haq Stands Out Among The Many Pakistani Leaders"; "This Was The Man Who Helped Mujahideen Rout The Russian Red Army [In Afghanistan], Who Brought India To Its Knees"; "Have We Forgotten The Koranic Call: 'Oh Prophet, Urge The Believers To Battle'"
"In 1998 the U.S. government under Bill Clinton sent missiles into Afghanistan to kill Osama bin Laden. The missiles trespassed Pakistani airspace. In protest the Muslim masses caused a hue and cry. Protests and road blockades marred every city. In a quest to question this 'anti-Americanism' on the streets, the then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave a statement endorsing a Shari'a Bill in the parliament. Obviously so, the attention was soon diverted and the Shari'a Bill issue was soon lost in the pile of pending acts of amendment. Some three years later the then Army chief Pervez Musharraf sided with U.S. in its war against Muslims on the pretext: 'America would have bombed us to stone age.'
"No self-confidence again wins the battle and becomes the perfect recipe for inaction. The example of [Pakistani dictator] Zia-ul-Haq is something that cannot be attributed to a 'lesser' understanding of faith. Zia-ul-Haq stands out among the many Pakistani leaders of the past. That he was an exception and a rarity... is the hard fact. That this was the man who helped mujahideen rout the Russian Red army, who brought India to its knees by supporting [anti-India Sikh militant Jarnail Singh] Bhindranwale and his 'Khalistani' rebels [who demanded a sovereign Sikh nation out of India's Punjab province during the 1980s], carried on with Pakistan's nuclear ambitions regardless of the U.S. disapproval is no small achievement..... In his 10-year-rule he changed the world scene by having helped remove the second superpower of its time [referring to defeat of the USSR in Afghanistan]. He changed the Pakistan Army, its Inter-Services Intelligence, had support of even the masses, but that final step [unclear] which he never took would go down in the annals of history as a 'lost opportunity' and nothing else.
"The one single reason [lack of collective Muslim self-confidence] which I have identified in each of the above examples merits closer attention. Has not this reluctance to accept our faith become a fact of life for most of us? How many times have we shuddered at the sound of orators like [militant cleric and founder of Pakistani jihadi organization Jaish-e-Muhammad] Maulana Masood Azhar inciting masses for jihad? Have we forgotten the Koranic call: 'Oh Prophet, urge the believers to battle' (Chapter Anfal, Verse 65)
"How many of us have forgotten prisoners [in U.S. prisons] like Aafia Siddiqui, Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman and many others? Have we not listened to the Prophetic saying: 'Free the Prisoner' (Bukhari [collection of Prophet Muhammad's deeds and sayings). How many of us have chided Ulema such as Ameer-e-Azeemat [Haq Nawaz Jhangvi, founder of SSP], Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi and [current leader of ASWJ/SSP] Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi for fomenting hatred and terror? Have we not read the Koranic verse: 'Those of His servants only who are possessed of knowledge (Ulema) fear Allah. Surely Allah is Mighty, Forgiving.' (32:28)."
"There Is No Place For Zero Self-Confidence Or Impotence In Carrying Out The Shari'a Law In Islam Regardless Of What The Society And World Says… Mullah Omar, Leader Of The Taliban Movement, Refused To Hand Over Osama Bin Laden And Other Mujahideen To The United States Of America And In A Bid Lost His Regime Post-9/11"
"If the Muslim world desires to come out of the shadows of democracy and benefit from this Arab Spring, it must clear the hurdles in its way. The first obstacle I have identified [is lack of self-confidence among Muslims]. In order to overcome it, I shall cite examples from the Seerah of the Holy Prophet, his companions and then all the way to the leaders of some not-so-distant past….
"a) From the Seerah of the Holy Prophet
"The instance where an (Honorable) Qurayshite woman had stolen and the Qurayshites sent one of the Sahaba... to intercede on her behalf.... The prophet stated that the reason for the decline and going astray of the previous Ummahs [communities led by predecessor prophets] was that when their rich and honorable commit a crime they are left alone, when their poor commit the same they are punished (i.e. their different treatment vis-a-vis the rich and the poor) and by Allah, if Fatima ... [daughter of] Muhammad had done the act, I would have cut her hands....
"[Islamic scholar] Hafiz Hajr Asqalani explains the merits of this hadith and concludes: i) this hadith discusses that when someone becomes liable for punishment, he should not be let off even though he may be your relative or an honorable member of society. And it further strictly condones the person who tries to make a way out of this situation by not applying the Islamic law in this case; ii) it also helps us analyze the cause of the decline/going astray of the previous Ummahs.... The prophet's example mentioned above should remove the doubts in the minds and hearts of every Muslim... [as to] there is no place for zero self-confidence or impotence in carrying out the shari'a law in Islam regardless of what the society and world says.
"b) From the Seerah of the Prophet's Companions
"A person comes in the presence of Hazrat Umar [ibn Khattab, the second caliph of Islam] and presents his case saying that I have had a dispute with this Jew. I had gone in the presence of the Holy Prophet [to have it resolved]. This person is a hypocrite. He says that I had sought the verdict of the Holy Prophet. Hazrat Umar replied, as to the prophet's decision ... that the prophet had ruled in the Jew's favor. Hazrat Umar does not enter into an argument with this (outwardly professing) Muslim; instead he takes out his sword and severs the hypocrite's head and proclaims: 'Anyone who doesn't accept the prophet's judgment, in Umar's court his punishment is ONLY death.'
"The above-mentioned example is enough to burst the myth that acting according to shari'a is problematic vis-a-vis Muslim image [in the eyes of the world and society]. From a not-so-distant past, Mullah Omar, leader of the Taliban movement, refused to hand over Osama bin Laden and other mujahideen to the United States of America, and in a bid lost his regime post-9/11. And, regardless of all that... Islam does not allow Muslims to be handed over to non-Muslims. He stands firm in the midst of all the euphoria. He remains stead-fast and this is an echo of the glorious Muslim past."
"Discrimination Against The Sunnis Covers Every Part Of Life From Education, To Politics, Business, Religion"; "The Iranian Government Has Recently Built A Huge Temple To Promote Abu Lu Lu, The Killer Of Umar (The Second Caliph)"
In an article – titled "Shia Equality Or Shia Superiority?" – Raza Hossein Borr, its author, cites statistics, whose authenticity cannot be verified, to prove that the Shi'ite regime in Iran is mistreating the Sunni minority by discriminating against them in all sectors of life. He also argues that compared to Iranian discrimination, Shi'ites in Pakistan and other Islamic countries are enjoying better treatment. Following are some excerpts from the article:
"Discrimination against the Sunnis covers every part of life from education, to politics, business, religion, etc. These are some examples:
"1. Educational discrimination against the Sunnis of Iran
"There are 44,000 students in Iranian Baluchistan universities. [Not] even 4,000 of them are Sunni Baluchis. The Iranian government deliberately does not allow the Sunni Baluchis of Iran to enter universities freely....
"2. Political discrimination against the Sunnis of Iran
"Since the beginning of the revolution, the Shia regime of Iran has not allowed even one Sunni to become prime minister, president, minister, an army general, and an ambassador. There is not even one single Sunni in the Iranian foreign ministry....
"3. Religious discrimination against the Sunnis of Iran
"The Iranian media and leaders cite every day dozens of insulting remarks about the principles of Sunni religion. They have published hundreds of books which discredit the most important values of Islam, so much so that the Iranian government has recently built a huge temple to promote Abu Lu Lu, the killer of Umar (the second caliph), as a great Islamic figure.... There are about one million Sunnis in Tehran, the capital of Iran, but the Iranian authorities do not allow them to build even one mosque....
"4. Economic discrimination against the Sunnis of Iran
"99% of the Iranian businesses are under the control of the Shia population of Iran while 30% of Iranian population is Sunni. The government creates every barrier for the Sunnis to stop them from starting or developing their businesses. The major import and export licenses are allocated to the Shia businessmen...."
"Practically The Shias Have Secured Their Supremacy In Iran At The Cost Of 30% Of Its Sunni Population"; "Eight Of Its Provinces Are Dominated By The Sunnis; Yet There Has Not Been A Single [Sunni] Minister, Army General, Ambassador, Or A Top Official In The Last 28 Years"
"While Iran is applying all kinds of discriminations against the Sunnis, the Sunni governments are quite generous towards their Shia populations. It is a paradox that a regime that is fighting for the rights of the Shias in different countries discriminates more than any other country against the Sunnis in Iran.
"1. Pakistan
"Everybody knows the Bhutto family in Pakistan. They are a Shia family but they have governed Pakistan three times. There have been other Shia presidents and prime ministers in Pakistan. The Shias in Pakistan enjoy complete equality in a Sunni-dominated country...."
"2. Afghanistan
"There are several Shia ministers in the Afghan government. There have been always Shia ministers in various Afghan regimes. There are Shia governors in Afghanistan. There are Shia army generals in Afghanistan. There are very rich Shia businessmen in Afghanistan too.
"3. Kuwait
"There are two Shia ministers in Kuwait. There are many Shia generals in Kuwait army. There are dozens of Shia ministers, army generals, ambassadors, businessmen... in Qatar and other Arab countries. While we see that there are so many Shia high officials in Islamic and Arab world, but there is not a single high official from the Sunnis in Iran....
"Practically the Shias have secured their supremacy in Iran at the cost of 30% of its Sunni population. Now they are seeking supremacy in other countries.... 30% of Iranian population is Sunni. Eight of its provinces are dominated by the Sunnis. Yet there has not been a single [Sunni] minister, army general, ambassador or a top official in the last 28 years in the Islamic Republic of Iran....
"Even more amazing is the complete silence of the Iranian politicians, intellectuals, journalists, and political activists over the total exclusion of Sunnis from all sources of power. The systematic discrimination that has been carried out against the Sunnis of Iran has not been criticized by any Iranian Shia politician....
"Discrimination by Iranian media and journalists against the Sunnis
"The Iranian media of the Shia opposition groups follow the same policy of discrimination against Sunnis. They publish every day hundreds of articles and news on every aspect of life in Iran but they refuse to publish the news of hanging of the Sunnis of Baluchistan....
"All the Shia politicians and journalists of Iran seem to agree with the present government in its policies of genocide and complete exclusion of the Sunnis.... They report widely the news of Hizbullah and the Shia demonstrations in Bahrain. They portray Hizbullah as the hero of the Arab world and the Shias of Bahrain... but they refuse to publish the news of executions and persecutions of the Sunnis in Iran.
"These are not only the Shias of Iran who have dominated Muslims; the Shias of Iraq are pursuing the same path. If the Shias in Iraq are not seeking supremacy why did they dissolve the Iraqi army, civil service, and the Iraqi secret services? If those establishments were allowed to function, today the situation would have been much better. Cleansing the Sunnis from the sensitive cities and areas in Iraq is seeking Shia supremacy. The same could be true about Lebanon. If Hizbullah is not looking for supremacy why is it seeking the toppling of an elected government which has been elected democratically and freely according to the Lebanese constitution....?"
SSP Founder Haq Nawaz Jhangvi's Speeches
"Shia Is The Biggest Infidel In The Whole Universe"; "Shia Is The Biggest And Filthiest Infidel In The Whole Universe"; "There Has Been No Person, No Alim [Islamic Scholar] In These 1400 Years Who After A Perusal Of Shi'ism Has Hesitated In Declaring Twelver Shi'ites [Followers Of 12 Shi'ite Imams] As Unbelievers And Infidels"
The magazine presents excerpts of speeches by Haq Nawaz Jhangvi (1952-1992), the Pakistani militant cleric who founded the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) and was killed by suspected Shi'ite militants. Sunni Muslims, like Haq Nawaz Jhangvi, believe that Abu Bakr, Umar ibn Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan and Ali ibn Abi Talib were the first four caliphs in that order – contrary to Shi'ite Muslims who believe that Ali ibn Abi Talib was the first caliph, leading to a new set of imams (leaders) who succeeded him. This interpretation of succession in Islam has led to the birth of varying practices among Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims.
The excerpts of Haq Nawaz Jhangvi's speeches make the following hateful points regarding Shi'ite Muslims, declaring them as infidels: "I request the intelligence agents, government angels, CID [criminal investigation department] reporters; whatever you may call them to record the words of my claim with sincerity and honesty. It would be their favor on me, if they note these words: Shia is the biggest infidel in the whole universe (Shia Qainaat ka badtareen kafir hai). This is my claim, very brief very clear and very transparent....
"[It] is the wish of both me and workers of Sipah-e-Sahaba... that we make this position accepted in Pakistan's constitution [i.e. to have Shi'ites declared as non-Muslims]. We do it today, (maybe) next year, (maybe) five years later. It is probable that in our lifetime, we may not be successful but with complete trust and faith in God, I can say that if we continue (in this direction) being well-intentioned, then that day would indeed come on Pakistan's soil, when our stand and position be accepted in the National Assembly.
"I have without any foreword or introduction presented the words of my claim. Shia is the biggest and filthiest infidel in the whole Universe (Shia Qainaat ka badtareen aur ghaleez tareen kafir hai). These words are very clear. I want to give arguments and proofs in support of my claim. And, in line with this talk, I would praise the Companions of the Holy Prophet... which is my life's permanent and unshakeable goal. Among my power and the information which I could extract, there is no authoritative alim (religious scholar) in my observation across the 1400-year-old Islamic history who after a perusal and study of Shi'ism [has] not declared Shi'ites as unbelievers....
"[8th Century Islamic scholar] Imam Malik bin Anas, referring to the ayat [verse] of the Koran (Chapter Al-Fath, last verse), declares openly that in the light of this ayat, Shi'ites are non-Muslims and un-believers.... Pick up any tafseer [books interpreting the Koran] you would find Imam Malik's verdict (fatwa). The most simple and easy to understand exegesis (tafseer) is that of Sheikh-ul-Islam Allama Shabbir Ahmed Usmani....
"The most reliable book of the Hanafi Fiqh (School of Islamic Law) is Fatawa Alamgiri – which was arranged under the supervision of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir and which was compiled by 500 Ulema [Islamic scholars]. In it this truth has been stated in open words: Mun Ankara suhbata abi Bakr fahua kafir (Any person who doesn't believe in Abu Bakr [as the first caliph of Islam] being a companion of the Holy Prophet is an infidel and unbeliever).... "
"Woman [Married To A Shi'ite] Can Separate From The Man Without Divorce Because Shi'ite Is An Infidel And The Sunni Female's Nikah Never Took Place"; "Sons Of The Sunni Father Who Have Become Shi'ite Cannot Be The Heirs Of His Inheritance"
"[16th century revivalist Islamic scholar] Mujaddid Alif Thani Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi.... writes with his sanctified pen that Shi'ites are non-Muslims and infidels and that the Ulema of the Indian Subcontinent have declared Shi'ites as kafirs [infidels]. Shi'ites had written against this verdict of the Ulema of the Indian Subcontinent that we are Muslims and your verdict is wrong and invalid. Mujaddid Alif Thani gave valid arguments in the light of the Koran and Sunnah to refute the retaliatory verdict and claim of the Shi'ites, and confirmed and supported the verdict of the Ulema in his famous pamphlet, 'Refutation of the Rafhidis' (Radd-e-Rawafiz). In it he writes that Shi'ites are the biggest infidel in the whole universe....
"[18th century Islamic scholar] Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlvi, in his authentic and reliable book 'Aids to Understanding God' (Tafheemat-e-Illaya), narrates one such dream of his [in which he queried Prophet Muhammad about the status of Shi'ites and was asked to read].... Shah Waliullah writes that the next morning I read and studied afresh the Shi'ite concept of Imamate and after reading it gave the decision that Shi'ites do confess with tongue that the Holy Prophet is the last prophet, but in reality Shi'ites do not acknowledge the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat [i.e. the finality of prophethood on Prophet Muhammad]. They believe in 12 prophets after the Holy Prophet.... You very well know that the denier of the finality of prophethood is a non-Muslim....
"Some Twelver Shi'ites have written that the Holy Prophet's status and position is comparatively higher than that of the imams. But Iran's Khomeini.... writes in his Al-Hakumat Al-Islamiya (Islamic government) that the status and position of the 12 Imams is superior to that of every angel and prophet.... [13th century Islamic scholar] Ibn Taymiyya, in his book as-Sarim al-Maslul 'ala Shatim ar-Rasul (The drawn sword against those who insult the Messenger), writes that Shia is the biggest infidel in the whole universe.... Moving on, Shah Waliullah's capable son Abdul Aziz...., in his Fatawa Azizi, writes: 'Hanafi Fiqh declares that Shi'ites are non-Muslims and with them a Sunni female's nikah [marriage] cannot take place'.... The great hero of the Indian War of Independence Allama Rasheed Ahmed Gangohi, in his Fatawa Rasheedia, writes in reply to a question [about a marriage between a Sunni woman and a Shi'ite entered in misunderstanding].... that the woman can separate from the man without divorce because Shi'ite is an infidel and the Sunni female's nikah never took place. Similarly, the sons of the Sunni father who have become Shi'ite cannot be the heirs of his inheritance or property...."
"[19-20th century Islamic scholar] Maulana Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi, in his Fatawa Rizvia and in a brief booklet of his Radd-ur-Rafza, has written that Shi'ites are the worst among non-believers. And his words are that a Shi'ite whether he be big or small, male or female, urban dweller or villager is without any doubt outside the pale of Islam. And, he is not just content on this alone; instead he further declares: 'Whoever doubts the kufr [unbelief] of the Shi'ites, he himself is an infidel'.... Furthermore, he instilled so much hatred for Shi'ites to the extent that a person asks if a Shi'ite enters (or falls) into a well, should we discharge the complete well or should we extract some bucketful of water so that the well becomes pure?.... Ahmed Raza writes...: 'Discharge the whole well and then the well would become pure.'
Excerpts From Maulana Masood Azhar's Article
"May Allah Grant Every Muslim The Ability To Enliven The Compulsory Duty Of Jihad"; "The Followers Of Islam Are Unanimous About The Fact That Jihad Is A Great Mercy From Allah"
In an article – titled "Jihad a Cause of Mercy or Anarchy" – Maulana Masood Azhar, the underground jihadist commander of Jaish-e-Muhammad, argues that the concept of jihad is a mercy from Allah and a blessing. Urging his followers not to adopt "an attitude of embarrassment and remorse" regarding jihad, Azhar cites several verses of the Koran in justification of jihad. Following are excerpts from the article:
"One of the doubts expressed about jihad is that it is synonymous with killing, attacking, and causing mayhem and disorder. In fact, many non-Muslims shrink away from accepting Islam only because of the injunction of jihad. Orientalists have used this to propagate the misnomer that Islam is a barbaric and oppressive religion that advocates expansion by force. Fearing such vehement criticism from the Orientalists, many Muslim authors and historians have approached the issue of jihad very apologetically. Instead of portraying the Islamic conquests and military expeditions with pride and revealing the sacrifices and valor they contain, they have opted to rather adopt an attitude of embarrassment and remorse. They have repeatedly made attempts to explain that these situations occurred for reasons of exigency because Islam would otherwise have nothing to do with the sword.
"In their works our pious predecessors have described these battles and military expeditions in wonderful detail. They have presented the sacrifices and valor of the Sahabah [Companions of Prophet Muhammad] with pride and as precedents to be proudly emulated. In fact, they even penned works dedicated to this subject and etched these narrations in history. Using logical proofs and proofs from the shari'a, we shall address this important subject in brief. May Allah grant every Muslim the ability to enliven the compulsory duty of jihad, thereby allowing the blessings and mercy of this act to spread throughout the world!
"The followers of Islam are unanimous about the fact that jihad is a great mercy from Allah, and it is through this great mercy that this world and the entire universe remains in existence. Were it not for jihad, this world and the entire universe would be corrupted and destroyed. Without it no masjid [mosque] would have any sanctity and no religious institution would be saved from ruin. In fact, oppression and transgression would become so rampant that people of every religious denomination would find it impossible to practice their religion in peace. It is on the basis of the crystal-clear verses of the glorious Koran that the adherents of Islam can make this claim with complete conviction."
Koranic Verse On Jihad – "Continue Fighting Them Until No Corruption (Especially No Shirk [Polytheism] And Turning Others Away From Islam) Exists And Until Religion (Worship) Is Only For Allah"; "Since The Koran Has Prescribed Jihad As The Cure For Corruption And Lawlessness, It Follows That Jihad Contains Curative Properties"
Maulana Masood Azhar cites several verses from the Koran, some of which are given below, to justify his interpretation of the jihadist mission in Islam:
"If it were not for the fact that Allah opposes some people with others, monasteries, churches and synagogues would be destroyed, as well as Masajid [mosques] in which Allah's name is taken in abundance. (However, because Allah makes the people of truth repel attacks from the evil ones of their respective times, these places of worship remain safe). Allah will certainly assist those who assist Him (those who assist His Deen [religion]). Verily Allah is Omnipotent, Mighty. (Chapter Hajj, Verse 40)
"This verse makes it clear that it is by the clashing of people of the truth and people of falsehood that the safety of places of worship is ensured. If jihad was stopped, there would be none on earth to worship Allah. In fact, it was exactly this that Rasulullaah [Prophet Muhammad] preferred to before the decisive Battle of Badr when he prayed, 'Oh Allah! If this small group (of Muslims) is destroyed, there will be none on earth to take Your Name.'"
"If Allah had not repelled (driven back) some (corrupt) men by others (had good men not prevailed over the corrupt and evil ones), the (entire) earth would have been corrupted (Allah therefore sets matters straight in this way from time to time). However, Allah is the One Who showers grace on the universe. (Chapter Baqarah, Verse 251)"
"One of the greatest causes of lawlessness on earth is widespread corruption that in terms of the Koran is worse than killing. Allah says: Corruption (preventing people from Deen is worse than killing. (Chapter Baqarah, Verse 217). The Koran condemns this corruption in various verses and states that spreading corruption is a hallmark of the kuffar [infidels]. In verse 7 of Chapter Aal Imraan, the Koran identifies that one of the distinctive characteristics of the kuffar is that they search for avenues to cause mischief.... Jihad is a cure for all of this... Allah says: Continue fighting them until no corruption (especially no Shirk [polytheism] and turning others away from Islam) exists and until religion (worship) is only for Allah (until people worship Allah only). (Chapter Baqra, Verse 193)."
"Such are the high objectives of jihad. Allah reiterates this message in Chapter Anfal, where Allah says: Fight them until no corruption (kufr) exists and all religion (worship) is for Allah. (Chapter Anfal, Verse 39) This verse refers to the final objective of jihad, which is to exterminate every shred of resistance that kufr offers so that Islam dominates over all other religions and all abide to the law of Allah."
"Allah has revealed the Koran as a cure and a mercy. Since the Koran has prescribed jihad as the cure for corruption and lawlessness, it follows that jihad contains curative properties and is also a source of mercy. While verses mentioned earlier state that jihad is a source of mercy, the Koran also makes it clear that jihad is a cure for the hearts. In the following verses, Allah mentions six benefits of jihad. Allah says: Fight them! (i) Allah will punish them at your hands (when they are killed), (ii) will humiliate them (when they are imprisoned and defeated), (iii) will assist you against them, (iv) will heal the (pain and sorrow in the) hearts of the Mu'mineen (who suffered at the hands of the kuffar), (v) remove the fury of their hearts (which was built when the kuffar broke the treaty), and (vi) Allah accepts the repentance (from kufr) of whoever He wills (thereby allowing the Kuffar to become Muslims). (Chapter Taubah, Verses 14-15)"
The Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan's Message To Pakistani Soldiers
Militant Cleric's Message To Pakistani Soldiers: "If Iran Were To Attack Pakistan And Preparations Become Underway Especially During 9th And 10th Muharram.... These [Shi'ite] Muharram Procession Mourners Present In Every City Are Iran's Free Soldiers"
The SSP magazine in its table of contents notes: "Cover Story – Inside Syria, Playing Iran's Game." However, it does not produce articles explaining its position on the conflict in Syria and examining why "Iran should fall first before Palestine can be liberated" – the slogan on the cover page. However, images and maps from the Syrian conflict are printed as pages of the magazine, stressing the killing of jihadist fighters and innocent people, including women and children.
Through these images, the magazine's editors stress that the international community is silent on these massacres while Syrian bloggers are crying for their help. The magazine, which describes Hizbullah of Lebanon as a "kuffar militant group," seeks to convey the message that Hizbullah, Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Bashar al-Assad are collaborating in the killing of people, a majority of whom are Sunni Muslims, the constituency of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.
The SSP also worries that Iran could attack Pakistan on Shi'ite holy days so that the Shi'ite processions being taken out in Pakistani cities could instantly side with the Iranians and take over Pakistan. Towards the end, the editors produce a message of militant Sunni cleric Maulana Sher Haideri, the former chief of SSP who was killed by rival militants in August 2009:
"If Iran were to attack Pakistan and preparations become underway especially during 9th and 10th Muharram [days when Shi'ite processions mark the martyrdom of Prophet Muhammad's grandson Imam Hussein], and if orders come that all government offices of Pakistan be run over and come under siege, then can anyone tell me: is there a need for Iran to send an army in Pakistan? These Muharram procession mourners present in every city are Iran's free soldiers and without being paid they can take over the country with Iran's weapons and sticks and knives. If something like this happens and in the presence of all officers, these processions take these officers hostage and take control of all strategic locations, and if no one is present to give orders to do something about this, what would happen? They would kill whichever Sunni officer they feel like, imprison whoever they feel....
"When these processions are not mandatory, not sunnat [practice of Prophet Muhammad], not even wajib [necessary], no book of theirs has any mention of this, it's not been reported by an 'imam' then why the need for them....? Then you would cry and scream that Allama Haq Nawaz Jhangvi was right, the Soldiers of the Sahaba [SSP], were right. Listen to us… we are your defenders and this nation's...."
* Tufail Ahmad is Director of MEMRI's South Asia Studies Project (www.memri.org/sasp)
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