Following are excerpts from a talk delivered by Australian Islamist Musa Cerantonio, which was posted on the Internet on February 14, 2013. Musa Cerantonio, an Australian Catholic convert to Islam who currently lives in Egypt, hosts the live English-language TV show "Ask the Sheikh," on which he answers viewers' questions about Islam. The program, aired on the Saudi satellite network Iqraa, is shown daily in Europe, the U.S., Australia, Africa, and Asia. Cerantonio also voices his opinions and responds to readers' questions and comments on his Facebook page, which currently has close to 6,000 followers[1]. His Facebook page indicates that, in addition to English, he speaks Italian, and that he travels extensively to give talks in many parts of the world, including Germany, Italy and, Egypt. In addition to "Ask the Sheikh," he has presented another series titled "Our Legacy," on Muslims in world history.[2]
Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV.
Musa Cerantonio: "It is no coincidence that we find today that the flag of 'there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah' is being raised the whole world over. Today, this weekend, Allah willing, we find that the mujahideen in Syria have come upon Damascus. They have taken power over half of the city. If Damascus falls, Allah willing, this will be the end of the tyrant Assad. Allah willing, as one of the leaders from Jabhat Al-Nusra said: 'If we take [Damascus] – and I don’t want to give false hope – but if we take this, Allah willing, victory is near.'
"One of the leaders of the sons of the pigs and the monkeys in Israel, one of their military colonels, one of the Israeli commanders, said: “If the Islamists take Syria, we are finished.” If they take Syria, Israel is finished. The Muslims will unite, they will have their Caliphate, and they will conquer the world."
Member of the crowd: "Say: 'Allah Akbar.'"
Crowd: "Allah Akbar."
Member of the crowd: "Say: 'Allah Akbar.'"
Crowd: "Allah Akbar."
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Musa Cerantonio: "What is more superior: Jihad on the battlefield or Jihad of the soul?
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"You can’t compare the two. Everyone makes Jihad of the soul. Everyone goes through this. This is something for every Muslim, but not every Muslim is honored to be a mujahid for the sake of Allah.
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"We too have love for those who fight for the sake of Allah, not just when it is approved by the USA, not just when it is approved by the infidels. As if... Ah, the Afghans who fought the Soviets were great, because Reagan made it permissible, but as for the Afghans who fight today – no, Obama hasn’t given them the tick. This is what we call Jihad for the sake of the USA, Jihad in the path of the USA. This is something rotten, and we shouldn’t joke about this as Muslims.
"Where are the sheiks? Where are the imams? You speak about Syria because America has allowed you. Why don’t you speak about Mali? Why don’t you speak about Afghanistan? Why don’t you speak about the other lands? Are you too ashamed? Are you slaves of the taghout that you are following the way of the taghout?
"What is wrong with us? We are ashamed to mention Afghanistan. I remember once, in a mosque, I was thrown out because I said: 'Oh Allah, grant victory to the Muslims in Afghanistan.' They said: 'You are not welcome to come back.' What is wrong with us? Are we that humiliated that we take what is prohibited and permitted to us from the White House?"
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