Reacting To Appointment Of Saudi Preacher To Lead 'Day Of 'Arafa' Prayer: Jihadis Urge Pilgrims Not To Join Prayer Led By 'Heretic,' 'Zionist Ally;' Call For 'Forceful Removal' Of 'Enemies Of Allah' From Pulpits

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July 7, 2022

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On July 5-7, 2022, jihadis on social media continued to react to Saudi authorities' appointment of Muhammad Al-'Isa, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars and Secretary General of the Muslim World League, to deliver the sermon and lead the Day of 'Arafa prayer at the Namira Mosque on Friday, July 9, 2022, the day before Eid Al-Adha, which Muslims consider to be the best day of the year.

The following report summarizes reactions by some pro-Al-Qaeda ideologues, Islamic State (ISIS) supporters, Houthi Ansar Allah Movement supporters, and Gaza-based jihadis.

Jihadi Idealogue Al-Maqdisi Decries Appointee's Overt Heresy

On July 6, 2022, Jordan-based jihadi ideologue Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi commented on the appointment of Al-'Isa to lead the prayer on the Day of 'Arafa. Posting a photo of Al-'Isa with Rabbi Arthur Schneier, president and founder of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, during a 2019 event in which the two signed an agreement calling for the "protection of religious sites around the world," Al-Maqdisi wrote: "[Muslim] prayer is considered void when performed behind heretics who overtly show empathy toward Hindus or ally with and show compassion toward the Jews and Christians."[1]

In a related tweet on July 7, Al-Maqdisi posted a video montage of Al-'Isa meeting with Jewish, Christian, and Buddhist figures, and commented: "The one who deems the Jews, the Christians, and the Buddhists to be his brethren is indeed one of them. He cannot serve as an imam of Muslims. It is therefore impermissible to pray behind one, and whoever does so is but an ignoramus who allows himself to be fooled through his own religion. No one is obliged to pray at Namira Mosque. Pilgrims continue to pray in groups everywhere in 'Arafa. Muslims should fear Allah and not allow themselves to be fooled through their religion, or else they will be sinners."[2]

Canada-Based Cleric Tariq Abdul Haleem: Heretic "Ally Of The Zionists"

On July 6, 2022, Canada-based pro-Al-Qaeda cleric Tariq Abdul Haleem commented on Telegram: "This is a message to pilgrims at the House of Allah: Be informed that being part of the prayer led by the so-called Muhammad Al-'Isa, who was appointed by the Peninsula's silly [Crown Prince Muhammad] bin Salman to lead the prayer on the Day of 'Arafa, is forbidden and considered void per the interpretations of all Islamic schools of thought. Al-'Isa is an ally of the Zionists, the godfather of normalization, and the rapporteur of the new Abrahamic religion, among many other disastrous slipups. He is a heretic and joining prayer led by him is religiously null and void."[3]

Pro-Houthi Telegram Channel: Saudi Regime Utilizes Congregation of Muslims To Promote Normalization, "Traitorous" Agenda

On July 6, 2022, Safhat Al-Mujahideen Al-Rasmiyah, a Telegram channel affiliated with the Yemen-based Houthi Ansar Allah Movement, commented on the appointment of "one of bin Salman's normalization missionaries," saying that the "regime in Saudi Arabia not only continues to implement a series of measures to divert people from making pilgrimage and limit the number of visitors, but deliberately utilizes the ritual of pilgrimage and congregation of Muslims to promote normalization and its traitorous agenda."[4]

Pro-ISIS Telegram Channel Urges "Forceful Removal Of Allah's Enemies From Pulpits"

On July 5, 2022, the prolific pro-ISIS Telegram channel Mojrayat Bilad Al-Haramayn (Course of Events in the Land of the Two Mosques) described the appointment of Al-'Isa as "shameless official news in a series of ongoing government blunders."

"Muhammad Al-'Isa is the Secretary General of the Muslim World League who stated that 'there is no difference between us and the Jews and the Christians, and that we are brothers.' Even the Madkhalis[5] in their meetings consider him to be a nonbeliever for comparing Allah's religion to others," the channel stressed.[6]

Commenting on a photo showing Al-'Isa with Indian spiritual leader Jagadish Vasudev, commonly known as Sadhguru, during a visit to Saudi Arabia, the channel argued that Al-'Isa "is known for raising topics that anger Muslims and for honoring those who are most antagonistic to Muslims."[7]

In a post on July 7, 2022, the channel commented on remarks by 'Abdul Rahman Al-Sudays, president of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, about the plan to translate the Day of 'Arafa sermon into 14 languages to "send a message of tolerance." According to the channel, providing a translation of a sermon with a tone of "tolerance" is the very reason behind the appointment of Al-'Isa to deliver a sermon "on the grandest day with the largest Muslim worship congregation." It argued that such a step would "equate Allah's religion with other religions" and "would praise those who made Allah the Almighty the third in a trinity and call to accept them," and would imply that Muslims and the "worshippers of the cross are all on the straight path."

It also contended that such a decision would "encourage people to reject the belief in Allah," and it called for the "forceful removal of Allah's enemies from the pulpits."[8]

Gaza-Based Jihadi Cleric: Al-'Isa's Past Statements, Stances Validate Calling Him Hypocrite And Heretic

On July 6, 2022, Gaza-based jihadi cleric Ahmad Qanitah shared on his Telegram channel a tweet by Avichay Adraee, a lieutenant colonel in the Israel Defense Forces who serves as the head of the Arab media division of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit. The tweet reads: "This is the true Islam. Saudi preacher Muhammad Al-'Isa holds a prayer in memory of Jewish Holocaust victims in Auschwitz concentration camp. Watch the video and learn a lesson. Association between religions is a harbinger of all good."

Responding to the tweet, Qanitah commented: "To be able to earn praise from the spokesman for the army of occupation, one must know that the advocate for normalization is a Zionist par excellence. Muhammad Al-'Isa is a hypocrite and well known for his heresy. This is not an accusation we are throwing at him; his acts and statements in support of the enemies of the ummah, and the slanderers of the prophet of Allah among the French and Hindus, have already validated such a description."[9]

 

[1] Twitter, July 6, 2022.

[2] Twitter, July 7, 2022.

[3] Telegram, July 6, 2022.

[4] Telegram, July 6, 2022.

[5] Madkhalis are followers of Saudi Salafi scholar Rabi' Al-Madkhali. Madkhalism is a quietist Wahhabi school of thought.

[6] Telegram, July 5, 2022.

[7] Telegram, July 5, 2022.

[8] Telegram, July 6, 2022.

[9] Telegram, July 6, 2022.


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