Friday Sermons on Iraqi TV: October 2002 - March 2003

Please note, this report includes hyperlinks that allow the reader to view streaming video of a number of sermons mentioned in this report. These links, when available, will appear as hyperlinks in double brackets [[ ]]. Internet access and the free media player RealPlayer are required to view these video clips. Please be patient while streaming video loads.

In the six months prior to the war, Iraqi preachers have used Friday sermons broadcast on Iraqi TV as a platform to incite the population to Jihad against the U.S. and Britain and against Jews, often basing these calls on Islamic themes and pan-Arab nationalist ideology. The following report focuses on sermons delivered by preachers of state-controlled mosques in Iraq, and reviews the primary and recurring themes of these sermons. It is followed by transcripts of the sermons as well as links to streaming videos of the main segments of the sermons.

The United States and Britain

A common theme of Iraqi sermons is the call for violence against the United States and Britain. Such acts of violence include "sinking their ships," "downing their planes," "shaking the ground under their feet," and calls for Allah to "burn Bush and Blair." The U.S. and Britain are referred to as "the Crusaders," "infidels," "oppressors," "polytheists," and "the administration of evil." The following excerpts typify the portrayal of the U.S., Britain, President George W. Bush, and Prime Minister Tony Blair in Iraqi sermons:

In a March 14, 2003 sermon, Sheikh Abd al-Razzak Al-Sa'adi, preaching from the Umm Al-Ma'arek (Mother of All Battles) Mosque in Baghdad, stated: "Oh God, curse upon the face of the Americans. Oh Allah, curse upon the face of the British… Oh Allah, strike the oppressors with each other, and let us come out of it safely, as you took the Prophet Muhammad out from among the polytheists. Oh Allah, sink their ships, and down their planes. Oh Allah, drown Bush and Blair as you drowned Pharaoh, and rescue us as you rescued Moses. Oh Allah, burn Bush and Blair with fire. Oh Allah, rescue us as you rescued your prophet Abraham from the fire. Oh Allah, drown them in the sea of humiliation and dishonor." [[Click Here]]

In a January 31, 2003 sermon at the Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad, Sheikh Dr. Abd Al-Latif Humaym stated: "Yes, Bush is the Dracula of this generation; He sucks the blood of the peoples." Sheikh Abd Al-Ghafour Muhammad Al-Qaysi, also preaching at the Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad, declared on February 28, 2003: "The administration of evil in America has become the embodiment of all types of arrogance, aggression, and obstinacy, and in order to give expression to all the meanings of abomination, oppression, and inhumanity in its ongoing threat to attack our country. It has embodied all the black pages in the history of this nation, in the history of humanity. [The] Administration of evil embodied the arrogance, it embodied the greedy and evil desires divorced of humanity; it embodied irrationality, inhumanity, and barbarity. Every evil phenomenon in history is manifested today in the administration of evil in the U.S. It exemplifies all the evil phenomena… Oh Allah, strike the administration of evil in America. Oh Allah, bring upon them your might that can not be averted from the evildoers. Oh Allah, send them soldiers whom they cannot see. Oh Allah, destroy them, annihilate them, shake the ground beneath their feet…" [[Click Here]]

In a November 8, 2002 sermon, Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai, preaching at the Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad, said: "…Brothers, we need today more than ever before, the grace of Jihad of the soul… primarily in this difficult hour of the Islamic nation, an hour when it is challenged of the [forces] of unbelief and the unbelievers, Jews and the Crusaders, the Americans, and British. They are challenging Allah because they challenge the book of Allah, they are challenging the Prophet of Allah, they are challenging you the believers. They think that their fortresses will protect them from Allah. They think that with these bombs and planes, missiles, and advanced technology they will terrorize us. No, by Allah!!! You [the West] are the true terrorists, but we will terrorize you, with Allah's power. We are steadfast; Allah will not allow the unbelievers to overcome the believers. Who are you, Oh vagabonds? Who are you, the sons of pigs and apes, to threaten Muhammad, whose Lord is Allah, and also Gabriel and the [other] angels…??? Who are you, oh Bush, you little dwarf to threaten Muhammad … Anyone who does not comply [in Jihad], will find himself lost in [hell], side by side with Haman, Pharaoh, and their soldiers… Oh Allah, let the infidels fight each other, and dry their blood in their veins. Send Your soldiers against them; Allah, shake the ground under their feet; Allah, destroy their fleet and their weapons; fight their soldiers; Allah, and plant fear in them; Oh Allah, confuse their words; Allah, make them prey to the Muslims… Allah Akbar to America, Allah Akbar to Britain… Oh Allah do not let the Jews or the Crusaders overcome the Muslims… Allah, help the Jihad warriors everywhere… Oh Allah, for Thee we fight, we kill and are killed." [[Click Here]]

Islamic Motifs: Jihad and Islamic History

Iraqi sermons often contain references to major battles in Islamic history as well as to Koranic verses relating to martyrdom and Jihad. Of particular interest was the convening of 500 Muslim clerics in Baghdad on October 12, 2002 who declared that waging Jihad was a personal obligation for Muslims, and urged Muslims "to strike U.S. interests."[1]The following are sermons delivered in Iraqi mosques and broadcast on Iraqi television, which incorporate such content:

In a sermon given on March 28, 2003, days after the beginning of the war in Iraq, Sheikh Abd Al-Ghafour Muhammad Al-Qaysi, preaching from the Abd al-Qadir al-Gaylani Mosque in Baghdad, invoked several Islamic religious and historical precedents in his call to Jihad: "Oh Mujahideen-believers! We have sworn Jihad before Muhammad… We are the army of Allah. We who are fighting against those who are fighting us. Oh Mujahideen-believers everywhere… The evil has arrived. The Satan and his army… The Jihad has become a personal [duty] of every Muslim. To refrain from Jihad today would constitute a violation of Allah's commands. It is a sin. Long live the Jihad! The evil has arrived! The forces of disbelief have mobilized armies…. We are fighting with the strength of Allah, the strength of our faith. We only face Allah. Allah will bring victory to those [who tell] the truth even if it takes a long time."

From the Abd al-Qadir al-Gaylani Mosque in Baghdad on December 13, 2002, Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai lamented the fact that "Now, the infidels move freely in the Arabian Peninsula and the Muslims find it difficult to fulfill the commandment of pilgrimage. If today a Muslim enters any country, they say: 'He is a terrorist, he is a fanatic and he is an extremist,' just because he is a monotheistic believer [i.e. a Muslim]. In contrast, someone who dances, amuses himself and commits sins is pampered and loved. What is the meaning of this standard? This is a standard of the infidels. We judge by the standard of Shari'a - 'Be a believer in Allah, be a Jihad warrior for the sake of Allah.' ... [We are facing] one of two good things – either martyrdom or victory… Who of us will not die? Who has supreme rule today? Who has supreme rule today? Oh our brothers, oh Muslims, oh believers throughout the world: Who has supreme rule? Only Allah's, the only One, the Victorious. Every soul tastes death. You will receive your wage on Judgment Day…" [[Click Here]]

At the Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad, on January 31, 2003, Sheikh Dr. Abd Al-Latif Humaym recalled the tradition of the Islamic warrior The Flying Ja'far, who was killed battling the Byzantines: "The Byzantines surrounded him and hit him with their swords on his right hand. He then grabbed the banner in his left hand. They hit his left hand and cut it off. So he then grabbed the banner with both his stumps. At that moment his responsibility was not to let Muhammad's banner touch the ground nor to allow the hooves of the enemy's horses [to] trample this great banner. His body fell down and the banner of the Prophet still held between his two stumps was planted in the sand… This is how the companions of the Prophet Muhammad acted when they were fighting arrogant forces, when they were fighting people who worship other people, rather than Allah. Even if the end of 'The Flying Ja'far' was sad and painful by mundane criteria - according to Allah's criteria he has risen to the peak of belief… Brothers, all people die of different causes, but not all people achieve such a victory. I recalled this story, which is just one of thousands of its kind in Islamic history, [when I was thinking about] the difficult circumstances we are facing now against disbelief and idolatry forces of all types…" [[Click Here]]

Preaching from the Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad, on March 14, 2002, Sheikh Abd al-Razzak Al-Sa'adi stated that, "This is Jihad for the sake of Allah. This is defensive Jihad, that is set out in our Islamic religious law. This is repelling the aggressor which Allah has made obligatory for us. Islamic law stipulates that when we face an enemy that is targeting our religion, our homeland, our money, our honor, our resources - then Jihad becomes a personal obligation incumbent even on the woman, and she is permitted to go out to fight even without her husband's permission, even though she is ordered to do nothing without her husband's permission." Sheikh Abd al-Razzak Al-Sa'adi also urged Iraqis to repeat their earlier victories during British imperial rule, saying "Iraq is a mountain that they will not reach, Allah willing. They must reconsider their deeds well – the Americans and the British, and history is the best witness to this. Men of Iraq – what they did to the British in the 1920 uprising, with sticks, they drove out the British occupiers…"

The Jews

Iraqi sermons also call regularly for violence against Jews. For example, in a February 14, 2003 sermon, Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai, preaching at the Abd al-Qadir al-Gaylani Mosque in Baghdad, cried out to the crowd while brandishing a sayf (sword): "If Allah permits us, Oh Nation of Muhammad, even the stone will say, Oh Muslim, A Jew is hiding behind me, come and cut off his head and we shall cut off his head. By Allah, we shall cut it off! Allahu Akbar! Oh Jews, Allahu Akbar!" [[Click Here]]

Jews, and at times Christians too, are commonly referred to in Iraqi sermons as "the sons of apes and pigs." This is a common antisemitic motif which appears in the Koran, the Hadith (the Islamic tradition), and in Koranic interpretations. These references also appear in sermons all over the Arab world.[2]One example of the inclusion of this reference in Iraqi sermons is found in a sermon by Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai on October 18, 2002, given at the Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad. In the sermon, he stated, "The Iraqi leadership and people, as one man, held this forceful position, with worthy determination, and brought to the knowledge of everyone new garments with which the Jews and the Crusaders covered themselves, [garments] whose color is like the color of the chameleon, in American, British, and loathsome Zionist colors, [those] sons of apes and pigs, upon whom is [Allah's] wrath, as mentioned in the Koran and who are accursed everywhere. Know that the Jihad exists within us, against all the enemies in every place and every time, until they stop their corruption and greed." [[Click Here]]

Another example comes from a sermon delivered on February 14, 2003, by Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai from the Abd al-Qadir al-Gaylani Mosque in Baghdad, in which he preached that Jews were "sons of apes and pigs… criminal Jews." The depiction of Jews as "descendants of apes and pigs" is further reprised by Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai in a November 8, 2002 sermon at the Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad. Finally, in a sermon given at the Abd-al-Qadir al-Gaylani Mosque on December 13, 2002, Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai referred to, "A stinking, rotten defiled Jew, whose mother is an ape and whose father is a pig…"

Preachers on Saddam Hussein

Most Iraqi sermons end with praise for Saddam Hussein and wishes for Allah to grant him strength and victory in his Jihad against the West. On February 28, 2003, from the Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad, a sermon delivered by Abd Al-Ghafour Muhammad Al-Qaysi stated, "Oh Allah, defend, support, and protect the leader of our community of believers, the believing leader and Jihad warrior Saddam Hussein…"[3]Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai delivered a sermon at the Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad, in which he also praised Saddam on November 8, 2002: "Allah, support the leader of the monotheists, the President, the Jihad warrior in the victorious - with the help of Allah- Saddam Hussein… [Allah] hold his hand towards a crushing victory, that will realize the Muslims' might…" On March 28, 2003, the Friday sermon delivered by Sheikh Abd Al-Ghafour Muhammad Al-Qaysi at Abd al-Qadir al-Gaylani Mosque in Baghdad was aired on Al-Arabia TV[4]in Dubai in collaboration with Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca. The end of the sermon stated "Allah guard the believing leader of Iraq, the symbol of belief and Jihad, the leader Saddam Hussein."

The Sermons

October 18, 2002, Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai, Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad [Click Here]

"The Iraqi leadership and people, as one man, held this forceful position, with worthy determination, and brought to the knowledge of everyone new garments with which the Jews and the Crusaders covered themselves, [garments] whose color is like the color of the chameleon, in American, British, and loathsome Zionist colors, [those] sons of apes and pigs, upon whom is [Allah's] wrath, as mentioned in the Koran and who are accursed everywhere. Know that the Jihad exists within us, against all the enemies in every place and every time, until they stop their corruption and greed… Oh brothers! Oh Muslims! The danger is imminent. This spark that Bush and the British Prime Minister and Ariel Sharon and their supporters have ignited is war on Islam, which targets not only Iraq and Palestine but the Arabs and Muslims and every honorable nation that takes pride in its sovereignty, its freedom, and its independence. Oh brothers! The criminal declared that the land of Al-Isra and Al-Mi'rage [Jerusalem], the blessed land of honor and heroism, the land of Jihad, the land of the heroic children of the stones, the land of the proud men and glorious women, our sisters in Palestine - the criminal Bush has turned Jerusalem into the capital of Israel… Everyone must know that the most honorable death is martyrdom for the sake of Allah, because it is a transition from the prison of this world to the expanses of the Hereafter. It is eternal life, with Muhammad and his companions, with the beloved and with our Lord…"[5]

November 8, 2002, Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai, Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad [Click Here]

"…Brothers, we need today more than ever before, the grace of Jihad of the soul… primarily in this difficult hour of the Islamic nation, an hour when it is challenged of the [forces] of unbelief and the unbelievers, Jews and the Crusaders, the Americans, and British. They are challenging Allah because they challenge the book of Allah, they are challenging the Prophet of Allah, they are challenging you the believers. They think that their fortresses will protect them from Allah. They think that with these bombs and planes, missiles, and advanced technology they will terrorize us. No, by Allah!!! You [the West] are the true terrorists, but we will terrorize you, with Allah's power. We are steadfast; Allah will not allow the unbelievers to overcome the believers. Who are you, Oh vagabonds? Who are you, the sons of pigs and apes, to threaten Muhammad, whose Lord is Allah, and also Gabriel and the [other] angels…??? Who are you, oh Bush, you little dwarf to threaten Muhammad and the sons of Muhammad!!?? We challenge you with our words, even before our weapons. Who are you to threaten us, our feelings and our holy sites??!!"

"…We will fight them with all kinds of weapons. Jihad, Jihad, Jihad, Jihad. Oh nation of the Koran, the nation of Muhammad, Oh Muslims: Jihad for the cause of Allah, and for defending Muhammad's holiness [sic]. Whoever does not defend Muhammad and the Koran, will not smell the aroma of paradise forever… Today, after the capture of Jerusalem, and after the infidels defiled the Arabian Peninsula and are threatening Arabs and Muslims, the holy places, and especially Iraq - Jihad has become an obligation of every individual Muslim [Fardh 'Ayn]. Anyone who does not comply, will find himself lost in [hell], side by side with Haman, Pharaoh, and their soldiers."

"Oh Allah, let the infidels fight each other, and dry their blood in their veins. Send Your soldiers against them; Allah, shake the ground under their feet; Allah, destroy their fleet and their weapons; fight their soldiers; Allah, and plant fear in them; Oh Allah, confuse their words; Allah, make them prey to the Muslims… Allah Akbar to America, Allah Akbar to Britain… Oh Allah do not let the Jews or the Crusaders overcome the Muslims… Allah, help the Jihad warriors everywhere… Oh Allah, for Thee we fight, we kill and are killed. Allah will settle His account with you, Bush! Allah will settle His account with you, Ariel Sharon… Our dead for the cause of Allah are Shuhada [martyrs] in paradise, while their dead are in hell… Allah, support the leader of the monotheists, the President, the Jihad warrior in the victorious- with the help of Allah- Saddam Hussein… [Allah] hold his hand towards a crushing victory, that will realize the Muslims' might…"[6]

December 13, 2002, Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai, Abd-al-Qadir al-Gaylani Mosque in Baghdad [Click Here]

"I am swearing to you by your God. What is the meaning of Jihad? Tell me what Jihad is? Oh nation of Muhammad, oh Muslims, against whom do we fight the Jihad? Do we fight against stones? Do we fight against water?! Or do we fight the Jihad against the infidels? What is the purpose Allah wanted, which he clarified [in the verse:] 'Powerful against the infidels.' But the situation is reversed. The theory was overturned. A believer kills a believer, a Muslim kills a Muslim, and glorifies the infidel, and gives him an opportunity. Now, the infidels move freely in the Arabian Peninsula and the Muslims find it difficult to fulfill the commandment of pilgrimage. If today a Muslim enters any country, they say: 'He is a terrorist, he is a fanatic and he is an extremist,' just because he is a monotheistic believer [i.e. a Muslim]. In contrast, someone who dances, amuses himself and commits sins is pampered and loved. What is the meaning of this standard? This is a standard of the infidels. We judge by the standard of Shari'a - 'Be a believer in Allah, be a Jihad warrior for the sake of Allah.' Do not fear [in your struggle] for Allah the reprimands of those who look for flaws. Do you know who those who do not fear are? Those who convey the message of Allah…"

"Who is Bush?! Who is America?! Who is Britain?! Who is Zionism, and its allies, and those who stand behind it?! Is not Allah the Lord of all the lords? The true religion according to Allah is Islam. Islam is the overwhelming power. Faith is the power of authority that demolishes the castle of the infidels… By Allah, oh Bush, and you… I do not want to mention your names from this pulpit. I am talking to the Americans, the British, Zionism, and the Masons, and all the agents: Even if you set the sun on our right and the moon on our left so that we will abandon our religion – we will not abandon it, until Allah makes it victorious or we die [in its defense]. How sweet is martyrdom for [Allah's] sake. We challenge you, we do not fear you, because this is the command of Allah to us, [to be] 'unafraid of the reprimands of those who look for flaws.' Who are those who blame us? We are the men of Iraq, the men of perseverance and Jihad, the men of the sword and the pen. Who are those who blame us? Who has allowed them to blame us? 'Do not blame me, blame yourselves. I cannot help you and you cannot help me…'"

"Are they laying in ambush for us? [We are facing] one of two good things – either martyrdom or victory. Who of us will not die? Who has supreme rule today? Who has supreme rule today? Oh our brothers, oh Muslims, oh believers throughout the world: Who has supreme rule? Only Allah's, the only One, the Victorious. Every soul tastes death. You will receive your wage on Judgment Day…"

"Do you know, oh brothers, what a stinking, rotten, defiled Jew, whose mother is an ape and whose father is a pig, declared a few days ago? He said that if Israel is attacked, we will attack Mecca and Al-Madina. After this, is there anything to add? Does anything remain of our belief? Oh nation of Koran! Oh nation of Muhammad! How far we are from Koran and how far we are from Muhammad!"[7]

January 31, 2003, Sheikh Dr. Abd Al-Latif Humaym, Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad [Click Here]

"Oh Muslims, on my way to the mosque I had contemplated the story of the martyrdom of Ja'far Ibn Abi Taleb in the battle of Mu'ta… He commanded three thousand of the Prophet Muhammad's companions against more than two hundred thousand Byzantine horsemen who represented one of the biggest empires of that era. He saw that Muhammad's banner was going to fall from the hands of Zayd Ibn Al-Haritha... He broke through towards the banner like an arrow. He grabbed it and began fighting as if he was a whole army, and since his mare made it difficult for him to maneuver, he dismounted from her and began fighting on foot."

"The Byzantines surrounded him and hit him with their swords on his right hand. He then grabbed the banner in his left hand. They hit his left hand and cut it off. So he then grabbed the banner with both his stumps. At that moment his responsibility was not to let Muhammad's banner touch the ground nor to allow the hooves of the enemy's horses [to] trample this great banner. His body fell down and the banner of the Prophet still held between his two stumps was planted in the sand."

[Abdallah Ibn Umar, one of the Prophet's companions in the battle, said:]"'I came to Ja'far at the end of the day and he was lying on his back. I offered him water but he said: 'I am fasting'… He died before sunset, [while] fasting; he died as a martyr… We found in his body more than ninety stab wounds and arrow wounds and none of the wounds were in his back.' This battle is the model battle in which glory, death, bravery, martyrdom, and sacrifice were revealed, when truth fights falsehood, when monotheism fights idolatry, when belief fights disbelief and tyranny."

"This is how the companions of the Prophet Muhammad acted when they were fighting arrogant forces, when they were fighting people who worship other people, rather than Allah. Even if the end of 'The Flying Ja'far' was sad and painful by mundane criteria, according to Allah's criteria he has risen to the peak of belief… Brothers, all people die of different causes, but not all people achieve such a victory. I recalled this story, which is just one of thousands of its kind in Islamic history, [when I was thinking about] the difficult circumstances we are facing now against disbelief and idolatry forces of all types…"

"Turning the facts upside down is not difficult for those who want to spill sacred blood. They are the cowards of colonialism and the evil impostures of politics; The Zionist-American tyrant is a barbaric tyrant armed to the fangs. He's somewhat like the English author's depiction of the vampire Dracula. Yes, Bush is the Dracula of this generation; He sucks the blood of the peoples. They want, first of all, to slaughter our faith. They want to kill us, they want war so they can collect its booty… Oh Ja'far, come out of your grave and cry out Allah Akbar… Oh Ja'far, rise for Iraq... Oh Saddam, hit with your sharp sword and burn the armies of the infidels… Oh Allah, support the Mujahideen in Iraq and in Palestine… Oh Allah, support Saddam and the Iraqis… Oh Allah, make those who wish us, our religion, our nation, or our leader ill slaughter themselves by their own hands. Oh Allah, deal with the Jews, the Zionists, and the Americans, since they are incapable of countering you..."[8]

February 14, 2003, Sheikh Bakr Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Samarai, Abd Al-Qadir Al-Gaylani Mosque in Baghdad [Click Here]

"I advise you, oh America, Britain, and those whom Allah said about you: 'Allah's wrath upon you,' the Jews, oh the sons of apes and pigs – there is no strife on the face of the earth that you have not sparked – 'whenever they start the fire of strife, Allah extinguished it.' May Allah extinguish your light and your fires. But we, we are the men whom Allah has chosen, and wanted, and made us strong, so as to pluck your heads, ripe for the picking, that rose and acted in tyranny and in arrogance. We will be the ones to pluck them, if Allah wills it. Oh nation of the Koran, civil strife has not appeared on the earth that was not [brought about] by the money of the criminal Jews, and their conspiracies in the media, [the Jews], that unfortunately and shamefully, America and Britain have knelt and even bowed down to their tyrants – the tyrants of the generation and its pharaohs… "

"They will know – and I don't want to mention their names from this pulpit – The Americans and their president and the British, and their allies and the Zionists, the spoiled offspring of this entity Allahu Akbar! [Allah is the greatest] If Allah permits us, Oh Nation of Muhammad, even the stone will say, 'Oh Muslim, A Jew is hiding behind me, come and cut off his head,' [he draws his sword] and we shall cut off his head. By Allah, we shall cut it off! Allahu Akbar! Oh Jews, Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Jihad for the sake of Allah! Jihad for the sake of Allah! Jihad for the sake of Allah! Victory to Allah! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! The believers [Muslims] will triumph! Allahu Akbar! The believers will triumph! Allahu Akbar! The Iraqis will triumph! Allahu Akbar, we will triumph, Allah willing! Allahu Akbar, we will triumph with the power of Allah! Allahu Akbar, we will triumph with the power of the Messenger of Allah! We trust in Allah, who is the best support!"[9]

February 28, 2003, Abd Al-Ghafour Muhammad Al-Qaysi, Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad [Click Here]

"…Pharaoh has returned, and the arrogance has returned. The administration of evil in America has become the embodiment of all types of arrogance, aggression, and obstinacy, and in order to give expression to all the meanings of abomination, oppression, and inhumanity in its ongoing threat to attack our country. It has embodied all the black pages in the history of this nation, in the history of humanity. Administration of evil embodied the arrogance, it embodied the greedy and evil desires divorced of humanity; it embodied irrationality, inhumanity, and barbarity. Every evil phenomenon in history is manifested today in the administration of evil in the U.S. It exemplifies all the evil phenomena. If God has set universal rules in this world that the arrogant is annihilated, the aggressor annihilated, and falsehood annihilated – then all the more so for the administration of evil, that combines within it all these loathsome traits, and therefore its annihilation is imminent…"

"Victory is certain. Do not use material considerations regarding victory. Do not look at the scope of the forces that have gathered, or at the number of planes flying in our skies, or at the number of missiles. Look at the capability of Allah, who destroyed Pharaoh, destroyed 'Ad and Thamoud, destroyed Abrahah. Allah has armies whom we cannot see. Allah promised His prophets victory at crucial moments; when the prophets despaired, Allah sent them support. At the cruciall moment, Allah's help comes, the armies of Allah come, and victory comes from Allah. Therefore, be confident, oh sons of Iraq, and every Muslim and honorable man in the world. The outcome that we believe in in Iraq is that Allah will frustrate the administration of evil by our hands…"

"Oh Allah, strike the administration of evil in America. Oh Allah, bring upon them your might that can not be averted from the evildoers. Oh Allah, send them soldiers whom they cannot see. Oh Allah, destroy them, annihilate them, shake the ground beneath their feet… Oh Allah, defend, support, and protect the leader of our community of believers, the believing leader and Jihad warrior Saddam Hussein…"

March 14, 2003, Sheikh Abd al-Razzak Al-Sa'adi, Umm Al-Ma'arek Mosque in Baghdad [Click Here]

"We give you sincere advice to the American people to rise up against this oppressor Bush, and to the British people to rise up against this oppressor Blair. They do not represent them. They are not ready to accept oppression, nor aggression nor humiliation. They must rise up against them. I maintain, like others, and like the world, that these two governments are a mark of shame on the forehead of these peoples, if they do not rise up against them and uproot them, because they have brought catastrophes upon the entire world. Lives have been lost, blood spilled, and the people live in fear of their threats; they have directed their venom and their deadly weapons at the entire world. Every time you see a problem here or there in the world, if you trace it, you will find the American administration that cause it; and behind it world Zionism and Jews, who drive the world with these problems and frighten peaceful people…"

"We say: Oh Godh, curse upon the face of the Americans. Oh God, curse upon the face of the British. Oh Allah, curse upon face of the base ones who surrendered to the British and the Americans. Oh Allah, bring us victory as you brought it to Your Prophet. Oh Allah, strike the oppressors with each other, and let us come out of it safely, as you took the Prophet Muhammad out from among the polytheists. Oh Allah, sink their ships, and down their planes. Oh Allah, drown Bush and Blair as you drowned Pharaoh, and rescue us as you rescued Moses. Oh Allah, burn Bush and Blair with fire. Oh Allah, rescue us as you rescued your prophet Abraham from the fire. Oh Allah, drown them in the sea of humiliation and dishonor. Oh Allah, rescue us as you rescued your servant and your prophet Jonah from the belly of the whale, until he called out to you and said: There is no Allah besides You, I have indeed sinned…"

"Perhaps the devil misled Bush and Blair to think that Iraq would welcome them with flowers and roses. These are only the whisperings of the devil, and from the impulses of their evil souls. By Allah, we will receive them only with fire and iron, we will receive them with hearts full of faith, that say there is none but Allah and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah. [We will receive them] only with hearts bearing the [words:] Allahu Akbar! Bearing them love for the Prophet of Allah, love for his family, love for his friends. We will receive them only with what Allah has willed as he said: "Fight for Allah those who fight you, and do not be aggressors. Allah does not love aggressors. Kill them wherever you find them, and take them out from where they took you out, and strife is worse than killing. Kill them wherever you find them. It is the obligation of the Muslims today, Iraqis and others, to threaten American interests everywhere they are found, to put them on fire, to light their wick, and to sink their ships, with all their power. This is Jihad for the sake of Allah. This is defensive Jihad, that is set out in our Islamic religious law. This is repelling the aggressor which Allah has made obligatory for us. Islamic law stipulates that when we face an enemy that is targeting our religion, our homeland, our money, our honor, our resources - then Jihad becomes a personal obligation incumbent even on the woman, and she is permitted to go out to fight without her husband's permission, even though she is ordered to do nothing without her husband's permission, except in this case she is allowed to go out to fight the enemy even without her husband's permission…"

"Those who are amassing their forces and their equipment [are on their way] to hell, and Iraq will be their graveyard. They will not reach our lands, our persons or our homes, Allah willing. [Here is] a free advice to them, and I ask the media to convey it to them: This is an advice to Bush, that he repent, that he withdraw from his oppression, ask Allah's forgiveness, and regret his deeds, because he has committed a crime, committed a sin, and he will regret his deeds and bite his fingers and cut them one after the other…"

"Iraq is a mountain that they will not reach, Allah willing. They must reconsider their deeds well – the Americans and the British, and history is the best witness to this. Men of Iraq – what they did to the British in the 1920 uprising, with sticks, they drove out the British occupiers, and today we will drive them away, Allah willing, with knives, swords, any weapon we have, we will drive them away using all means, Allah willing…"[10]

March 28, 2003, Sheikh Abd Al-Ghafour Muhammad Al-Qaysi, Abd Al-Qadir Al-Gaylani Mosque in Baghdad

While Iraqi TV was unable to broadcast the sermon delivered by Sheikh Abd Al-Ghafour Muhammad Al-Qaysi at Abd Al-Qadir Al-Gaylani Mosque in Baghdad due to coalition actions, it was aired by the new Saudi funded Dubai-based Al-Arabia TV.[11] The broadcast was done in collaboration with Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca. Throughout the sermon, the preacher hoisted a gun. The following are excerpts from the sermon:

"Oh Mujahideen-believers! We have sworn Jihad before Muhammad… We are the army of Allah. We who are fighting against those who are fighting us. Oh Mujahideen-believers everywhere… The evil has arrived. Satan and his army. The Mujahideen have declared Jihad for the sake of Allah to bring down the banners of the infidels and those full of hatred…"

"The war has started and evil is spouted from the mouths of those who have lied and continue to lie, those who said that Baghdad will be occupied within hours. And, as you can see, Baghdad is standing firm and everyone in it is carrying arms. Every child in it is carrying arms, and even the women are carrying arms. They will not defile the soil of Baghdad and they will not desecrate any inch of our believing Iraq. Disappointment and defeat will be their fate."

"Therefore, this war demands patience. Be patient, Allah loves patient people and supports their patience. He has promised them heaven and He will usher them into heaven without any other consideration."

"For what purpose are you fighting, Oh evil men? We are fighting the Jihad for the sake of Allah. We are fighting to [reach] heaven… They have been hired by the enemy and were doomed in this world and doomed in the world to come. Their dead are in hell because they have attacked a peaceful and believing country, but blessings to anyone amongst us who died a death of a holy man because he earns strength in this world and heaven in the world to come."

"This war has demonstrated who the men of faith are… Our Arab and Muslim people everywhere call for the victory of Iraq… It is a test for the believers in order for Allah to distinguish between the despised and the good. It is a war between truth and falsehood… this is a war to be remembered in history."

"We call on Muslims everywhere, and to Arabs. We say to them: this is the day of Jihad. The Jihad has become a personal [duty] of every Muslim. To refrain from Jihad today would constitute a violation of Allah's commands. It is a sin. Long live the Jihad! The evil has arrived! The forces of disbelief have mobilized armies…"

"Where are the men of honor?"

"We want to show the enemies the power of Islam so that when they attack a Muslim country they will not fall [under the illusion] that Muslims are falling silent."

"Raise the banner of Islam. Raise the banner of Jihad. This war is not different than the war of the polytheists against the Prophet. The criminal Bush declares before the whole world, as the polytheists had declared in the Battle of Badr [the first battle won by Prophet Muhammad against the polytheists]: 'The world will recognize the strength of our army…'"

"The criminal Bush is bringing back to the world all the arrogance and the insolence and all the criminality and the absence of humanity. He starts a war that has no legitimate [basis] only for the purpose of satisfying his wicked and evil soul and his thirst for pure blood. History repeats itself. But here is his army defeated by the force of faith. And here are his modern weapons falling against our simple weapon. We are fighting with the strength of Allah, the strength of our faith. We only face Allah. Allah will bring victory to those [who tell] the truth even if it takes a long time."

"Oh Mujahideen, oh believers. Everybody hears how the enemy's media… are spreading rumors and lies which were refuted by the Mujahideen. They claimed – to the whole world – that Iraq will come to its end. I say from this pure site to all media outlets that spread the evil [man's] lies: You have to verify the information [you are broadcasting]. They [the enemies] have no shame nor conscience. They lie to people and they must be exposed… They want to delude the people as if their army is at the gates of Baghdad… Media outlets in the world should oppose this lie and verify the truth of their words, since they have no conscience and no morality. This lie will be exposed by the brave Mujahideen, in Iraq of the Jihad… The news channels have become a vehicle for passing the enemy's lies."

"Oh men of the media, be careful to broadcast the truth [only]. Don't be a [voice] for the administration of evil; Don't be a [voice] for the liars. This is the real situation: Iraq is Iraq. It is fighting Jihad in its entirety. Everyone carries arms, we fight them everywhere, so that none of them will be able to defile our soil."

"Don't spread rumors; don't spread lies… We approve of every media outlet that stands by the truth and refutes their evil words… We promise our brothers everywhere: Iraq is in good shape, united, from end to end fighting under the banner of 'Allah Akbar.' The sons of Iraq have united and stand in one line [of battle] against the fierce attack."

"We fight to satisfy Allah while they fight to satisfy [the idol] Taghut. How big is the difference between those who fight for the sake of Allah and those who fight for Satan?!"

"Allah guard Iraq… Allah guard the Mujahideen… Allah sow fear in the hearts of our enemies… Allah send [against] them soldiers they can not see… Allah bring victory to Islam and the Muslims… Allah guard our army, our youth, and our women from the evil of these villains… Allah guard the believing leader of Iraq, the symbol of belief and Jihad, the leader Saddam Hussein."

*Steven Stalinsky is Executive Director of MEMRI.