On September 3, an Urdu-language daily in India published a full-page report on the significance of Al-Quds Day, pledging that Muslims will soon have control over Bait-ul-Muqaddas (Jerusalem).[1] Al-Quds Day, which has been promoted by the Iranian government, is marked on the last Friday of the fasting month of Ramadan. This year, it was marked on September 3.
In the report, titled "What is Al-Quds Day?" the Urdu-language newspaper Roznama Sahafat tried to explain Al-Quds Day and urged the Muslim community throughout the world to become part of it. The first part of the report contains a short excerpt from a speech by Iran's spiritual leader Al Khamenei delivered to a seminar in Tehran, while the second and third parts exhort Muslims to become part of the Al-Quds Day. The second and third parts of the full report appear to be a speech delivered by some Iranian leader, possibly President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as his image appears alongside. However, the Urdu daily does not clarify who has written or delivered this speech.
The report made a clarion call, "Let's strongly protest against Zionism and Zionism-worshiping on this Al-Quds Day and raise our voice for freeing Bait-ul-Muqaddas with such intensity that all the followers of Israel also will tremble." The report added: "In fact, the motive behind initiating World War II by International Zionism was not to create just a small country of Israel only, but it was a small part of their dangerous anti-Islam program."
The Roznama Sahafat is published simultaneously from Mumbai, Lucknow, and the Indian capital of New Delhi, and its editor Aman Abbas is a Shi'ite Muslim.
Following are excerpts from the report:[2]
Part I: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: "Muslims will Soon Control Bait-ul-Muqaddas"; "America is Far Ahead of Us Militarily… Still They are Weak And We are Powerful…; America is Retreating"
"I welcome you all, honorable brothers and sisters, and pray to the Lord of the world with all humility that He will give us divine help to continue this great mission [of freeing Jerusalem]. I'm also thankful to those brothers who helped organize this seminar in Tehran. Allah willing, our congregation will be called a step forward.
"First of all I think it necessary to express my befitting thanks to the Palestinians and the people of Gaza. You brought stability in the previous resistances and Palestinian stands in previous years. Had there been no resolve and perseverance among the great Palestinian people there would not have been this stability and resistance. The fact is that due to this very resolution and perseverance that you have preserved your identity in the pages of history as the most strong and resolute nation of the world.
"We, even in today's world, are witnessing the invisible divine help and angels' help with our own eyes. We have seen that Allah helped us in our eight-year war [during the 1980s against Iraq] and we saw this help with our own eyes. Perhaps someone fully absorbed in this materialist world and materialism might deny this and might not believe it, but it does not matter, for we have seen this help with our own eyes. Even today the angels of Allah are helping us and even today we are exhibiting our resolve by the grace of the Lord of the world.
"There is no comparison between our military power and the U.S., and similarly our economic resources, our propaganda machinery, and political activities could not be compared with the U.S. But, in spite of that we are more powerful than the United States. Although America is far ahead of us militarily, economically, politically and due to their propaganda machinery, still they are weak and we are powerful. The reasoning of our being powerful is that America is retreating step by step on every front, but we have not taken even a step back; we are continuously advancing.
"This is due to the grace of Islam; this is the result of help from Allah and His angels; we have complete faith in it. We are watching it with our own eyes. The concerns and apprehensions you expressed regarding our dear Quds [Jerusalem] they are genuine, but despite all these one day that will be under the control of Muslims; most of you may live to watch that day. If it is in our fate, we would also see it; however, Palestine and the world will see that day for sure.
"Once again I'm thankful to you all and I'm very happy to meet you all. We have lots of things to say which cannot be completed in this short span of time. It is the time to say the Dhuhr [afternoon] prayer; so let's go [for that]. May the Lord of the world add to our expectations by days and nights!
"Wassalam, Ayatollah Khamenei"
Part II – "The Motive Behind Organizing World War II by the International Zionism was Not to Create Just a Small Country of Israel Only…"
"Islam does not only ask for prayer and improvement in the intimate knowledge of God, but it also asks for the safeguard and restoration of our political and social honor. Hence, one can demonstrate the greatness and honor of Islam and Muslims through surefooted resolve against the great tyrants of the world in this blessed month of prayers [Ramadan]. If all the Muslims of the world exhibit their Islamic unity through big Islamic congregations and rise with all Islamic power against all the tyrants of the East and the West, the murderous enemies of Islam and Muslims would lose their spirit and they will have no courage to make Muslims victim of their barbaric cruelty.
"Perhaps, this was the reason that Imam Khomeini designated the last Friday of the month of Ramadan, or the Jumatul Wida [last Friday prayer during Ramadan], as the Quds Day. In fact, it is the innovation of Iran to term the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan as the Al-Quds Day. In fact, the remembrance of Al-Quds Day in the blessed month is the remembrance of that important day on which everyone should think about the freedom of Bait-ul-Muqaddas so that the victims in chains should get freedom. We should think about getting freedom to all the weak and backward victims of the world from the oppressors on that day.
"On Al-Quds Day, we must warn all the big powers of the world to take their hands away from oppressing the victims and mind their own business. We must make the world aware of Al-Quds Day that Israel is the greatest enemy of humanity and that is why everyday it is involved in anti-human activities and keeps committing mass killing of our innocent brethren in southern Lebanon and other places.
"In fact, the motive behind organizing the World War II by the International Zionism was not to create just a small country of Israel only, but it was a small part of their dangerous anti-Islam program. Everyone is aware of this fact that the comprehensive organized program of International Zionism is to occupy at least all the area between the Nile and the Euphrates. Thus Zionism's ambitious design is to fulfill their dream of establishing a great Jewish empire by occupying the great oil resources and establish an extremely ferocious power to rule the world and unleash a reign of terror."
"The Reality is that Israel is Afraid of… [the] Revolutionary Voice of Muslims; Big Powers Want to Devour Us Like a Morsel of Rich Food"
"The difficulties before Zionism in putting their Zionist politics in practice can be described summarily in these words: 'I hope that the Muslim Ummah would respect the greatness and honor of Al-Quds Day and would organize great Islamic congregations and demonstrations on the last Friday of Ramadan as Al-Quds Day, and would raise sky-shaking slogans from their mosques for the freedom of Bait-ul-Muqaddas. The moment the one billion Muslims of the world would raise their voice, Israel cannot do any harm to them. Rather, the reality is that Israel is afraid of this revolutionary voice of Muslims. If Muslims understand this properly that the Lord of the world is their creator and sustainer and if [we] lead our lives for the sake of God, there will be no fear in our hearts, whatsoever it may be. And after that Israel will not dare to advance towards them [Muslims].
'[We] should make a firm resolution to drive away Israel from Arab and Islamic areas and [we] should not be satisfied over this that they don't make Bait-ul-Muqaddas their center or capital. May the Lord of the world give us the opportunity so that we may one day pray in Bait-ul-Muqaddas. We should not fall prey to the treachery of the U.S. and should not believe in such congregations in which only lip services are made in our support. The aim of such meetings is our defeat; we should not fall to these deceits at all.
'Every individual should work for revolution as per their responsibilities. All the Muslims should take to the revolutionary activities against the enemies. Muslims should not think that their governments will take any practical step in this regard. Governments have no interest in these issues; Muslims should do this work on their own. It won't work by taking refuge in any other power. They are like the wolf that is cannibalistic. All these big powers want to devour us like a morsel of rich food. That's why you should think for your safeguard, [and should be] looking towards our Sustainer with all attention. We should be looking towards our sacred religion Islam and should generate revolution for the safeguard of Islam and for our Lord's happiness. We should march for the sake of Islam and God.
'Allah willing, your success is a surety.'"
Part III – "International Al-Quds Day… is the Source of Ending the Problems of the Palestinians And the Annihilation of the Occupying Zionist State"
"The International Al-Quds Day, which is a remarkable achievement of Hazrat Imam Khomeini (blessings of Allah be on him) the leader of Islamic Revolution and the founder of Islamic Republic [of Iran], is the source of ending the problems of the Palestinians and the annihilation of the occupying Zionist state. It has been said in its proclamation that the Al-Quds Day is a day for the Muslim world to rise against the criminal Zionist state and its supporters.
"With regard to the 60 years of resolute perseverance of the Muslim world and Palestinians against the blood-thirsty Zionist state, the Defense Ministry of Iran, in a statement, has said that the Lebanese perseverance in the 33-day war and the resolution of the citizens of Gaza in the 22-days war have proved that Bait-ul-Muqaddas could only be freed through unity, law and order, skillfulness and struggle.
"It should be noted that the creator of Islamic Revolution [of Iran] Hazrat Imam Khomeini had declared the Jumatul Wida as the International Quds Day for getting Bait-ul-Muqaddas free from the Zionists' paws. On the Al-Quds Day, Muslims and freedom lovers throughout the world express their revulsion and hatred for the Zionist state by staging protest demonstrations at large scale.
"Let's strongly protest against Zionism and Zionism-worshiping on this Al-Quds Day and raise our voice for freeing Bait-ul-Muqaddas with such intensity that all the followers of Israel also get trembled."
