In a November 8 article titled "The West Wages Jihad But Forbids Us From Doing So" published in the London daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, prominent Saudi preacher Dr. Aidh Al-Qarni wrote that the West's hypocritical stance – of engaging in warfare and stockpiling arms while at the same time urging others to be peaceful and to refrain from manufacturing weapons – is simply a clever tactic of warfare. The West, Al-Qarni said, understands that power and military supremacy are far more important than cultural heritage or moral virtue; therefore, it builds up its own strength while keeping its rivals weak by convincing them to neglect their own. Iran too is developing nuclear weapons in order to gain an advantage over its rivals – not only Israel, but also the Arabs.
Al-Qarni warned the Arabs not to fall into this trap, and to invest their efforts not in museums or literature but in tanks, missiles, and nuclear arms. Only thus, he concluded, will they gain the respect of the world and be a match for the West and for Iran.
The following are excerpts from a translation of the article that was published in the English edition of Al-Sharq Al-Awsat:[1]
"Power Is the Source of All Stature and Grandeur"; One Tank Is Better than a Thousand Poems
"How can the West wage jihad but prohibit us Muslims from doing so? I am talking about the fact that the West has [manufactured] nuclear missiles yet prevents us from doing so; occupies our lands whilst protecting its own territory; and colonizes our seas and oceans whilst defending its own seas and oceans. Its factories produce rockets, bombs, missiles, frigates, rocket-launchers and aircraft carriers, whilst our factories only produce bubble-gum and Pepsi. The West warns us against acts of aggression and acquiring weapons, whilst it launches attacks and stockpiles arms day and night.
"This is because the West is intelligent and knows that power is the source of all stature and grandeur. Allah the Almighty said: 'Prepare against them what force you can.' The world respects no one but the strong. As for diplomacy, romanticism, and political sentimentality, this is mere superficial talk to distract and deceive foes, because war is an act of deception. Preoccupying the Middle East with arts, folklore, and cultural ceremonies at the expense of military factories is an open joke. To [build] one tank would be better than a thousand poems, a rocket more useful than a hundred cultural shows, and a bomb [is] more effective than a hundred epic tales to remind us of the glory of our forefathers, and what it used to be like in the old days. Does the world respect a state for its peaceful reputation, finesse, tact, and modesty, or for its strength and power? Iran realized this secret, and indeed the Persians are among the most cunning people, described by Umar Ibn al-Khattab as having 'the virtue of the mind, with which they rule.'
"I agree with what Mr. 'Abd Al-Rahman Al-Rashed wrote in this newspaper, and [with] what Mr. Daoud Al-Shiryan wrote in the newspaper Al-Hayat, suggesting that Iran will [build] a nuclear bomb and the West will not attack it. It will then be a case of the survival of the fittest, and the Arab appeal to Iran to abandon its military nuclear program – to have mercy on the Arabs and gain heavenly merit for doing so - will [turn out to be] a hollow cry. Iran has not heeded these words, which are not [worth] the ink with which they were written, because the true rational minds of the world – the international war [experts] and military [mavens] – all agree that the strongest is ultimately the one who is most respected and feared. In this life, there is no room for integrity, because integrity and sanctity belong to the heavens, whilst the world's laws and politics are [based] on deceit and cunning... As long as people [agree] to be ruled by current [man-made] laws without divine [laws], then it is [all] a matter of interests, maneuvers, usurpation, arrogance, oppression and proving oneself."
The Nuclear States Want Other Nations to Refrain from Making Nuclear Weapons So that They Can Maintain their Hegemony
"Look at the five major nuclear states, how they advise others to abandon their nuclear weapons and oppose [their having an] atomic bomb, whilst the United States itself originally gained its respect and political weight [thanks to] its nuclear arsenal. The message of the five states is heard everywhere, and their banners are held high. They possess the right to veto decisions, and the world bows to them, fearing their reach and power. They preach to other states and advise all nations to be peaceful, transparent, and hospitable, urging them not to manufacture nuclear weapons because this constitutes a global threat. In fact, the five major nuclear states want other nations to [refrain from] manufacturing nuclear weapons so that they can maintain their hegemony, authority, and tyranny. The West was wise to develop the inter-continental ballistic missile and the atomic bomb, yet it prevents us in the Middle East from doing so because it knows that in order to rule the world and monopolize its wealth, one needs overpowering strength and clear superiority. We in the Middle East are supposed to be content with reading history and reveling in the glories of the past, but this is only good for students in literacy classes...
"The poet Nizar Qabbani once said about the Arabs: They have long written history books and they became convinced. But since when did guns live inside books? Oh Bin al-Walid [Islamic commander Khalid Ibn al-Walid], is there no sword that you can hire, or have our swords turned to wood?"
"Cultural Heritage Museums... Should All Be Turned into Factories to Manufacture Tanks, Rocket-Launchers, Missiles, Satellites and Submarines"
"I urge the Arabs to manufacture the nuclear bomb and nuclear weapons. There are buildings currently occupied by minor daily newspapers that no one reads, and 'cultural heritage' museums [exhibiting] scrap metal, worn-out rope, blunt axes, and other artifacts. These should all be turned into factories to manufacture tanks, rocket-launchers, missiles, satellites, and submarines, so that the world comes to respect us, hear our voice, and appreciate our status. The world is governed by the law of the strong.
"An ancient Arab poet once said: 'The wolves run after he who has no dogs, but steer clear of the lair of the vicious lion.' Do not let us be fooled by Iran's honeyed words suggesting that Tehran seeks nuclear weapons only to burn Israel, for this is purely an illusion.
"The poet Khalaf Bin Hazal said: 'Do not trust the wolf cubs if they are alive whilst their parents are dead, for they will come at you in the morning with their fangs.'"
[1] Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), November 8, 2011. The text has been lightly edited for clarity.
