Syria-Based Saudi Jihadi Cleric Visits Umayyad Mosque In Damascus, Downplays His Role In Supporting Mujahedeen In Syria, Saying: I'm Just A Muslim Man From Mecca Who Supported Your 'Revolution'

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On December 12, 2024, Syria-based Saudi jihadi cleric Abdullah Al-Muhaysini published a video on his Telegram documenting his visit to the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. This was his first visit to the city following the fall of President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.[1]

The jihadi cleric, who migrated to Syria in the early years of the Syrian civil war in 2011, was warmly received by the mujahedeen and residents who were seen in the video taking selfies and video recording his speech.

Citing Quranic verses that praise Allah for victory, Al- Al-Muhaysini was introduced by a preacher who described him as a "migrant jihadi."

However, Al-Muhaysini told the crowds that he is nothing but a Muslim man who travelled to Syria when the civil war erupted to extend support to Syrians against the regime. It was notable in his speech that he refrained from using jihadi vocabulary.

"First, I’m not among the leaders of the revolution, nor am I a high-ranking figure. I am a Muslim man from Mecca. When you are confronted with your brave arms, voice, naked chests, the fire, then you called for help from Arabs and Muslims, and when the tyrant mobilized gangs from Iranians and Afghans, from Lebanon and everywhere else, I came to you with some of your Muslim brothers to take part in this great battle. I’m not more than a Muslim who stood with you in your historic revolution," he said.

Praising the factions that took part in ousting the Assad regime, the cleric kept inciting the crowds against the Shi'ites, reminding them of ideological differences, and accusing them of insulting scared figures that Sunnis widely revere.

He briefly acknowledged his affiliation with jihadis, noting that in every battle against the Syrian regime, he reminded the "mujahideen" of these insults.

Commenting on his visit, he wrote on his Telegram channel: "Sixty years after the capture of the Umayyad Mosque, the Sunnis in Syria have reclaimed it. I had the honor of giving a lecture at the mosque entitled: 'This is what Allah has promised you.' After that, I was honored to greet the people of Damascus, and they overwhelmed me with their love; may it continue."

Background

Following the withdrawal of the U.S. forces from Afghanistan, Al-Muhaysini shared a video showing the corpses of what he described as "Afghan soldiers." He commented on the video, saying: "These soldiers spent their lives serving Americans, who, before they withdrew, rewarded them by killing them."[2]

Addressing anyone who works with U.S. forces, he said: "Are you going to remember this lesson?"

Celebrating Afghan Taliban

He shared dozens of posts celebrating the Afghan Taliban's seizure of districts across the country, dubbing them "conquests."[3] He joyfully listed the key areas that the Taliban had seized since the beginning of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan,

To inspire other jihadi groups to follow in the Taliban's footsteps, he wrote: "The lions of the Taliban are the men of Islam. By Allah, I have tears of joy as I watch the conquests of the Taliban, the men of Allah. In this video, 300 commandos affiliated with the American forces are surrendering to the hands of your brothers. The lions of jihad are patting their shoulders and saying: 'Go, you are free. Share these bright models...to quench the thirsty Ummah [i.e., the Islamic nation] from the cup of Taliban's glory.'"

Celebrating Natural Disasters In West

The Saudi cleric often celebrates natural disasters in western countries, calling them divine punishments sent down upon infidels. He said in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel on May 6, 2020, that the fires that have raged in Israel, Australia, China, France, and America are punishments that were sent down upon tyrants, infidels, and sinners in these countries, since Allah punishes such people with fire in this life as well as in the afterlife. He said that the fire in hell, where he said sinners are roasted, is 70 times hotter than the fire in this world.[4]

Honoring Jihadi Clerics

On June 17, 2021, Rabitat Al-Wafa', an association of Saudi-born mujahideen in Syria, published a three-minute video on Telegram showing Al-Muhaysini, who chairs the association, and his fellow Saudi-born cleric Muslih Al-'Ulyani, offering symbolic gifts to Syrian cleric 'Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Mahdi to honor his contribution to jihad in Syria.[5]

The video showed Al-Muhaysini giving a short speech in which he praised Al-Mahdi for his "efforts in spreading da'wah [preaching] and encouraging the mujahideen."

Fundraising For Hamas

Al-Muhaysini released a two-part video on his Telegram channel on March 26, 2019. In it, he called passionately upon Muslims to support the "Islamic Resistance in Palestine" (i.e., Hamas) by donating funds using bitcoin.[6]

He stated: "Your brothers in Gaza, your brothers the mujahideen in the Islamic resistance, have launched a campaign today to support the Resistance and its steadfastness, via what is called 'bitcoin currency.' This currency is a good, secure method by which to deliver money to mujahideen, so that you [too], Oh businessman, can engage in jihad for the sake of Allah... Oh Muslim ummah, if you cannot donate via bitcoin and are not capable of financial donations, the least you can do is spread this blessed campaign to support the steadfastness of the Resistance... Do not be parsimonious in this regard. Be a donor! May Allah be with you, our brothers in Gaza..." The second part of the video features the clip distributed by Al-Qassam Brigades on Telegram with detailed instructions on how to donate using bitcoin.