Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais
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Abdul Rahman Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Sudais (Arabic: عبد الرحمن السديس, born 1961) is the leading imam of the Grand mosque in the Islamic holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In 2005 Al-Sudais was named by the Dubai International Holy Quran Award (DIHQA) Organising Committee as its 9th annual "Islamic Personality Of the Year" in recognition for his devotion to the Quran and Islam.[1] In 2005, two important Western media accused Al-Sudais that he villifies non-Muslims in his sermons.[2]
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[edit] Life
Al-Sudais comes from the Anza clan. He memorized the Quran by the age of 12.[3]
He obtained a degree in Sharia from Riyadh University in 1983 and became an IFK (Islamic Fundamental Knowledge) lecturer after the conclusion of his study. He obtained his masters in Islamic fundamentals from the Sharia College of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in 1987 and received his PhD in Islamic Sharia from Umm al-Qura University in 1995 while working there as an assistant professor after serving at Riyadh University. He is one of the most well known Wahhabis.
[edit] Al-Sudais controversy in British media
According to The Daily Telegraph from July 9, 2005, Al-Sudais called Jews "monkeys and pigs who should be annihilated",[4] and said in connection to this that "[t]here should be no peace with the rats of the world."[2]
John Ware on the BBC program Panorama from August 21, 2005 cited Al-Sudais who referred to Jews as "the scum of the human race" and to Christians as "cross-worshippers" in one of his sermons in Mecca,[2] while the same Al-Sudais speeks very peacefuly in London: "The history of Islam is the best testament to how different communities can live together in peace and harmony. Muslims must exemplify the true image of Islam in their interaction with other communities." [2]
Other statements documented by the television program include:
The worst ... of the enemies of Islam are those... whom he... made monkeys and pigs, the aggressive Jews and oppressive Zionists and those that follow them: the callers of the trinity and the cross worshippers... those influenced by the rottenness of their ideas, and the poison of their cultures the followers of secularism... How can we talk sweetly when the Hindus and the idol worshippers indulge in their overwhelming hatred against our brothers... in Muslim Kashmir...[2]
Monkeys and pigs and worshippers of false Gods who are the Jews and the Zionists.[2]
The veracity of quotes given in this Panorama episode, entitled A Question of Leadership, was subsequently cast into doubt by the Muslim Council of Britain who called them as a whole "deliberately garbled" and the entire episode as "a deeply unfair programme."[5] The Muslim Council urged caution and demanded verification that these words were indeed spoken by Al-Sudais.[6]
These accusations of Muslim Council of Britain were answered by BBC's Panorama editor Mike Robinson. Regarding Al-Sudais, Robinson wrote:
You have expressed scepticism that Sheikh Al Sudais, who was an honoured guest at the East London Mosque where the MCB's Deputy General Secretary is Chairman, had previously said in Mecca that Jews were "monkeys and pigs", "rats of the world" and the "offspring of apes and pigs"; that Christians were "cross worshippers... those influenced by the rottenness of their ideas and the poison of their cultures the followers of secularism", and that Hindus were "idol worshippers." I can assure you that he did. His sermons are available from a Saudi website covering mosques in the holy cities of Medina and Mecca and the translation we used was verified by BBC Monitoring, a fluent Arab speaker on our production team, and a translator outside the BBC.[7]
[edit] Another published statements about Jews
In the sermon Al-Aqsa Is Crying Out For Help! from Safar 6, 1423 (April 19, 2002) Al-Sudais says about Jews:
Read the history to know that yesterday’s Jews are evil predecessors and today’s Jews are worse successors. They an ingrate people, they altered God’s words, worshipped calf, killed Messengers and denied their Messages. They are exiled people and the worst of mankind. Allaah cursed them and cast His wrath upon them. He turned some of them to monkeys and pigs and worshippers of creatures. They are worst in position and are astray from the right path.
History of Jews is full of deception, trickery, rebellion, oppression, evil and corruption. They always seek to cause mischief on the earth and Allaah loves not the mischief-makers.[8]
[edit] References
- ^ Za'za', Bassam (2005-10-24). Islam 'will never support terror or violence'. Gulf News. Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
- ^ a b c d e f "A question of Leadership", BBC News, August 21, 2005. Retrieved on 2006-05-16.
- ^ Dr Al Sudais Chosen as 'Islamic Personality of the Year 2005 (13, November 2005). Retrieved on 2005-12-11.
- ^ Moore, Charles. "Where is the Gandhi of Islam?", The Daily Telegraph, July 9, 2005. Retrieved on 2006-05-23.
- ^ Panorama programme ‘A Question Of Leadership’. Muslim Council of Britain (August 20, 2005). Retrieved on 2006-12-10.
- ^ (21 August, 2005). A Look At John Ware’s Panorama Programme About British Muslims. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-12-10.
- ^ BBC, Mike Robinson, Response to MCB complaints. Retrieved 13 December 2006
- ^ Sermon at www.alharamainsermons.org. Retrieved 13 December 2006
