The Saudi Mufti Prohibits giving money for Iftar charity, legitimizes slavery

The Saudi Mufti Prohibits giving money for Iftar charity, legitimizes slavery

    Monday, April 08, 2024   No comments

Saudi Arabia’s highest religious authority, issuing a religious decree concerning the practice of giving Iftar sadaqa in the form of cash (money), provided reference that can be seen as legitimizing slavery despite its abolition all around the world and despite the evidence in the Quran that designated slavery as evil and encouraged Muslims to free slaves when unable to fast, break an oath, or commit other moral or legal infractions. The Fatwa comes in a time when more than 2 million people in Gaza are starved to death and could need cash provided to them through aid organizations who can only receive money from the world community.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom said, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars and Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Fatwa, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh, issued a ruling that giving Zakat al-Fitr in money is not valid “because that is contrary to the Sunnah of the Messenger of God, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him. May God bless him and grant him peace and the Rightly Guided Caliphs who used to remove it from food.”

The Saudi Mufti added that “Zakat al-Fitr has been prescribed for all Muslims, males and females, old and young, free and slaves.”

It should be noted that other Sunni schools of law consider giving iftar charity in the form of cash (or anything of value), to be valid.

The kingdom has been run through an arrangement that granted Wahhabi scholars from Al Sheikh clan, religious power in return for their blessing of the form of governance in the kingdom under the control of the Al Saudi clan. Saudi Arabia’s official religious practices are derived from the Wahhabism, the strictest religious sect in Islamic societies and Wahhabi religious figures use textual evidence irrespective of rational facts and changed circumstances. The same sect is followed by members of al-Qaeda and the “Islamic State”.

Religion and war: Modern Islamic religious institutions and Gaza War

Religion and war: Modern Islamic religious institutions and Gaza War

    Thursday, December 28, 2023   No comments

There are about four centers of traditional religiouscenters of power in the modern Islamic world: Alazhar representing the so-called mainstream Sunni Islam, Saudi Arabia representing the Salafi Islam, the official sect of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Turkey under the Islamist JDP drawing authority from the fact that Turkey represented the last pan-Islamic government, and Shia centers of religious power represented by Qom (Iran), and Najaf (Iraq). The most populous Muslim nation, Indonesia, has not played a role in shaping the religious discourse, rather was a battleground for influence exerted by other centers of Religious power. 

What role and what position have these religious centers of power and authority and other national and regional religious institutions taken?

Salafism and the Gaza war

Since the start of Western colonialism, Islam has played some public role, even through silence. Saudi edition of Islam played a prominent role in the West’s war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. It created the interpretative foundation that allowed Salafists to fund and recruit fighters in support of what they called, “Islamic Jihad”. That religious propaganda resulted in the production of groups like al-Qaeda, which launched its direct attack on the US in 2001 and justified it by US support for Israel. 23 years later, with Israel carrying its most destructive and deadly attack on Palestinians, and the Saudi religious institutions, especially the office of the Mufti, went totally silent. Perhaps worried about revisiting the connection between Salafism and terrorism, the Muftis now limiting his role to addressing the Islamic rulings about personal hygiene and family relations, and leaving all other matters to the crown prince, who just visited him to check on his health.

 

Al-Azhar balancing act: support political leadership and make public statements

 

The Council of Senior Scholars at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif confirmed today, Thursday, that the massacres committed by the Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip are “a disgrace to all those who support it with money or weapons.”

 

The Commission, headed by the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, said that these massacres will be a disgrace to all those who are silent about the crimes of the occupation, pointing out that the position of the Council of Senior Scholars is clear regarding this aggression against the Palestinian people.

 

The Commission announced its rejection of displacing Palestinians “from their homeland to any other place,” noting that the occupation has gone too far in its aggression, killing children and women, and striking mosques, churches, hospitals, schools, and homes, in and around Gaza.

 

The Commission also condemned the "shameful positions of the countries and governments that support the occupation" in its aggression against the Palestinian people, calling on them to listen to the voice of their people defending this issue.

 

Lebanon’s Sunni Shia divide
 

Dar Al-Fatwa suppresses sheikhs: Criticism of Geagea is forbidden!

With Shia Hezbollah direct support to Hamas in Gaza, the rest of the Sunni community is more interested in appeasing regional powers and preserving the political balance in the country than taking position on the war.

The Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian, came to the thoughts of Maarab and Al-Saifi, who were disturbed by the tweets of the Assistant Inspector General of Dar Al-Fatwa, Sheikh Hassan Merheb, so he decided to muzzle the mouths of the sheikhs and prevent them from expressing their opinions and political positions.

 The message delivered by the head of the Lebanese Forces Party, Samir Geagea, to Dar al-Fatwa, in protest against the positions of the Assistant Inspector General of Dar al-Fatwa, Sheikh Hassan Merheb, on his party and the Phalange Party, against the backdrop of their positions on the war on Gaza and the resistance against the Israeli enemy in Palestine and Lebanon, did not go unnoticed. The message woke up the Grand Mufti of the Republic, Sheikh Abdel Latif Derian, from his stupor. Although “His Eminence” did not move in the face of the poor living conditions of the imams of the mosques and Sharia judges, and in the face of the repercussions of the crisis on the institutions affiliated with Dar al-Fatwa and its endowments, and he was not moved by the deteriorating living and political conditions of the Sunni community, he rose up to silence the sheikhs and “hold their breath” for the sake of Samir Geagea. And Sami Al-Jamil. As a reminder, the first was convicted of killing a Sunni prime minister, and the second declared a week ago that Israel does not attack Lebanon except in self-defense! Geagea’s “outrage” did not insult the Mufti, so he issued a decision to suppress the sheikhs and confiscate their opinions, in a statement distributed by the media office last Friday, in which he said: “Based on the directives of the Mufti of the Lebanese Republic, Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, it is strictly forbidden to make political statements, positions or opinions for all employees of the religious apparatus and institutions affiliated with Dar al-Fatwa without first obtaining written permission from the General Directorate of Islamic Endowments and the relevant relevant departments,” he pointed out. “Dar Al-Fatwa does not adopt any political opinion that does not come directly from it and rejects any position that leads to strife or disagreement among the Lebanese.”

Türkiye Elections: Candidate Muharrem Ince withdraws; Erdogan bribes voters with wage increase 3 days before the presidential elections

Türkiye Elections: Candidate Muharrem Ince withdraws; Erdogan bribes voters with wage increase 3 days before the presidential elections

    Thursday, May 11, 2023   No comments

The candidate of the "Balad" party for the Turkish presidency, Muharram Ince, announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, after meeting yesterday evening with some officials in his party to discuss the latest developments in his election campaign.

Three candidates are running in the Turkish presidential elections, after the withdrawal of Ince, namely Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kamal Kilicdaroglu and Sinan Ogan.

Ince, 58, is a politician and former physics teacher, the son of an immigrant from the Greek city of Thessaloniki. He has challenged Erdogan in his speeches in Parliament for 16 years and was the main opposition presidential candidate in 2018.

The Balad Party ran in the Turkish general elections without being involved in any alliance, as Muharrem Ince's candidate for the presidency. And the country party belongs to the "kemalist thought", relative to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and tends to the national right.

The party calls for the rule of law, separation of powers, equality and prosperity, fair distribution of wealth, sustainable economic development, and reaching the level of contemporary civilization.

The party sees it as a third current between the ruling current, represented by the Justice and Development Party, and the traditional opposition represented by the Republican People's Party. Country Party leader Muharrem Ince has vowed to rid Turkey of both the government and the opposition.

Zelenskiy uses Islam for war purposes

Zelenskiy uses Islam for war purposes

    Saturday, March 25, 2023   No comments

Zelenskiy uses “Ramadan” and uses the power of “prayer” to help him “cleanse Ukraine” of the evil of the “Russian atheist.” An attempt to evoke the literature of “jihad” and incitement with the weapon of religion.

The Russian-Ukrainian war takes on a religious character in addition to its political, economic, and social dimensions, and this is evident when the Ukrainian president tried to use the month of Ramadan to serve him and his regime, and to tarnish the image of his Russian opponent.

Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on his Twitter account, a controversial tweet, taking advantage of the month of Ramadan, saying:

May the power of prayer in this holy month of Ramadan help us cleanse Ukraine of Russian godless evil, of those who truly believe in nothing, and that is why they are capable of such terror. Let the next Ramadan begin in peace and on the entire Ukrainian land free from Russia.

Zelensky is addressing the Ukrainian Muslim community, which is mainly represented by the Tatars residing in Crimea, which Russia has controlled since 2014, but according to commentators at the same time, he does not explain to the Muslims the reasons why his soldiers set out to burn the Qur’an, nor does he offer an apology or justification for them.

In his use of the description of the “Russian atheist,” Zelensky goes back to the inflammatory literature and descriptions that were used against the “atheist” Soviet Union in Afghanistan and the “jihad” against it, trying to incite Muslims against the current Russian regime, which no longer adopts atheism and communism as an approach, and embraces Muslims and their mosques. (Moscow's Grand Mosque was personally inaugurated by Putin), and he shares their religious events with them. Even the most prominent ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin is the "bearded Muslim" Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov.

Zelensky said in his tweet, which he published with a video clip: “A large part of Ukrainian society are Muslims, and we have the Crimean Tatars who are spending this blessed month in conditions of Russian persecution, and some of them are under other bombings on the fronts,” adding: “Let the month of Ramadan begin in peace and on peace... The entire Ukrainian land free of Russia.”

Activists and tweeters interacted with the Ukrainian president’s “religious” tweet, and some of them considered that the exploitation of religion in wars is no longer as effective as it was, while others found that the Kiev regime is far from caring and caring for Muslims, and a third said that the weapon of religion is imposed, regardless of the party we support.

Meanwhile, Kadyrov, visited with his troops, many of whom just returned from the frontlines in Ukraine, some will be going there soon. Here is his most recent release, a video, showing one of his elite units.

  

The following statement by Ramzan Kadyrov accompanied the video:

I took part in the ceremonial formation of the personnel of the 94th operational regiment of the 46th OBron of the North Caucasus Oblast of the VNG of Russia. The event was held on the occasion of the appointment of dear BROTHER Khasmagomed Magomadov to the post of unit commander. The corresponding order was signed by the Director of the Russian Guard, General of the Army, respected by us Viktor Zolotov.

⠀

I have known Khasmagomed Adikovich for many years. He showed himself excellently both while serving in the law enforcement agencies of the Chechen Republic, and in the zone of the special military operation in Ukraine. Khasmagomed has long proved in practice that he is a true warrior and patriot, for whom the interests of the Motherland are above all else.

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Now, I am sure that under his competent and effective leadership, the 94th regiment will become one of the most combat-ready units of the National Guard. We will render full assistance to Khasmagomed in this task.

⠀

Being not only the head of the republic, but also the Colonel-General of the Russian Guard, I personally control the supply issues. I know perfectly well how much attention the director of the Federal Service for the National Guard Viktor Vasilyevich Zolotov pays to the issues of providing for the Russian Guards. We are deeply grateful to him for the comprehensive support of the units stationed in the Chechen Republic.

I sincerely congratulate Khasmagomed Magomadov on his appointment to the post of commander of the 94th operational regiment of the 46th OBron SKO VNG of Russia! I wish him good luck in his future service for the benefit of our great Motherland - Russia!

Jordan: “elite” calls for a “quick review” and sending an “ambassador to Iran.”

Jordan: “elite” calls for a “quick review” and sending an “ambassador to Iran.”

    Sunday, March 12, 2023   No comments

A prominent journalist writer in Jordan called for stopping the case of courtesy of parties in favor of other parties and giving priority to the language of interests, which has become the basis for alliances, friendships and relations between countries among them today, indicating that the resumption of normal relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia shuffled all the cards in the region and may be mixed in the world.

Writer Muhammad Hassan al-Tal spoke in a bold article about the need to stop the policy of Jordanian diplomacy within the framework of courtesies at the expense of private and national interests.

In the article he published on his website and the Ammon newspaper, he said that Oman had earlier withdrawn its ambassador from Tehran to appease Riyadh after a well-known incident. Muhammad al-Tal considered this in his article a form of courtesy in favor of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He said that political positioning today assumes that Jordanian diplomacy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will review the policies of appeasement and courtesy in international relations, hinting that Jordanian diplomacy in the past had great weight in bringing points of view closer together.

It seemed clear that the sudden announcement of the resumption of relations in the bosom of a major country in the world such as China between Tehran and Riyadh was a shock to many Jordanian political and media elites, especially in light of the conviction that Jordan continued to compliment Saudi Arabia at the expense of its own interest when it came to withdrawing its ambassador seven years ago in protest against The burning of the Saudi consulate in southern Iran.

In any case, Al-Tal's article was not the only one. It talked about a necessary review that has now become the performance of Jordanian diplomacy, the former Minister of Culture and Youth, who is also a prominent writer and researcher, Dr. Muhammad Abu Rumman.

By most estimates, calls are issued in the Jordanian Parliament soon after the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to reconsider the diplomatic formula that Jordan or the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs usually follows in formulating relations and alliances.

It is most likely that the Iranian-Saudi agreement, which the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not know anything specific about, rather the Jordanian government was surprised by it. The formula and equation on which relations between Jordan and the rest of the countries are established.

  A lot of sharp critical considerations have recently appeared in the Jordanian media for the performance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its Minister Ayman Safadi, especially after the so-called security summit in Aqaba.

Which failed on the one hand, and senior writers very close to the authorities appeared within the framework of this call for review and criticism. A prominent article by the well-known writer and political historian Ahmed Salama had talked exclusively about what he called Ayman Safadi's adventure at the Aqaba summit.

In any case, the acceleration of events today in the region constitutes a violent pressure on Jordanian diplomacy, especially since the boycott with Iran was practically neither justified nor understood. For more than seven years, Minister Safadi was insisting behind the scenes not to name a new ambassador after the previous minister was Dr. Abdullah Abu Rumman. The last appointed ambassador of Jordan to the Iranian Republic, but he was later appointed to an Asian country and did not leave to take up his duties in Tehran.

Surprising Saudi Arabia, its pace has become very fast. Rather, it surprises Jordanian institutions from time to time. What shows the lack of coordination or exchange of information is that the political relations between Jordan and Saudi Arabia are practically in an incomprehensible cold state for more than two years, as there are no high connections, no investment support, and no coordination in files. raised and basic.

As the general feeling seemed to consider the absence of relations with Iran and the negative relations with Saudi Arabia as among the main elements that reveal Jordan's back and confirm the error of its diplomatic calculations.

Rather, it weakens it, as stated in the decisions and recommendations of a closed symposium held recently in the Dead Sea in front of the Israeli right-wing government and the dangers of adapting to it, although relations between Jordan and the region seem balanced, but they are confused with Iraq, hesitant with the Syrian regime, and bad with Saudi Arabia.

And it raises controversy by virtue of its alliance with a country like the Emirates, which has many problems with Qatar, and the challenges here in front of Jordanian diplomacy have become great, and the spotlight is exclusively on Minister Ayman Safadi, and the search situation has intensified for a new approach in Jordanian diplomacy after the Iranian-Saudi relations.

Emir of Kuwait: The agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran is an important step towards achieving regional and international security and stability, and it will be in the interest of the peoples of the region

The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, confirmed today, Sunday, that the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran is an important step to achieve regional and international security and stability.

This came in two congratulatory telegrams sent by the Emir of Kuwait to both Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, in which he expressed his sincere congratulations on the tripartite joint statement issued by Saudi Arabia, Iran and China regarding Riyadh and Tehran reaching an agreement that includes agreeing to resume diplomatic relations between the two countries. and reopen their embassies.

Al-Sabah praised the keenness of the two countries and their joint endeavor, which was embodied through this constructive and important agreement, which is an important step towards achieving regional and international security, stability and prosperity, and advancing cooperation between the two countries in the interest of all the peoples and countries of the region.

Saudi Religious Rulers: There is no validity to apostasy law in Islam

Saudi Religious Rulers: There is no validity to apostasy law in Islam

    Sunday, January 22, 2023   No comments

For years, the Saudi political rulers used the fictitious apostasy law to kill political opponents, religious Salafi authority found the fictitious bases for the political rulers to do so. Now with the Saudi political rulers changing their tune about apostasy, the Saudi Religious Rulers are preparing the ground for them to change apostasy law. An influential Saudi religious authority just declared this: "There is no validity to apostasy."

Tolerance with regard to leaving the Islamic religion in Saudi Arabia, or what is known as apostasy and the apostate from Islam, was not permissible or open to discussion.

“There is no punishment for apostasy unless the apostate is against the ruler.”

However, as the Kingdom entered the era of openness, rational voices began to address these controls, the latest of which was what Ahmed Al-Ghamdi, the former director of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, dared to do, and his writing of an article entitled “There is no validity until apostasy.”

Al-Ghamdi said in his article, which sparked controversy among Saudis, that what is established in the court texts of the Qur’an is the freedom of man in his faith, and that there is no compulsion in religion. Abstract apostasy is an explicit, coherent, correct text that cannot be challenged.

Al-Ghamdi added: I will explain here the response to the suspicions of this objection, as follows: First: They argued with what the two sheikhs included in their Sahihs on the authority of Ibn Masoud, who said: The Messenger of God said: “The blood of a Muslim who testifies that there is no god but God and that I am the Messenger of God is not lawful except in one of three “A life for a life, the married adulterer, the one who separates from his religion and the one who abandons the group.” They said, “This is a report in the Two Sahihs that states that the apostate should be killed.” I said: This hadith is incorrect, and it is not accepted that it is clear for the following: First: Its chain of transmission is weak, because its effect is on the most basic, and it is fraudulent. He narrated it with cursing, and what he cursed will not be accepted from him.”

The Saudis were divided over Al-Ghamdi's interpretations. Some of them found that he inferred false evidence, and its purpose was to waste God's law, and some of them found that Sheikh Al-Ghamdi is leading a battle of thought and enlightenment against the extremists.

Those who rejected Al-Ghamdi’s article invoked what Ibn Taymiyyah said in Al-Sarim Al-Masloul: Apostasy is of two types: an abstract apostasy, and a severe apostasy, the law of killing in particular, and both of them have established evidence that the owner must be killed.

The Saudi authorities were leveling accusations of apostasy, not only with regard to leaving Islam, but those charges included insulting the divine being and the Prophet Muhammad, and criticizing the Saudi state for applying the provisions of Sharia, for example, the charges that were leveled against the Palestinian poet Ashraf Fayyad, and a death sentence was issued against him. Then it was commuted to 8 years in prison.

Saudi Arabia has not yet abolished the “punishment of apostasy,” and in some cases replaces its mandatory punishment with death, with imprisonment.

Erdogan's advisor: Turkiye needs full control over Syria's Aleppo to solve refugee issue

Erdogan's advisor: Turkiye needs full control over Syria's Aleppo to solve refugee issue

    Thursday, January 12, 2023   No comments

Erdogan’s desire to unload Syrian refugees and address the emerging autonomous Kurdish state along its border with Syria is forcing him to rush for a solution that would involve reconciliation with the Syrian government.

In the past few weeks alone, the Turkish leader sent out his defense minister and head of intelligence to meet their Syrian counterparts in Russia. Turkish leaders then announced plans to for the foreign ministers to meet soon to pave the way for a historical summit between Erdogan and Assad. All these changes are driven by Erdogan’s fear that economic hardships, volatile border with Syria, and large Syrian population in Turkey will limit his chances of winning another term and derail his party’s ambitions to keep a decisive plurality in the parliament.

However, given the role Erdogan played in supporting the Syrian armed factions who wanted, and still want, to overthrow the Syrian government, neither Assad is eager to meet him and many of his party leaders and advisors are unwilling to give up their dream of Syria controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies. This split among Turkey’s Islamists is reminding observers of their ideology-driven campaign to fuel a war in Syria designed to overthrow the government no matter what the human and economic costs. Nothing more telling of this ideological and sectarian impulse than the chain of events that lead to the recent revelations that Turkey should aim to control Aleppo and use it to resettle Syrian refugees instead of rebuilding the Syrian-Turkish relations to what it was before the so-called Arab Spring.

Immediately after the announcement of the expected meeting between the Syrian and Turkish foreign ministers, Qatar’s Aljazeera publishes a long piece by an Islamist commentator and professor at Qatar university floating the idea of Turkey’s control over Aleppo and rejecting Turkish reconciliation with the Syrian government. The article was picked by a long time advisor the Erdogan and his party and he made the same point an interview with a Turkish outlet. Given how skeptical the Syrian government is from this about-face from Erdogan, it can easily use this statement to cancel the proposed meeting and reject Erdogan’s courting of Assad.

Aware of the problem, it was revealed that the Turkish foreign minister was very upset with the advisor’s statements and perhaps that is what forced the advisor to appear on Arab media outlets and explain that what he said was a personal opinion based on an article that he read in the media (a clear reference to aljazeera’s piece).

These events revisit the events and actors that promoted and benefited the so-called Arab Spring, including the role of the Qatari government and its media influencer, Aljazeera, the Muslim Brotherhood, Salafism, and Turkey who wanted to create a middle east to their liking that resulted in destroyed communities in Syria, Libya, Yemen, and Iraq and the displacement of millions of people—in addition to the nearly one million people killed in these countries as a result of the geopolitical ambitions of Turkey, Qatar, UAE, and the Muslim Brotherhood.

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Here are the background stories for this event:

With the opposition accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of not being serious in dealing with the Syrian file and developing an urgent plan for reconciliation with Damascus to return Syrian refugees to their country, Yasin Aktay's proposal, Erdogan's advisor, came to confirm the validity of doubts about the latter's intentions and accounts for Syria.

 

Aktay, who was a very close friend of the late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, said, "To ensure the safe return of Syrian refugees to their country, the city of Aleppo must be placed under Turkish administration for a transitional period."

 

Aktay pointed out, in his interview with the pro-President Erdogan channel, "Olca", to "the importance of dialogue between Turkey and the Syrian regime." But thanks to the Iranian and Russian support, the Assad regime was able to control it, after carrying out very large massacres. And had it not been for Turkey's intervention at the time, the regime would have carried out bloody massacres greater than it."

 

He added, "Therefore, Turkey must have a role in achieving security in the city and its environs, so that we can return one and a half million, or even two million, refugees to the city voluntarily, which will not be achieved unless a peaceful solution to the Syrian crisis is reached with the participation of the people." Syrian".

 

Aktay's speech aroused the interest of the media and social networks, which said that he revealed the true intentions of President Erdogan by inviting President Putin to bring him together with President Assad after the recent meeting of the Syrian and Turkish defense ministers in Moscow, in the presence of the Russian defense minister.

 

Some saw his words as a message from Ankara to the Syrian opposition with all its factions, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, after the information that talked about Ankara's efforts to convince it of the feasibility of a possible reconciliation with Damascus, which is what this opposition started after meeting its leaders, Foreign Minister Mouloud Jawish. oglu last week.

 

Journalist Muhammad Ali Gullar recalled "the slogan raised by nationalist circles at the beginning of the Turkish intervention in northern Syria, when they talked about annexing this region to Turkey, as it was part of the map of the National Pact of 1920, just as Aleppo declared the 82nd state of present-day Turkey."

 

It seems that Aktay's statements and the media's interaction with them will remain the talk of the Turkish street during the next stage, as long as the Syrian file, with all its main and subheadings, will be the semi-main topic of the upcoming election campaigns, after it became clear that this file, especially the issue of Syrian refugees in Turkey, will affect the decision of the Turkish voter when He will vote for President Erdogan or his potential rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

 

This explains why the security authorities raided a gathering center for Syrian refugees in a suburb of Istanbul, whom the Republican People's Party was preparing to deport to Syria with their consent, and the aforementioned authorities transferred them to an unknown location so that Kilicdaroglu would not meet them before they left Istanbul towards the Syrian border.

 

All this while betting on information that was reported a while ago about Syrian President Assad's hesitation in reconciliation with Erdogan before the upcoming elections, which may be in mid-May, at a time when Russian and Gulf pressures continue on the two sides to achieve this reconciliation as quickly as possible.

 Journalist Omar Odamish predicted, "The image that will gather Erdogan and President Assad will affect the psyche of the voter, as the Turkish president will tell him that reconciliation with Damascus is necessary to eliminate terrorism, by which he means the PKK and its Syrian arm, the People's Protection Units, without mentioning the Syrian opposition militants." They are terrorists for Damascus."

 Opposition circles ruled out that Erdogan would meet the Syrian demands, and said that this would be after the elections and not before, given that it would constitute a security crisis in northern Syria and the Turkish interior, especially if Ankara failed to convince Jabhat Tahrir al-Sham of the importance and necessity of this reconciliation, including the war together against the militias. Kurdish forces east of the Euphrates, in exchange for advantages and privileges that Turkey recognizes for HTS fighters and leaders, which the media has been talking about for some time about its heated dialogue with Washington.

 The information talks about Washington increasing its military support for the Kurdish People's Protection Units to face any upcoming war in the region and against the Syrian and Turkish armies in the event of a joint reconciliation.

 President Erdogan seeks to justify this reconciliation to his followers and supporters by talking about the need to eliminate terrorism in Turkey and northern Syria, by which he means the Kurdistan Workers’ Party and its Syrian arm, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, which in turn entered the line of domestic politics in Turkey when it announced the co-chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party , the political wing of the PKK, the party's decision to participate in the upcoming elections with its own candidate, which puts the opposition "Nation Alliance" face to face with a new crisis in competition with Erdogan, who may prevail over the opposition candidate unless he has the support of the Kurds.

 

This account did not prevent the Supreme Constitutional Court from considering the issue of banning the activity of the Peoples’ Democratic Party before the end of this week, after it froze 3 days ago the aid provided by the treasury, according to the election law, which orders it to support the electoral campaigns of all political parties that have parliamentary blocs, i.e. on At least 20 seats.

 

All these complex data suggest the next stage in Turkish domestic politics, as long as it is affected by the future of the relationship with Damascus, for many surprises in terms of Turkish-Syrian relations, which will be under direct influence from Moscow, Tehran and the Gulf capitals represented by Abu Dhabi, which the Turkish media says is " It is ready to pay billions of dollars to the Syrian and Turkish sides in exchange for their agreement to the final reconciliation, according to its mood and the mood of its allies, who are many and contradictory.

 

Iran: Paris must observe the basic principles of international relations, such as respect, non-interference, and respect for the national and religious sanctities of others

Iran: Paris must observe the basic principles of international relations, such as respect, non-interference, and respect for the national and religious sanctities of others

    Sunday, January 08, 2023   No comments

Paris must observe the basic principles of international relations, such as respect, non-interference, and respect for the national and religious sanctities of others

The Iranian embassy in Paris responded to the recent abuse of the French newspaper "Charlie Hebdo". Stressing that this behavior contradicts the standards and controls of international law, and contradicts the principle of freedom of expression, and constitutes a violation of the sanctity of personalities and peoples, launching a campaign to spread lies, disgraceful expressions and hate speech, and is a clear example of the violation of human rights.

The embassy added, in a statement, that this measure indicates the selective and deceitful attitude in using the principle of freedom of expression, which this newspaper, which is proud of its disgraceful behavior and its hostility to religion and religious values, has been using since ancient times to justify its disgraceful behavior and its obscene expressions against peoples, their beliefs and sanctities.

The statement stressed that Charlie Hebdo, which falsely claims to defend women's rights, and by publishing very obscene and disgraceful pictures in its latest issue, as it committed the most heinous abuses against women, revealed its truth based on the use of women as a tool.

In its statement, the Iranian embassy also called on the concerned French authorities to take the necessary measures, as a matter of urgency, to prevent this newspaper from continuing its abuses and to stop spreading lies and hatred resulting from it, as this will definitely lead to bad and destructive results in terms of relations between the two peoples and the two countries.

Last month, the French magazine "Charlie Hebdo" launched an international competition for the best cartoon of the Iranian guide, with the aim of mocking him, saying, "We wanted to support the struggle of Iranians for their freedom by ridiculing this religious leader and returning him to the dustbin of history."

The magazine announced that it had received more than 300 cartoons and published a large group of them. As a result, the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it had summoned the French ambassador to Tehran, against the background of the publication of “Charlie Hebdo” cartoons insulting to the Iranian leadership.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran does not accept insulting its Islamic and religious sanctities and national values in any way, and France has no right to justify insulting the sanctities of other Islamic countries and peoples under the pretext of freedom of expression.”

Kanani referred to “the black record of the French magazine in attacking the Prophet of Islam, the Holy Qur’an, and the religion of Islam,” stressing that “this hateful, insulting, and unjustified act is borne by the French government.”

Thousands of Turks are protesting against preventing the mayor of Istanbul from practicing politics

Thousands of Turks are protesting against preventing the mayor of Istanbul from practicing politics

    Thursday, December 15, 2022   No comments

Thousands of Turks gathered in a square in central Istanbul today, Thursday, in solidarity with the opposition mayor of the city, Ekrem Imamoglu, who was issued a judicial decision against him, preventing him from practicing politics, before the presidential elections scheduled for next year.

Yesterday, Wednesday, a criminal court sentenced Ekrem Imamoglu to more than two years in prison, and prevented him from practicing politics for the same period, on charges of "insulting members of the Supreme Election Commission in 2019."

Earlier today, Davutoglu announced his rejection of the judicial decision against him, stressing that he would confront the "coup against the will of the people."

For his part, Oglu's lawyer confirmed that he would appeal the verdict, which means that he would remain in the position of mayor, but he is now excluded from the presidential elections scheduled for next year.

The US State Department expressed its "great alarm and disappointment" at the prospect of excluding one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's biggest rivals from the political scene.

Germany described the decision as a "harsh blow to democracy," while France urged Turkey to correct "its deviation from the rule of law and democracy, and respect for fundamental rights."

Turkish opposition

It comes six months before an election in which the Turkish opposition is putting its best foot forward to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has ruled the country for 20 years, while a jail sentence against Davutoglu has raised the risk of a presidential struggle between opposition poles.

Turkey's fractious opposition is struggling to unite behind a single candidate to challenge Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey for two decades, in the upcoming elections.

However, the leader of the "Republican People's" party, Kamal Kilicdaroglu, is still pressing hard for the candidacy, and the shares of Meral Aksener, the leader of the "Good Party", rose to run for the competition.

Imamoglu and six opposition party leaders marched side by side in a crowd of supporters in a rally meant to show defiance to Erdogan.

Imamoglu addressed the crowd, saying, "I am not at all afraid of their illegitimate rule," adding, "I do not have judges to protect me, but behind me are 16 million Istanbulites and our nation."

A Metropoll poll showed that even voters of Erdogan's Justice and Development Party believe the case against the Istanbul mayor is "politically motivated".

The poll found that 28.3% of AKP voters believe that "the issue is politicized," while 24.2% believe that it is related to "defamation."

The mayor of Istanbul was imprisoned for two years and 7 months for "insulting officials"

The mayor of Istanbul was imprisoned for two years and 7 months for "insulting officials"

    Wednesday, December 14, 2022   No comments

On Wednesday, a Turkish court sentenced the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, to more than two years in prison on charges of insulting members of the Supreme Electoral Commission, which effectively prevents him from practicing politics.

Turkish media said that the judiciary sentenced Oglu to two years and 7 months in prison for insulting members of the Supreme Electoral Commission.

And imposed a political ban on him for insulting public officials, in a ruling that is expected to be appealed.

Ekrem Imamoglu, a popular rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was prosecuted from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) for a speech he gave in 2019 in which he said those who canceled Istanbul's local elections at the time were "foolish".

It should be noted that the maximum penalty for this charge is four years imprisonment.

For his part, Oglu's lawyer confirmed that he would appeal the ruling, which means that he will remain in the position of mayor, but he is now excluded from the presidential elections scheduled for next year.

The case dates back to a statement issued by Imamoglu, after he defeated the candidate of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamist party in the controversial 2019 municipal elections.

Persons sentenced to less than four years' imprisonment are rarely sent to prison in Turkey.

"This is an unfortunate approach to democracy and the rule of law," his lawyer, Kemal Polat, told AFP.

Imamoglu (52 years old) defeated Erdogan's party in March 2019, by winning the mayoralty of Istanbul, which was led by the ruling Justice and Development Party for 25 years.

The government canceled Imamoglu's election, but he returned and won by a large margin in the run-off elections after about three months.

A few months later, Ekrem Imamoglu considered those who canceled his election victory "stupid," echoing a phrase that Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu had used against him a few hours earlier.

This description exposed the mayor of Istanbul to prosecution for "insulting" members of the Supreme Electoral Council.

Mahathir Mohamad loses his seat in the Malaysian parliament

Mahathir Mohamad loses his seat in the Malaysian parliament

    Saturday, November 19, 2022   No comments

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 97, lost his seat in parliament following the legislative elections that took place on Saturday, which threatens to put an end to the long career of this veteran politician who was hoping to return to the political scene.

Mahathir, who served as Malaysia's prime minister for more than two decades in two terms, failed to retain his parliamentary seat and came fourth in a competition contested by five candidates in the Langkawi island constituency.

The seat was won by a candidate from the National Alliance, which is led by another former prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin.

Mahathir leads a coalition that pledged to overthrow the current National Front coalition government on the grounds of accusations of corruption, but his alliance is not a major competitor, as the Front faces two other major coalitions, the Muhyiddin bloc and another led by Anwar Ibrahim, Mahathir's arch-rival for a long time.

Mahathir said in an interview with Reuters this month that he would retire from politics if he lost.

Millions of voters went to the polls to participate in the national elections, which were called early, in an attempt to end the political instability.

The election is the first since the historic vote in 2018, when the party, which has ruled the Southeast Asian country since its independence in 1957, was defeated in the wake of a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal.

A single party is unlikely to win an outright majority in the 222-seat House of Representatives, and the majority of the major parties have campaigned under one banner, in a race between three major alliances.

Three successive prime ministers in the country within 3 years, including Mahathir Mohamad, 97, who ruled Malaysia for more than two decades during two terms in power.

The economic issue emerges as a priority for parties and voters alike. According to a survey prepared by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research, it was found that 74% of respondents consider the economy a priority, followed by political stability and corruption.

After Meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Confirms that He Wants to Meet with Syrian leader Bashar Assad

After Meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Confirms that He Wants to Meet with Syrian leader Bashar Assad

    Friday, October 07, 2022   No comments

Türkiye believes that full normalization based on good neighborly relations can be achieved in the region as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said he did not rule out a meeting with Syrian leader Bashar Assad after an in-person encounter with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit.

Erdoğan attended the EPC’s first summit in Prague on Oct. 6 from where he conveyed messages to the regional leaders, including Armenia and Syria with which Türkiye’s ties were once very strained.

Erdoğan held a bilateral meeting with Pashinyan after a brief trilateral dialogue that also included Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Erdoğan issued important messages at a press conference after the summit on late Oct. 6, particularly on Syria.

“Meeting with Assad is out of the question for now. But when the time comes, we can also meet with the president of Syria… Currently, low-level meetings are being held,” Erdoğan replied to a question on whether he would meet the Syrian leader for peace.

Türkiye has been taking steps to accelerate the return of Syrian refugees as the Turkish government constructs briquette houses in the north of the neighboring country, he, said noting that some 500,000 Syrians have returned to their homeland.

On the other hand, Ankara wants to get rid of the terrorist groups in Syria, he added. Erdoğan emphasized that the war between Russia and Ukraine had impacts on Syria as well.

“Of course, the Russia-Ukraine War delayed the steps to be taken in the region. Because Russia also has an active role in these events in Syria, Iran has an active role, and on the other hand, coalition forces have an active role,” he said.

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Orhan Miroglu: “a meeting between Erdogan and Assad on the sidelines of the Shanghai summit in Samarkand was on the schedule”

Orhan Miroglu: “a meeting between Erdogan and Assad on the sidelines of the Shanghai summit in Samarkand was on the schedule”

    Friday, September 16, 2022   No comments

A member of the Central Decision and Execution Committee of the Justice and Development Party, Orhan Miroglu, confirmed today, Friday, that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is ready to meet his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, and did not reject the idea of ​​meeting him.

 "The United States of America and the European Union wanted a solution without President Assad in Syria, but today it turned out that this is not possible due to changing circumstances," Miroğlu told Sputnik.

 He added that "President al-Assad and the Syrian Baath Party have maintained their strength in Syria to some extent, despite the war and crisis facing the country," saying: "It became clear today that the idea of ​​separating Assad from the Baath Party and reaching a solution to the crisis in the country is no longer valid as a result of changing circumstances. ".

 

The Turkish official pointed out that "the circles of the Turkish government, led by President Erdogan and Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, welcome the normalization of relations between Ankara and Damascus and the holding of meetings with the Syrian side, and they do not radically reject this idea."

 

He explained, "It was scheduled to hold a meeting between Erdogan and Assad on the sidelines of the Shanghai summit in Samarkand, and I do not know whether Assad participated in the summit or not."

 

He pointed out that "during the meeting of the decision and central implementation body of the Justice and Development Party held on September 12, a conviction was reached that they could meet on the sidelines of the summit in the event that al-Assad attends."

 

Miroğlu considered that "the meeting between the governments of the two countries, or the officials of the two countries, has become inevitable in order to reach a solution in the country, whatever the form of this solution."

 

In response to a question whether the head of the Turkish intelligence service, Hakan Fidan, had visited Damascus to meet his Syrian counterpart Ali Mamlouk, Miroğlu replied: "It is possible that Fidan met his Syrian counterpart Mamlouk, because the intelligence services are preparing the atmosphere to improve the crisis relations between the two countries." .

 

He continued, "I believe that Fidan met Mamlouk in order to pave the way for the resumption of diplomatic relations between Ankara and Damascus, and this Fidan campaign can be considered as a preparatory step for the resumption of diplomatic relations, and this is natural and inevitable."

 

And Miroğlu added that "the withdrawal of the Turkish army from Syrian territory is currently out of the question in light of the presence of the PKK threat," noting that "the reason for the presence of Turkish forces in Syria is the PKK, its threats and Ankara's efforts to protect its national unity and territorial integrity, while the party seeks to establish an entity in northern Syria, and this threatens Turkey.”

 

And after that, "Turkey's demand to withdraw its forces and cut its support for the armed Syrian opposition in the presence of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) run by the Kurdistan Workers' Party, does not contribute to the dialogue process and is not realistic at all."

 

He stressed that "the Turkish army may withdraw from Syrian territory when the threat is removed, and this will only be done by eliminating the PKK."

 

Earlier in the day, the Turkish pro-government newspaper, Hurriyet, reported in an article by writer Abdul Qadir Salafi that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had expressed a desire to meet his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad, if he attended the Shanghai summit in Uzbekistan, but indicated that Assad was not participating. 

Abdulkadir Salafi, a columnist for Hurriyet newspaper, stated that Erdogan made these statements about Assad at a meeting of his ruling party (Justice and Development) held behind closed doors, on Monday.

 

Muqtada al-Sadr's attempts to form a goverment to his liking reached a deaded so he decided to retire from politics; What are the reasons that prompted Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr to retire now?

Muqtada al-Sadr's attempts to form a goverment to his liking reached a deaded so he decided to retire from politics; What are the reasons that prompted Mr. Muqtada al-Sadr to retire now?

    Monday, August 29, 2022   No comments

After many tweets announcing steps to force his will and dissolve the parliament in favor of another elections, Muqtada al-Sadr abruptly quits politics and attacks a senior religious scholar.

Muqtada al-Sadr paved the way for his sudden decision, after many tweets, to protest against the political process, combat corruption, and call for demonstrations and sit-ins.

It is important to note that al-Sadr retired from politics, but did not call on his supporters to end their sit-ins and return to their homes.

Muqtada al-Sadr's supporters, after hearing about his decision to retire, went to the Republican Palace and there were attempts to storm it.

His quitting like this is akin to starting a fire and leaving it to someone else to put it out. For this is not the first time that al-Sadr has brandished the weapons of the street in the face of his opponents. Today's storming of the Republican Palace was preceded by a lightning storming of Parliament, in the past few days. His retirement today comes, in what appears to be an attempt to evade responsibility for what matters may develop into, despite Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi's pleas for him to "help in calling on the demonstrators to withdraw from government institutions."

The head of the Regional Center for Studies, Ali Al-Saheb Al-Iraqi, confirmed that Muqtada Al-Sadr's decision may have come as a result of political pressures, heavy balances, and many accusations, especially after the al-Hairi reference stated that he would withdraw from the religious leadership (marja`iyya).

Ali Al-Saheb Al-Iraqi stressed that the security services are expected to intervene to restore calm and stability, and perhaps Mr. Al-Sadr will return to his audience if he feels that this audience is starting to escalate, and it is not excluded that there are parties or people pushing the Sadrist movement to escalate.

Ali al-Saheb al-Iraqi explained that the judiciary is expected to issue a decision to return members of the Sadrist movement to parliament.

According to Iraqi sources, the head of the Sadrist movement in Iraq, Muqtada al-Sadr, announced his final retirement and the closure of institutions, except for the Holy Shrine and the Noble Museum.

Mr. Al-Sadr's office issued a decree prohibiting any activity in the name of the Sadrist movement, as well as the raising of slogans, media, political chants and others in the name of the Sadrist movement.

Al-Sadr's office also banned the use of media, including social media platforms, in the name of the Sadrist movement.

In a tweet, Sadr seems to respond directly to al-Hairi, accusing him of being untruthful about the reasons behind his actions.

The religious authority, Ayatollah Sayyid Kazem Al-Haeri, issued a statement, announcing that he would not serve in the marja`iyya because of illness and advancing age, and decided to drop all agencies and permissions issued by him or by his offices and not to receive any legal rights from his agents and representatives on his behalf as of the date of this announcement .

Below is the text of the statement:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Praise be to God by the weight of His Throne and the ink of His words, and what His Book has enumerated and His knowledge encompasses. And prayers and peace be upon the Prophet of God, who was sent as a mercy to the worlds, Muhammad bin Abdullah, and his pure family.

God Almighty said in the text of His Book: “God does not burden a soul beyond its capacity” Surah Al-Baqarah: verse: 286. Believe God Almighty.

There is no doubt that one of the most important responsibilities and the greatest trusts in the era of the absence of the Imam Al-Hujjah (may God Almighty hasten his reappearance) is that the jurists who gather the conditions of the nation’s affairs and protect its interests in general and in particular, through issuing fatwas and clarifying the legal rulings, and giving instructions and directives, and everything that would preserve its entity, its dignity and its dignity. risks reported.

And after God Almighty enabled me to be a student at the hands of my teacher, the Great Ayatollah, the martyred master Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr (may God be pleased with him), I assumed this responsibility and did my best to achieve the goals for which he was martyred, to the extent of my ability, and to sponsor Islamic work in the Iraq of Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) and support authentic Islam. And protecting the believers, especially the Iraqi society, from the machinations of foreign colonizers.

It is clear that among the necessities of carrying out this great responsibility is the availability of physical health and the ability to follow the affairs of the nation, but today, when my health and physical strength are deteriorating due to illness and advancing age, I feel that it prevents me from performing the duties placed on my shoulders - as I used to perform them before - In a manner that does not achieve perfection and satisfaction, therefore, I declare not to continue to address this heavy and great responsibility, to drop all agencies and permissions issued by us or by our offices, and not to receive any legitimate rights by our agents and representatives on our behalf as of the date of this announcement.

I must have some last words to recommend to my faithful children:

First: All believers must obey the leader, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (may his shadow be long), for His Eminence is the best and most qualified to lead the nation and manage the struggle with the forces of oppression and arrogance in these circumstances in which the forces of infidelity and evil have fought against the original Muhammadan Islam.

Second: I advise my children in our beloved Iraq to do the following:

A- Preserving unity and harmony among them and not making room for colonialism, Zionism and their agents by igniting the fire of sedition and strife among believers, and knowing that their common enemy is America, Zionism and their cowards, so let them be tough against the infidels and merciful among them.

B - The liberation of Iraq from any foreign occupation and from any presence of any security or military force, especially the American forces that perched on the chest of our wounded Iraq under various pretexts, and not allowing them to remain in Iraq, the country of sacred things, and that keeping them is one of the greatest prohibitions in God Almighty, as we have clarified. in previous data.

C- I call upon those who stand up to positions and responsibilities to carry out their legitimate functions that they pledged to the people to fulfill, and to stay away from narrow personal and factional interests, which have inflicted calamities on the oppressed Iraqi people. This is security for them, pride for the people, and stability for the country.

D- Scholars, religious seminary students, cultural elites, and conscious and sincere writers should work to educate the people, so that they can distinguish between enemy and friend and realize the reality of their interests and so that they will not be overlooked and belittled and disobeyed from them in what they do not know and do not benefit them, and so that they become acquainted with the machinations and conspiracies of the enemies, or their origins. At least they do not fall prey to their malicious and misguided goals.

E- The sons of the two martyrs (may God sanctify their secret) must know that the love of the two martyrs is not sufficient unless faith is combined with their approach to righteous work and true adherence to their goals for which they sacrificed themselves. (May God be pleased with them both), or he addresses the leadership in their name while he lacks ijtihad or the rest of the conditions required for legal leadership, then he is - in fact - not a Sadrist, no matter what he claims or affiliation with.

F- I recommend to all believers in our holy mobilization that it must be supported and supported as an independent force that is not integrated into all other forces, for it is the fortified fortress, the striking hand and the force majeure for those who are stalking the security of the country and the interests of its people alongside the rest of the Iraqi armed forces, as we have repeatedly stated and affirmed.

G- The Baathists, the criminals, the corrupt, and the agents must be kept away from positions and responsibilities in the country, and they should not be empowered in any way. They do not want the best for you, and they only care about their partisan interests and serving their masters from the colonialists, the Zionists and their cowards.

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al-Hairi's statement

al-Sadr response to al-Hairi