al rashideen 2

Al Rashideen – Iranian Revolution Special Issue


IRAN - THE CHAMPION OF THE PALESTINIAN

CAUSE

To understand the Palestinian cause, we

shall first review the main guidelines of

Iranian foreign policy, its goals and most

basic values which can be summed up in

five fundamental values:

1. Founding a united, universal Nation:

the Islamic Republic of Iran should lead

the Muslim world toward the

establishment of a universal Islamic

coalition. Those who are responsible for

the divides among Sunnis and Shiites

are the enemies of Islam, who strive to

prevent the forces of Islam from uniting.

One cannot coerce the Muslims to

unite. This goal can be reached only via

the creation of a unified ideological and

spiritual system under which all Muslims

would willingly subjugate.

2. Protecting the oppressed peoples of

the earth and supporting their fight

against their oppressors.

3. Defending the boundaries of the

Iranian motherland.

4. Inviting people to join Islam through

means of da'wa.

5. Adopting a non-alliance between East

and West.

The above 5 Fundamental values form a

central element in Iran’s foreign policy

and its ideological platform. The export

of the Iranian Revolution ’79 was to

form the underlying basis to counter the

Arab Nationalism by aiding the radical

anti-regime forces in different countries

in the region which would eventually

bring about the establishment of Islamic

governments that would follow the

Iranian Model. Khomeini sought to

replace the “Arab” and Muslim

“corrupt” regimes with Iranian styled

Shiite governments while creating a

linkage between the export of the ‘79

Revolution and the fight against the

Western imperialism and the fight to

liberate Palestine.

The promotion of the Revolution

entailed financial aid, military guidance

and indoctrination given to the radical

Iran – The Champion of the Palestinian Cause


organizations like Hamas who would

then be dictated later on with furthering

the Iranian agenda and at the same time

downplaying the Saudi Arabia’s and

other Gulf States stakes in the

Palestinian cause. Factors that have

brought Hamas closer to Tehran are:

• Common enemy in Israel with

Hamas’ calls for destruction of

Israel form the basis of the

organization’s political discourse.

Iran has been using this to

further its image in the Muslim

world ever so subtly and

sophisticatedly.

• Hamas and its government have

been striving to get financial aid

since Isma'il Haniyya's

government was formed, in light

of the international boycott that

was declared on and enforced

against it after the elections. Iran

has taken upon itself a

commitment to provide the

organization with economic aid

since the 1990s. This aid has

bloated over the years. Right

after Hamas's victory, Iran gave

it 50 million dollars in aid. It also

promised to help out in projects

related to rehabilitating the

infrastructure that was ruined

during the second Intifada.

Hamas has therefore willingly

succumbed to Iranian political,

military and economic

patronage. It has been running a

liaison office in Tehran and its

officials hold frequent meetings

with Iranian government officials

and Iranian Revolutionary Guard

Corps (IRGC) commanders.

• Hamas's relations with the

moderate Arab axis (Saudi

Arabia, Egypt and Jordan) have

loosened and suffered from ups

and downs in recent years.

These conflicting relations

enabled Syria and Iran to

embrace Hamas and its exiled

leadership. The organization's

Political Bureau operates in

Damascus, and Iranian

Revolutionary Guard Corps

(IRGC) commanders go there

quite often for meetings with

Mash'al and his entourage. The

Damascus-Tehran-Hamas axis

has become so tight that Mash'al

has been accused of getting his

orders directly from Iran.

•

• The Muslim Brotherhood, as the

mother organization of Hamas,

has expressed a rather moderate

viewpoint regarding Iran and the

Shiites on dogmatic issues, and,

according to anti-Shiite

elements, it has not been able to

“The export of the Iranian Revolution

’79 was to form the underlying basis to

counter the Arab Nationalism by

aiding the radical anti-regime forces in

different countries in the region which

would eventually bring about the

establishment of Islamic governments

that would follow the Iranian Model.”

Iran – The Champion of the Palestinian Cause


divert Hamas's inclination

toward Iran on key political

issues, thus proving it has no

actual influence upon the latter.

• Hamas has been blamed by anti-

Shiite elements for ignoring

Iran's master plan to rule the

Middle East and its support for

the Shiite militias that slaughter

Iraqi Sunnis. This support has

been realized in Mash'al

declarations in which he

reiterated that Hamas would

stand alongside Iran if the latter

were attacked by Israel, saying

that Iran is Hamas's most

steadfast ally.

Iran’s Success with Hamas

Iran’s deep interest in the Palestinian

cause has not come as a dead weight

but has given it greater mileage as

discussed below.

• It has been able to establish an

entangled network of loyal allies

that serve its interest, from Iraq

through Lebanon's Hezbollah via

Palestine. Hamas's loyalty has

been expressed, for instance, in

the aftermath of the kidnapping

of the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit,

in June 2006, when Hamas' Head

of the Political Bureau, Khalid

Mash'al, residing in Damascus,

seemed to have followed the

orders of Tehran and expressed

his allegiance to his ally, even at

the price of worsening the

already bad situation of the

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and

despite internal opposition to

the kidnapping and its timing,

expressed by Isma'il Haniyya,

Hamas Government's Prime

Minister.

• The declared Iranian support of

Hamas and the Palestinian issue

enables Iran to present itself as

the leader of the Muslim world

in a way that transcends any

religious law schools or Shiite-

Sunni rift, especially in light of

Iran's problematic image

resulting from its involvement in

the war in Iraq.

• Supporting Hamas legitimizes

Iran's continuous activity in the

Arab world since it takes under

its custody an organization that

opposes Israel and is under

Israeli blockade since Hamas's

victory in January 2006's

elections.

• Supporting Hamas reduces the

latter's objection of any

missionary activity inside

Palestine. As we shall see later

on, in recent years several

arenas of Shiite activity have

appeared on the surface in the

Palestinian theater, especially

under PIJ initiative with the

latter's acting under Iran's direct

orders. Hamas's leadership

appears not to release many

anti-Shiite declarations, since it

does not wish to anger Iran, its

highly valuable strategic patron.

• Supporting Hamas also enables

Iran to get declarations of

Iran – The Champion of Palestine Cause


support from the Sunni

organizations’ leaders, thus

helping the cause of exporting

the Islamic Revolution.

The championing of the Al Quds

Mosque by Iran and its support is

echoed through out the world with

rallies being taken out in all major

Muslim countries. What needs to be

considered is that Shiites believe that

the real Al Quds Mosque is in Heaven

and the Muslim world is being deceived

by Iran’s chicanery. Therefore, it is very

pertinent to rise up in defence of Al-

Aqsa Mosque and to call attention to

the fact that the Shiite books and their

authorized sources, which they wrote

with their own hands, indicate that they

have no regard or recognition for Al-

Aqsa Mosque in its present location.

They also hold that ‘real Al-Aqsa

mosque’ is in the Heaven and that

majority of people mistakenly believe

that it is the mosque that is in

Palestine!!

Iran – The Champion of Palestine Cause


The Iranian Revolution by and large hit

Pakistan more than any other country.

More so because of the fact that till

1979, the 32 year old Pakistan was

governed by 12 years of Shiite rule.

• Iskander Mirza, Pakistan’s first

martial Law administer was a

Shia ruled for 4 years

• Yahya Khan, another Shia ruled

for 3 years

• Zulfikar Ali Bhutto ruled for 5

years

More than 12 years of direct Shiite rule

had dis-embered East-Pakistan from its

West Wing, paved way for Iranian

Influence in the foreign policy apart

from many other controversies. The

revolution coincided with the Russian

Invasion of Afghanistan and 2 years into

the Zia rule. The Pakistani Shiites were

emboldened by their co-religionist’s

success in neighbouring Iran. The

Movement for the Implementation of

Shiism (Tehrik Nifaz Fiqh-e-Jafria) was

launched at Khomeini’s orders under

the leadership of senior Shiite cleric,

Mufti Jaffer Hussain in 1979. The name

of the organization is worrisome

considering Shiites don’t even amount

to more than 10% of Pakistan’s total

population. And which more than

explains the underlying under-tones of

the Iranian Expansionist agenda of the

‘Shi’itization of Pakistan’. Never-the

less, the movement and its student

proxy ‘Imamia Students Organization’

conducted wide-spread protests against

Zia’s Islamization policies, the most

famous was the take-over of the

National Assembly in a bid to exclude

shias from the Zakat imposition laws.

That this was one of the first and more

direct steps towards a revolt against

Islam (i.e. Sunnism) and can rightly be

argued as the start of a sectarian war

fuelled by Shiite political activism.

On a national and Micro level, the

revolution inspired the mass publication

and distribution of Shiite literature

financed by the Khana hae farang Iran

(Iranian Cultural Centres) which were

“The Iranian Revolution by and large hit

Pakistan more than any other country.”

PAKISTAN AND THE IRANIAN SHIITE’S SPILLOVER

Pakistan and the Shiite Spill over


built with Iranian Support in large and

small cities of the country. This

literature which was full of Shiite abuse

of the Sahaba and Ummuhat-ul-

Momineen, besides the Shiite belief of

the alleged tampering of the Quran was

a direct assault on mainstream Islamic

beliefs. The situation was exacerbated

more-so by the fact that many Ulama

did not object to such literature besides

a few. The Jamat-e-Islami Pakistan

totally ignored the Iranian Shiite

Attempts to corrupt Muslim beliefs, and

instead supported a Khomeini inspired

revolution in Pakistan. That such Shiite

attempts did not stop there, soon

became a cause of concern for senior

Ulama and scholars alike. Sunni

mosques were being taken over,

coupled by the fact that Iranian Inspired

Guerilla groups started massacring

sunnis, the 1985 Quetta Carnage was by

and large the final tombstone on which

the Sunni Resurgence was to be laid.

Other incidents included the burning of

Quran and effigies of Hazrat Umar and

Hazrat Aisha in cities like Jhang, Dera

Ghazi Khan, Karachi and others.

On 6th

September Maulana Haq Nawaz

Jhangvi, a Sunni cleric from Jhang laid

the foundation of the Sipah-e-Sahaba

On 6th

September 1985, Maulana Haq

Nawaz Jhangvi, a Sunni cleric from

Jhang laid the foundation of the Sipah-

e-Sahaba Pakistan, a movement meant

for defending the rights of sunnis in

Jhang. What started as a movement for

one city soon found mass support in

rest of Pakistan and in less than 3 years

became the foremost defense line of

the Pakistani Muslims against Iran and

it’s Shiite proxies in Pakistan. This is by

no-way a discounting of the fact that

similar platforms were initiated by

Mainstream Ulama such as the

Sawwad-e-Azam led by Mufti Ahmed-

ur-Rahman, Maulana Yusuf Ludhianwi &

others, Khuddam Ahl-e-Sunnat of

Maulana Qazi Mazhar Hussain, Tanzeem

Ahl-e-Sunnat of Maulana Abdul Sattar

Taunsvi. What has made Sipah-e-

Sahaba the main anti-thesis to the

Iranian attempts to Shi’tize Pakistan is

its longevity and the fact that despite 28

years, the organisation is still very much

a part & parcel of the Sunni scene.

Another reason of Sipah-e-Sahaba’s

credibility and popularity owes to the

fact that it took the Shiite goals / beliefs

in the popular imagination of the

masses. What was previously written by

authoritative Ulama in books was soon

translated in the popular slogan ‘Kafir

Kafir Shia Kafir’-the raison detre of

Sipah-e-Sahaba. Books such as:

• Irshad-ul-Shia by Maulana

Sarfaraz Khan Safdar

• Irani Inquilab,Shiiyat aur

Khomeini by Maulana Manzur

Ahmed Naumani

• Dau Mutazaad Tasveerain by

Maulana Syed Abul Hassan Ali

Nadwi

“On a national and Micro level, the

revolution inspired the mass publication

and distribution of Shiite literature

financed by the Khana hae farang Iran

(Iranian Cultural Centres) which were built

with Iranian Support in large and small

cities of the country. This literature was full

of Shiite abuse of the Sahaba and

Ummuhat-ul-Momineen.”



• Khomeini aur Shia Ithna Ashari

kay mutaliq Ulama-e-Karam ka

muttafiqa faisala

These books were written after the

1979 Revolution, and adds up to the

compendium of books available on

Shiism by the Ulama of the Indian Sub-

Continent. These books were utilised by

the Sipah-e-Sahaba, in a bid to educate

the masses that yes, Shias are Kafirs as

opined in our slogans, but why are we

calling them Kafir, for that you need to

read these books of the Ulama. Another

reason for Sipah-e-Sahaba’s relevance

to the Sunni cause, is that unlike the

previous movements such as Sawwad-e-

Azam Ahl-e-Sunnat, Khuddam Ahl-e-

Sunnat and others, is the presence of

youngsters both literate and illiterate

besides students of Madaris and Ulama.

Where-as the other movements mostly

had rectors of Madaris and religious

seminary students, Sipah has to its

credit the inclusion of students, doctors,

lawyers & laborers as well.

As to what Maulana Haq Nawaz and his

organisation achieved vis-à-vis the Shiite

onslaught in Pakistan,

1. The shifting from a defensive to

an offensive position

Where-as previously our scholars used

to defend Shiite allegations against

Sahaba, Ummuhat-ul-Momineen and in

the light of solid arguments make those

allegations null and void. This defensive

stance was changed by Maulana Haq

Nawaz into an offensive ones by his

argument that Shias are kafir because of

their crooked beliefs (such as

considering their Imams on a higher

pedestal of virtue than the Prophets of

Allah, allegations that the Holy Quran

has been tampered with, that Sahaba

turned apostate after the Holy

Prophet’s death). Where our Ulama

used to defend and up-hold the honor

of Shiite criticisms of Sahaba, today

Shiites have been put into that position

courtesy Maulana Haq Nawaz for

defending their alleged ‘Islam’.

2. Iranian Revolution = Shia

Revolution

The Khomeinist Revolution was being

hailed as an Islamic Revolution by the

Iranian State as well as the world-wide

media. Images such as the covering-up

of woman, control of vices such as

alcohol and prostitution in Iran, and

efforts to ignore Shia-Sunni differences

was being appreciated as the makings of

a truly Islamic change in Iran. Maulana

Haq Nawaz in his speeches and public

gatherings changed the opinions of the

masses by high-lighting Khomeini’s

credentials as a Shiite Scholar and his

beliefs as evidenced from his books

“Maulana Haq Nawaz unified the three

schools of Sunni thought (Deobandi,

Barelwi and Ahl-e-Hadith) in the Indian

Sub-Continent vis-à-vis the Sipah platform.

Just like previously Ulama of these three

schools got together in a bid to declare

Qadianis as Non-Muslims, in the same way

Maulana made Sipah as the rallying call for

the unity so as to declare Shiites as Non-

Muslims.”



Kash-Al-Asrar, Tahrir-ul-Waseela, Jihad

Al Akbar, Islamic Government among

others. The Maulana proved that

Khomeini in no way differs from his

Shiite predecessors when it comes to

beliefs regarding Imamate, Sahaba &

Quran. Then how can he be hailed as a

truly Islamic leader who downplays or

rejects Shiite leanings? And how can his

revolution be Non-Shiite with an aim to

not Shi’itize Iran’s neighbouring

countries where-ever the revolution

was planning to be exported?

3. Boycotting Shiites Socio-

culturally and economically

Where-as previously the masses were

relatively quite unaware of the Shiite

question, and considered them

Muslims, they used to have marital

relations with Shiites, eat their food,

buy from Shiite shops and traders, have

meat cut from Shiite butchers etc.

Maulana Haq Nawaz popularized what

the Ulama had said (i.e. Shias are Kafir),

therefore don’t marry them, don’t wed

your sons and daughter to them. This

way there would be no Zina which

unaware Sunnis were technically doing

when they had married Shiites as in the

religious dogma there is no Nikah

between Sunni and Shia (since Shiites

are Non-Muslims). Because of the wide-

spread appeal of the Maulana’s

message, Sunnis who had married Shias,

called off their marriages and thus got

rid of such perversity and ignorance.

When Sunnis stopped buying meat from

Shiite butchers, they were saved from

eating Haram food as the Zabiha

(slaughtering of the animal) by a Non-

Muslim (in this case Shia) becomes un-

fit for eating. When Sunnis stopped

having trade relations with Shiites and

buying products from Shiite run shops,

they in a way stopped contributing to

Shiite power. As what-ever Shiites earn

goes in some way or the other towards

publishing their religious literature,

financing their religious institutions and

thus the onslaught against the Sunnis.

4. No religious Shiite gatherings to

be attended

Previously layman Sunnis used to attend

Shiite Majalis or mourning gatherings

held in honor of Ahl-e-Bayt. Such Sunnis

were most likely to be influenced and

hence converted by the Shiite

attachment to the Ahl-e-Bayt (while

ignoring the implications of twisted

Shiite beliefs which makes a Shia in-

essence a Non-Muslim). Maulana Haq

Nawaz checked that trend by

conducting huge conferences

commemorating the martyrers of Islam

especially during the Muharram days

when the Shiites also used to conduct

their gatherings. This way Sunnis were

caught in a trap to attend their

gatherings rather than the Shiite’s. This

way the Sunni was kept busy and thus

also learned about Shiite beliefs in the

anti-Shia gatherings (of Sipah-e-Sahaba)

5. Unity among the Sunnis

Maulana Haq Nawaz unified the three

schools of Sunni thought (Deobandi,

Barelwi and Ahl-e-Hadith) in the Indian

Sub-Continent vis-à-vis the Sipah

platform. Just like previously Ulama of

these three schools got together in a bid

to declare Qadianis as Non-Muslims,in

the same way Maulana made Sipah as



the rallying call for the unity so as to

declare Shiites as Non-Muslims. When

Shiite literature was being brazenly

distributed, all these schools of thought

found a common front as Shiites

attacked mainstream Sunni beliefs

which these three schools share.

6. An end to aiding/propagating

Shiite symbolism

Because of the wide-spread Shiite

propaganda against the Sahaba, un-

aware Sunnis used to adopt the Shiite

religious symbolisms namely the

wearing of Shiite bangles, making Halwa

or sweet dishes on 22nd

Rajab, and etc.

Maulana’s Sipah educated both the

urbane and village masses of such Shiite

symbolisms, and how they are meant to

aid Shi’itization of Sunnis. Shiites

commemorate the death of Hazrat

Ameer Muawiyya (R.A.) on 22nd

Rajab

by distributing Halwa and then term the

act as commemorating the birth of

Imam Jafer Sadiq (upon whose name

the Shiites name their fiqh as Jafria).

While Imam Jafer was neither born nor

died on that date. All similar acts were

put an end to Al-Hamdulillah.

7. Recent converts stop adopting

Shiism

Non-Muslims such as Hindus, Christians,

Parsi and others when-ever used to

think about converting to Islam, they

considered Shiites as a 5th

school of

thought just like Shaf’I, Hanfi, Maliki and

Hanbali. With Sipah’s wide-spread

propagandeering, this trend was

checked and thus Non-Muslims were

made aware the Shiite threat (as a Non-

Muslim based on its beliefs and how

they are counter to Islam).

8. Shiites adopt True Islam

I feel the biggest impact Maulana’s work

has had on the serious-minded Shiites

themselves who based on an in-

adequate knowledge of Shiism and how

it contradicts Islam adopted true Islam

when shown the light. Many Shiites did

not know how their religious books have

hurled abuse on the Prophet’s

Companions, the Prophet’s Wives, how

they have alleviated the status of Shiite

Imams to that of the Prophets of Allah,

how they have maligned Quran by

calling it tampered. Maulana’s Sipah

helped burst the myth that such beliefs

can go hand in hand with an outer-

projection of love for the Prophet’s

family and thus dupe the lay-man Shiite

that he is following true Islam. For

loving the Prophet’s family can in no

way be considered the sole pre requisite

for faith while rejecting the men who

conveyed the Prophet’s message to the

world (i.e. Sahaba), cursing the

Prophet’s Wives and regarding Quran as

being tampered with. These beliefs in-

their selves demolish the very

foundations of faith.

Shiite Inroads

On account of the above-mentioned

accomplishments, Maulana Jhangvi’s

organisation is still very much a cause of

concern for Shiite designs of taking over

Pakistan. This can be seen in the light of

Ulama and workers of Sipah being

martyred every 2nd

day in Pakistan.

Since its inception in 1985 to-date (i.e.

9900 days) some 5000 workers and



cadres of the Sipah have been gunned

down by the Iranian Inspired Shiite

militias operating both within and

outside the domains of the Pakistan

Government and Intelligence agencies.

The Shiite response to the Sipah’s rising

popularity and relevance, has evolved

from overt to covert. The changing of

their movement from Tehrik Nifaz Fiqh-

e-Jafria (Movement for the

Implementation of Shiism) to Tehrik-e-

Jafria (Movement of the Shiites) very

much sums it up. This trend was

coupled by the fact by the inclusion of

educated Shiites into the various

upcoming and old political parties alike.

Men such as

• Faisal Raza Abdi of the Pakistan

Peoples Party

• Asif Ali Zardari of the Pakistan

Peoples Party

• Hyder Abbas Rizvi of the

Muttahida Qaumi Movement

• Syed Wasay Jaleel of the

Muttahida Qaumi Movement

• Zulfikar Ali Mirza of the Pakistan

Peoples Party

Were the products of ingrained and a

subtle form of Shiite activism without

being totally Shiite on the front. Put in

other words once in the party, you get

to roll the roast your way. Such manic

Shiites were behind the scenes of

millitias such as Sipah-e-Muhammad,

Lashkar-e-Mehdi, Sipah-e-Mehdi and

others, whose main prerogative was the

massacre of Sunni Ulama, cadres and

sympathizers mostly associated with the

Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan.

Going hand in hand with this form of

chic activism, were the rise of Shiite

journalists and reporters in the media

arena. Media channels such as Dawn Tv,

Geo Tv, Aaj Tv, Ary News, Express Tv are

by and large controlled and

overshadowed by Shiite agendas.

Whereas religious gatherings of Shiites

are hailed and projected as national

days, and wide-spread air time is

allotted to them, similar gatherings and

conferences by Sunni leaders are at

most avoided or ignored.

And who is ignoring the rise and rise of

Shiites in the bureaucracy, Army and the

civil service? That this was prevalent

before the revolution, there is no

denying that, but the revolution has put

Sunnis in a quagmire as to the true

loyalties of Shiites present in powerful

positions? And there is no denying that

Iran is first and foremost the Vatican

and Qiblah towards which all Shiites

look forward for inspirations and

aspirations. To sum up, I would like to

quote the examples of the Shiite Abbas

brothers:

• Major General Ather Abbas DG

ISPR (Director General Inter-

Services Public Relations)

• Mazhar Abbas of the ARY

channel and former head of the

Pakistan Federal Union of

Journalists

• Azhar Abbas, Managing Director

of Geo Tv

• Zafar Abbas, Editor Dawn News

I leave up to the reader to assume and

presume!



Conclusion

Only time would tell what alternative

strategies the Sunnis adopt to check the

counter-evolving stratagems of the

politically/religiously motivated Shiites

of Pakistan. That Sipah-e-Sahaba is the

only ‘last man standing’ in this battle of

the minds, is a sad state of affairs in the

short-term, but InshaAllah the future of

a grand and powerful Sipah is very much

on the cards in the Long-term. Relevant

efforts have to be made by the

educated Sunnis belonging to the upper

middle class of Pakistani society to up

the anti. Till then Ulama and cadres,

sympathizers would continue to be

maimed and killed by the ever-alert

Shiite ascendancy.



IRAQ AND THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION ‘79

Since 1920’s Iraq has been very much

under Sunni Rule. The Saddam regime

with secular leanings did not rely / trust

on Shiites courtesy their loyalties with

the Iranian revolution. Therefore we see

discrimination and killings of rogue

Shiite elements such as Baqir Al-Sadr,

and members of the Al-Hakim family

coupled with the crackdown on all

Iranian inspired guerillas (such as the

Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution

Iraq). That the 8 years war between Iran

and Iraq, was the result of increased

proselytization among the Shiites by the

Iranian regime to topple the Sunni

regime. The war had all the designs of

the Iranian regime being supported by

the Israeli and American regimes. The

contra-Iran affair is one such example.

The Saddam years saw a drop in Shiite

political activism and even the yearly

Muharram mournings. Nevertheless,

the Saddam years saw the rise of

dissent among the religiously and

politically motivated Shiites owing to

their coreligionists’ revolution in Iran.

Saddam Hussein aimed for a pan Arab

domination, thereby invading Kuwait in

1991. That Saddam’s was a tyrant

regime, there is no denying that, but the

1991 Invasion by the USA signaling the

first Gulf War (even though the regime

in neighboring Iran was a tyrant regime

in itself) is not justified. Iraq had never

voiced an Anti American rhetoric as

compared to Iran’s virulent Anti

American tendencies. This and many

more similar trends aimed at

internationalist isolation of Iraq (by the

imposition of various sanctions, to the

Israeli Air force bombing of the Iraqi

Nuclear Plants and etc). All this points

to a biased American agenda of

containing the rising Sunni political

ascendency. In no way is it implied that

the Saddam rule was an Islamic or

purely Sunni in character, but it acted as

a bulwark against the Iranian agenda of

attacking or downplaying Saudi Arabis’s

hegemony (citadel of Islam). Borrowing

Iraq and the Iranian Revolution ‘79


words from an interview to BBC, by

Iranian Supreme Leader Khomeini,

“The first step I would take upon taking

authority in Iran is I would exhume the

bodies of Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat

Umer R.A.”

That is why we see that the Iranian

Revolution instead of helping or aiding

the Sunni Mujahideen against the

Russian onslaught in Afghanistan (The

Iranian Revolution coincided with the

Russian Invasion of Afghanistan). The

first step Iran took was attacking Iraq

(the Sunni Saddam Regime). This 8 year

duel with Iraq, where Iran pumped

everything in the war further testifies its

visions of subverting the Saudi Influence

in the region and hence the Sunni

agenda.

American Invasion 2003

The American Invasion put an end to

more than 40 year old Saddam Hussein

Rule and placed instead an Iranian Shiite

Puppet, Nuri Al Maliki, SCIRI (Supreme

Council of Islamic Revolution in Iraq),

Sistani and others. That is why we see

the quietist cleric (Taqiyya Centric), Ali

Al Sistani welcomed the American

Invasion as the perfect recipe for

change. In a major fatwa, he called all

Iraqis (read Shiites) to participate in the

American sanctioned Elections. This was

contrary to the decades old quietest

tradition of Sistani and his predecessor

Al Kho’i which called for all Shiites to

not participate in the political

machinery under the Sunni Saddam.

This also meant a major break from Al

Kho’i’s stance on political activist Shiism

(During the 80 to 88 War Iraq’s Kho’i

sided with Saddam against the

Khomeinist Vilayate Faqih Model to be

imposed on Iraq, Sistani was the

successor after Al Kho’i death).

Enter Zarqawi

The American Invasion saw the rise of

greater Shiite mileage in the post

Saddam era. After occupying the Iraq’s

territories, the US used to pave way for

the Iraqi Army police and security forces

(comprising of mainly Shia elements).

That is why we see the rise of Sunni

pogroms (mass massacre of Sunnis)

operating under the guise of Iraqi

security forces, police and army who

allegedly had the backing of Muqtada Al

Sadr’s Mahdi Militia and Al Hakim’s

Badr.

Such and many more similar atrocities

saw the rise of Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, a

Jordanian Al Qaeda affiliate. Zarqawi’s

AQI (Al Qaeda in Iraq) besides targeting

the American security forces also

attacked its Shiite affiliates. In a historic

letter to Osama Bin Ladin, Zarqawi

elaborates contextual justifications for

the attacks on the Shiites. Taking a leaf

out of this letter:

• Imam Bukhari says “Not in the

house have I prayed behind a

Shiite….. They are not to be

greeted, they are not to be

congratulated on holidays… they

“The first step I would take upon taking

authority in Iran is I would exhume the

bodies of Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat

Umer R.A.”



are not to be taken into

Marriages… They can not bear

witness. The Animals they

slaughter are not to be eaten..

(Khalq Af’al Al – ‘ibad, page

125).

• Imam Ahmed says – He was

asked about who had cursed Abu

Bakr, Umer and Aisha (May God

be pleased with them – “I do not

see him within Islam”.

• Imam Malik Says, “He who

curses the Companions of the

Prophet (May God Bless him and

grant him salvation) has no

share or part in Islam”. (Kitab Al

– Sunnah of Al Khallal, number

779).

• Imam Ibn Taymiyya in his Al

Fatawa (part 28, pages 478-527)

writes “The Shia love the Tartars

and their state because through

it they achieved the glory that

they did not achieve through the

Muslims’ state… They were

among the greatest helpers (of

the Tartars), as they seized the

countries of Islam, killing

Muslims and capturing their

women. The story of Ibn Al – Al

Qami and his like with the Caliph

and their case in Aleppo is

famous. All the people know it. If

the Muslims defeat the Christian

and polytheists, this causes the

distress among the Shia. And if

the polytheists and Christians

beat the Muslims, this occasions

a holiday and joy among the

Shia”.

• Ibn Taymiyya furthers writes on

page 482 Al Fatawa part 28 “

With this it becomes clear that

they are more evil than the

sectarians and more deserving of

begin fought than the Kharijies.

• Al Faryabi says “I do not see the

Shias except as atheists”. (Al –

Lalika ‘I part 8, page 1545)

The above references by Zarqawi meant

to show that Shiites just like Jews and

Christians are Non Muslims (see Imam

Bukhari, Imam Malik and Imam Ahmed’s

verdicts above). This justifies the killing

of all those Shiites who participated

whole heartedly in the American siege

of Iraq. Innocent Shiites civilians who

showed indifference to American

occupation and went on with their daily

lives were not targeted.

Conclusion

The US withdrawal in late 2011 meant

the rise of the open Sunni Shiite civil

war in Iraq, where as previously the

Shiites were targeting the Sunnis

through the covert-tacit support of the

US forces. It is now evident that post US

scenario is no different with Sunnis

being targeted mercilessly. It remains to

be seen that till what extent the Iranian

regime is prepared to go to, to satiate

its thirst of toppling Sunnis powers.

Despite the rising awareness of the

Shiite threat in the Islamic Circles, they

are still willing to further their Vilayat –

e- Faqih Model in establishing an Iranian

Shiite Model by embroiling the

countries in civil wars. (Iraq, Syria,

Bahrain, Lebanon can be cited as

relevant examples).



Well, no one can ignore the Iranian

Impact on Bahrain, considering the

historical fact that even before its

independence in 1971, Bahrain was

regarded as Iran’s 14th

province. Bahrain

as statistics show is 66-70% Shia, but

taking nothing away from the Shiite

majority; it remains whether the Shiites

of Bahrain are given power positions by

the Sunni government? The answer is

Yes,

• Bassim bin Yaqub Al Hamer,

Minister of Housing Shia

• Dr. Fatima Bin Mohammad Al

Baluchi, Health Minister Shia

• Dr. Jameel Humadan,Minister of

Labour Shia

• Dr. Abdul Hussain Bin Ali

Mirza,Minister of Oil and Gas

Affairs Shia

As a point of argument, I would

reinstate the point, that 30% of the

Iranian Population are Sunnis, they

don’t even have one minister in the

Iranian cabinet! Its time that Iran calls

for equality rather than supremacy of

the Shiites. And in Bahrain, it is exactly

doing the same.

Immediately after the revolution,

Iranian inspired militants attempted a

coup, which failed. Had it been

otherwise, the world would have seen a

Shiite Cleric Sayyid Mahdi Al-Modarressi

at the helm of affairs. The current 2011

protests to-date have similar under-

tones: to install the Iranian inspired

Velayat-e-Faqih model and further

tighten the noose on Saudi Arabia.

What is Velayat-e-Faqih and why the

need?

Iran’s Khomeini during his exile days in

Iraq, concocted this theory about the

‘Governorship of the Jurist’. He

maintains that in the absence of the 12th

Imam (Shiites believe that their 12th

Imam, the Mahdi is in occultation and in

hiding since the last 1200 years, and

would come out near Qiyamah), the

learned Faqih or cleric should rule on his

behalf. In short, the theory calls for the

designation of a Naib Imam (i.e. the

proxy representative of the Hidden

Imam). It obviously is a Shiite concept,

which can never be replicated or

imposed on the Sunni world without

being totally Shiite in character. The

Shiites since the disappearance of their

12th

Imam have always believed in

Taqiyyah or dissimulation. Put simply

Taqiyyah is to hide your real beliefs and

motives. There are numerous examples

present in the Shiite books of Hadith

(there are 4 Shiite Books of Hadith as

compared to 6 books of the Muslims)

regarding Taqiyyah

BAHRAIN AND THE SHIITE INSPIRED

REVOLUTIONS

Bahrain and the Shiite Inspired Revolutions


• Till the appearance of Mahdi,

one should practice Taqiyyah

• Taqiyyah is my religion and the

religion of my fore-fathers

• There is no Iman / Faith without

Taqiyyah

• The one who does not practice

Taqiyyah is a Kafir

• Till the time of the appearance of

the Mahdi, all governments and

allegiances are false-hood

• To pray behind a Sunni Imam

whilst doing Taqiyyah is like

praying behind the Holy Prophet

PBUH

• We, (the Shiites) are ordered to

read the present Quran as it is

out of Taqiyyah, when the Imam

Mahdi would come he would

bring the Real Quran (the un-

corrupted one according to Shiite

belief)

• The one who hides his faith (out

of Taqiyyah) Allah would glorify

him, while the one who

proclaims his faith (leaves

Taqiyyah) Allah would abandon

him

What Velayat-e-Faqih does mean is that

Taqiyyah becomes null and void, as the

concept talks about Naib Imam who

would rule on the Imam’s behalf till he

returns. This contradicts Taqiyyah which

in the words of Imam Jaffer Sadiq is

9/10th of Faith. This is the reason why

Marj’a Taqlid’s (Senior Shiite Mullahs)

such as Khoi, Sistani among others

rejected Khomeinist claims, and sided

rather with the centuries old quietest

tradition whereby the clerics never

ruled in matters of government, rather

they dealt with the day to day affairs

and guidance of Shiites.

Velayat-e-Faqih, then meant the rise of

Shiites in politics and the day-to-day

administration of states. Which goes on

to show clerics such as Khomeini,

Rafsanjani, Shariatmadari, Montazzeri,

Khameini rule and run the political

scene in Iran. Which also meant the rise

of Shiite Proxies like Amal and Hezbollah

in Lebanon, Tehrik-e-Jafria, Imamia

Students Organisation, Jafria Alliance in

Pakistan, Hezbollah in Kuwait, Syria,

Saudi Arabia and the Al-Wefaq and

others in Bahrain. These proxies adhere

to the Velayat-e-Faqih, and regard

Khomeini and his successors as the

supreme leaders. Put simply Velayat-e-

Faqih points to the building of a Shiite

Dominion with Iran as the capital or

Dar-ul-Khilafah thereby acting as the

perfect substitute / alternative to the

Sunni Caliphate model. Such a model

coupled with the rise of Shiites both

overtly and covertly is very much a

cause of concern in the Sunni world,

considering the Sunnis don’t have a

working paradigm of their own since the

lone Taliban attempts from 1995-2001.

In-essence the imposition of the

Velayat-e-Faqih model by the sword,

and Iranian Assistance in Bahrain would

mean:

• No Sunni Mosques in Manama

(Capital of Bahrain) as in Tehran

(Iran’s Capital)

• No Sunni representation in the

Parliament as in Iran

• No Sunni as President / Prime

Minister as in Iran



• Massacre of Sunni Ulama as in

Iran

• No rights allocated to Sunnis as

in Iran

In-effect, Bahrain would be the new Iran

and that too at the foot-step of Saudi

Arabia.

Conclusion:

In the absence of any formidable Sunni

alliance against the Iranian inspired

Shiite onslaught, sooner or later Bahrain

might fall in the hands of a Velayat-e-

Faqih’ist cleric. The need of the time is

to tackle the Shiite threat on a mass

socio-cultural level. Because if majority

Shiites get to have their government

similar to Iran, then emotions might run

high among the already ‘busy’

mujahideen in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria

etc. To stop Bahrain from rising in

flames, steps have to be taken by not

just the Gulf Co-operation Council, and

others. Such Shiite containing steps

have been for now have been successful

for calming the Shiites down, by

agreeing to some of the Arab Spring

protesters. But what would happen, if

Shiites want more??



Hezbollah : The Case for LebanonHezbollah : The Case for LebanonHezbollah : The Case for LebanonHezbollah : The Case for Lebanon

The Shiite inspired revolution in

neighboring Iran stirred up the

imagination of dissenting chords in the

Shiite strata of Lebanon. The revolution

marked the rise of a pseudo militant

movement “Amal” led by the influential

Musa Al Sadr (of the famous Al Sadr

Clerical Family of Iraq). That, the

militancy espoused by Amal was not

enough to satiate the thirst of radical

Shiites, enter a pro Iran and a much

more radical “Hezbollah”.

Hezbollah was meant as an Iranian

substitute for the many Palestinian

Jihad Organizations and movements

operating in and out of Lebanon by

Palestinian refuges. Hezbollah stood for

an independent Palestine and the

independence of the Al Aqsa Mosque

from Israeli control. Initially from 1983

to 1992 Hezbollah emerged as the most

radical Anti US and Israel operating in

the Middle East. It had to its credentials

the US marine bombings, the Terra Blast

in Paris, Flight Hijackings, hostage taking

and all the ingredients of a perfect

Guerilla Organization.

Overtime Hezbollah has increased its

reach from its Shiite denominations to

its majority in Lebanon. Shiite account

for 20% of the Lebanese demographics

and the Hezbollah hold of Lebanon

defies the sectarian milieu. That,

Hezbollah’s anti American rhetoric has

won Sunni hearts is no less of a

complete Iranian Shiite victory in

Lebanon. That today, Hezbollah appeals

to more Sunni to the larger Sunni

populace as compared to Sunni

Fundamentalist movements in Lebanon

is no small achievement.

How did Hezbollah work towards this

accreditation.

Hezbollah is Shiite, there is no denying

that:

• Hasan Nasrullah takes its direct

orders from the Vilayate Faqihist

Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei,

of Iran.

• Hezbollah regards the late

Hussein Fadlullah as their

Spiritual guide. Fadlullah was an

all out Shiite Cleric who never

stopped hurling abuse at the

Prophet’s Companions, be it any

small pamphlet or large book

(Ittehad Maslak – e - Ahle Bait ki

Roshni mein).

• In its Media channels and

propaganda Al Manar Tv,

Hezbollah downplays Shiite

Sunni differences and calls for

virulent Jihadist rhetoric.

Hezbollah downplays the Shiite Sunni

antagonism based on the perfect Shiite

recipe : Taqiyya.

Hezbollah : The Case for Lebanon


Iran’s IRGC andIran’s IRGC andIran’s IRGC andIran’s IRGC and Hezbollah’s meddling in Hezbollah’s meddling in Hezbollah’s meddling in Hezbollah’s meddling in

SyriaSyriaSyriaSyria

Iranian Revolutionary Guard and

Hezbollah aiding al-Assad in Syria – FSA

commander Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat

Free Syrian Army [FSA] commander

Brigadier General Hussam Awak, who

previously defected from the Syrian Air

Force Intelligence Directorate, revealed

that an Iranian Revolutionary Guards

Corp [IRGC] armored brigade is fighting

alongside al-Assad regime forces in

Syria. He also claimed that Hezbollah

armed brigades – that specialize in

snipers, explosions, and guerilla warfare

– are supporting the al-Assad regime in

suppressing the Syrian revolution.

General Awak stressed that these forces

are counteracted by increasing numbers

of defectors joining the FSA seeking to

overthrow the al-Assad regime.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat

conducted in Cairo, FSA Brigadier

General Hussam Awak revealed that an

increasing number of Syrian army forces

are defecting from the regime and

joining the FSA, in addition to Syrian

civilians themselves taking up arms to

fight al-Assad regime forces. He also

stressed that the Syrian popular

resistance forces that are supporting

the FSA are undertaking dangerous

operations and they have proved their

worth on the battlefield.

As for reports that the IRGC is fighting

alongside the al-Assad regime force, FSA

General Hossam Awak told Asharq Al-

Awsat that “on more than one occasion,

we have captured IRGC officers and

Iranian experts” adding “there is a full

armored IRGC brigade operating on

Syrian soil and present in the Ahmed

Jibril [Popular Front for the Liberation of

Palestine – General Command] camps in

the Deir al-Ashayar region along the

Lebanese – Syrian border. He stressed

that “this is information that we are

revealing publicly for the first time,

although they [the IRGC armored

brigade] have been present there since

2007, following Hezbollah’s war with

Israel.”

Brigadier General Awak also revealed

that Hezbollah fighters are present on

Syrian territory and are fighting

alongside the al-Assad regime forces. He

claimed that Hezbollah Brigade 101,

Brigade 102, and Brigade 103, are

present in the country. He claimed that

Hezbollah Brigade 103 is a terrorist

brigade that specializes in assassination

and bombings. He added “Hezbollah

Brigade 101 specializes in street battles

and sniper attacks, and Bashar al-Assad

is utilizing this brigade against the Syrian

people.”

General Awak also spoke to Asharq Al-

Awsat about Baghdad’s position on the

Syrian revolution, particularly as the

Iran’s IRGC and Hezbollah Meddling in Syria


next Arab summit is scheduled to take

place in Iraq later this month, revealing

that “the news coming out of Iraqi

Kurdistan indicates that they [Iraqi

Kurds] understand the Syrian

revolution.”

He added “as for the Nouri al-Maliki

government, we do not know its

position, but this appears to be a

government that is affiliated to Iran.

However with regards to direct contact

with us, the Iraqi government has not

issued any position opposing the Syrian

revolution.

The FSA commander also stressed that

“as for the Iraqi Shiite brigades that are

trying to reach Syria [to aid the al-Assad

regime], we are warning them for the

hundredth time not to interfere in

Syrian affairs.”

As for his views of resolving the Syrian

crisis, FSA Brigadier General Hussam

Awak told Asharq Al-Awsat that “this

can only be solved in two ways:

politically or militarily” adding “we do

not want to see a repeat of the Libyan

scenario, in terms of death toll and

injuries, and we are trying to avoid

bloodshed, which is why we have

partnered with politicians, however if

the situation requires a military

confrontation then we are ready for

this.” He stressed “we have called on

Bashar al-Assad to hand over power;

however he has fought us and continues

to kill our children.”

Taken from

http://www.asharq-

e.com/news.asp?id=28677

Iran’s IRGC and Hezbollah Meddling in Syria

al rashideen 2

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