Several Islamist websites[1]have published a sermon delivered by Al-Qa'ida's leader Osama bin Laden on the first day of 'Id al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, the most important holiday in the Muslim year.[2]The sermon was also broadcast on Al-Jazeera TV[3]and excerpts from the sermon appeared on the front page of the London-based Saudi Arabic-language daily Al-Hayat.[4] However, Al-Hayat systematically omitted bin Laden's criticisms of Arab regimes in general, and of the Saudi regime in particular. The following is the full text of the sermon:[5]
(NOTE: Well, actually, it's been cut off; I'll try to find a link to the full text. Quite interesting, actually, with some important tidbits hidden within. Worth reading even otherwise.)
Prologue
"Praise be to Allah who revealed the verse of the Sword to his servant and messenger [the Prophet Muhammad], in order to establish truth and abolish falsehood. Praise be to Allah who said 'When the sacred months are over, kill the idolaters wherever you find them, take them captive, lay siege to them and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they repent and perform the prayers and give alms, let them go. For God is most forgiving and merciful.'[6] And praise be to Allah who said: 'Fight them, may God punish them by your hands and put them to shame and give you victory over them and heal the hearts of the believers.'"[7]
"Prayers and blessings of peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, who said:'I was sent with a sword in preparation for the Day of Judgment when God alone will be worshipped with none beside him. He assigned me a livelihood under the shadow of my spear and he assigned humiliation and lowliness to those who disobey my command. He who makes himself resemble a community of people, is one of them.'[8]He also said: 'Expel the idolaters from the Arabian peninsula.'"[9]
Bush and Blair -- the Successors of Sykes-Picot
"Muslim blood is being spilt unheeded in Palestine, Chechnya, the Philippines, Kashmir and Sudan; our children are dying in Iraq because of the American siege; we still suffer from the injuries inflicted by the Crusaders' wars on the Islamic world in the last century and by the Sykes-Picot agreement between Britain and France which divided the Muslim world into fragments and truncated limbs where Crusaders' agents still rule.[1 And now we find ourselves confronted once more with the spirit of the Sykes-Picot agreement [under another name]: the Bush-Blair agreement, which is conducted under the same banner and for the same purpose -- the banner is that of the cross, the purpose is the destruction and plunder of the Nation of Allah's beloved [Muhammad], Allah's prayers and peace upon him."
"The Bush-Blair agreement pretends that it wants to put an end to terrorism. However, it is no longer a secret even from the masses that it wants [in fact] to put an end to Islam. Nonetheless, the rulers of the region [i.e., the Middle East] emphasize in their notes and speeches their support for Bush in his war against terrorism, which is [in fact] a war on Islam and Muslims, in flagrant betrayal of both faith and Nation; their validation comes from the 'ulama who serve them and from the palace lackeys."
"Nor is it a secret that the preparations underway at present for an attack upon Iraq are but one link in a chain of attacks - [currently] in preparation -- on the countries of the region, including Syria, Iran, Egypt and Sudan. However, the preparations for the division of the Land of the Two Holy Places [i.e., Saudi Arabia] constitutes the main part of their plan. This, we know, is a long-standing strategic aim [which has existed] ever since [Saudi Arabia] transferred its dependence from Great Britain to the United States six decades ago."
"Three decades ago America tried to achieve this goal in the wake of the War of the Tenth of Ramadan [i.e., the Arab-Israeli war of 1973], when President Nixon threatened to invade the Land of the Two Holy Places. He was not successful at the time, thank God. However, with the start of the second Gulf War the Americans established important and dangerous military bases which have spread throughout the Land of the Two Holy Places, particularly in the area of the capital, and nothing remains [now] except for them to divide it up. Now it appears that they feel the time for it has come. We put our trust in Allah."
"In conclusion: the American targeting of the area in general and specifically the division of the Land of the Two Holy Places is not just a passing summer cloud; it is a strategic aim which deceitful American policy has never lost sight of. What preparations have the governments of the regions made to oppose this aggressive strategic objective? Nothing worthy of mention, except for increased loyalty to the Crusaders. To this we should add the meeting of the Arab ministers for internal affairs [in Tunis, on January 13th, 2003] which was convened for the purpose of combating the Mujahideen [i.e., those who engage in Jihad] and further beleaguering the honest 'ulama [religious scholars] and preachers who are trying to warn the Nation and rouse it to defend itself."
"Greater Israel" and the Jews
"One of the most important objectives of the new Crusader attack is to pave the way and prepare the region, after its fragmentation, for the establishment of what is known as 'the Greater State of Israel,' whose borders will include extensive areas of Iraq and Egypt, through Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, all of Palestine and large parts of the Land of the Two Holy Places."
"Come let me tell you what is meant by 'Greater Israel' and what disasters will beset the region. What is happening to our people in Palestinian is merely a model which the Zio-American alliance wishes to impose upon the rest of the region: the killing of men, women and children, prisons, terrorism, the demolition of homes, the razing of farms, the destruction of factories. People live in perpetual fear and paralyzing terror, awaiting death at any moment from a missile or shell which will destroy their homes, kill their sisters and bury their babies alive. What response shall we make to Allah tomorrow [on the Day of Judgment]? What is happening there is unbearable [even] for able-bodied men - is it not even harder for the enfeebled mothers who see their children killed before their very eyes? We come from Allah, and unto Him we shall return.[11] We put our trust in Allah. Oh God, I beg you [to save us] from the actions of the Jews, the Christians the treacherous rulers and their ilk, and I apologize to you for the actions of those who fail to take part in the struggle for Islam."
"The founding of 'Greater Israel' means the surrender of the countries of the region to the Jews. Come let me tell you who the Jews are. The Jews have lied about the Creator, and even more so about His creations. The Jews are the murderers of the prophets, the violators of agreements, of whom Allah said: 'Every time they make a promise under oath, some of them violated it; most of them are unbelievers.'[12] These are the Jews: usurers and whoremongers. They will leave you nothing, neither this world nor religion. Allah said of them: 'Have they a share in [God's] dominion? If they have, they will not give up so much [of it] as would equal a spot on the stone of a date.'[13] Such are the Jews who, in accordance with their religion, believe that human beings are their slaves and that those who refuse [to recognize this] should be put to death. Allah said of them: 'They said: 'We need not fulfill any undertaking to these unlettered people [i.e., non-Jews]. They deliberately attributed falsehood to Allah.'"[14]
"These are some of the Jews' qualities, of which you must beware, and these are some of the features of the Crusader plot, which you must resist. Now, what can be done to block the evil of the infidels and save the Muslim lands? In response I say -- [though] success comes only from Allah, as His prophet Shu`ayb said: 'I wish only to set things right insofar as it is in my power, and my way will prosper only with the help of Allah, on whom I rely and to whom I appeal'[15] -- Jihad for the sake of Allah is the way to stop the infidels, as Allah said: 'Fight for the sake of Allah, you are accountable only for yourself, and urge the believers [to join the Jihad]. Perhaps Allah will curb the might of the infidels; Allah is most mighty and most capable of inflicting punishment.'"[16]
"First of all, I am happy to tell you that the [Islamic] Nation today possesses tremendous forces sufficient to save Palestine and the rest of the Muslim lands. However, these forces are shackled, and action must be taken to liberate them. The [Islamic] Nation has been promised victory, but if victory is delayed, it will be because of our sins and because we failed to help the cause of Allah. Allah said: 'If you help [the cause of] Allah, he will give you victory and strengthen your position.'"[17]
"The [Islamic] Nation has also been promised victory over the Jews, as the Prophet Mohammad has told us: 'The Day of Judgment will not arrive until the Muslims fight the Jews and kill them, until the Jew hides behind the stones and the trees; and each stone or tree will say: Oh Muslim, Oh servant of God, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him; apart from the gharqad,[18]which is the tree of the Jews.'[19]This hadith also teaches [us] that the conflict with the enemy will be settled by killing and warfare, and not by disabling the potential of the Nation for decades by a variety of means such as the deception of democracy."
The Secret of Waging War on the Great Powers
"After these tidings, I want to tell you about a number of things which help us in our Jihad for the sake of Allah, and among them I will mention some of the campaigns and wars in which the Muslims have been victorious in the past two decades, in order to strengthen the self-confidence of the Nation's sons - an important element in mobilizing the Nation to defend itself against the Crusader-Zionist alliance. The truth is that the Muslim Nation can be the greatest human force if [the Nation] genuinely observes the precepts of Islam. This has been historically proved in previous centuries. [The Muslim Nation] is capable of fighting and resisting the so-called 'great powers.'"
"First of all, however, I should like to mention an event which is related to combating the great powers. The Prophet's biographers related that al-Muthanna al-Shaybani[2 came to Medina to ask the Caliph for reinforcements in his battle against the Persians. Caliph Omar tried for three days to summon people, but no-one went forth [to battle]. Omar understood that the people suffered from a complex with regard to waging war on great powers and he ordered al-Muthanna to tell the people of the victory which Allah had given him over the Persians, in order to dispel fear from their hearts. Al-Muthanna stood up, spoke and spurred on the warriors, saying, amongst other things: 'Oh people, do not be afraid, we have already mocked the Persians, we have overcome them and have captured the better of the two sides [i.e., the western side] of the agricultural region of Iraq, we have crossed [their camp] and done them harm; others before us have dared to stand against them, and, if Allah so wills, others will do so after us.' The people's enthusiasm was kindled, and Abu `Ubayd al-Thaqafi[21]stood up, the Caliph gave him the standard and the people followed him."
"Like these exalted heroes I say:Oh people, do not fear America and its army. By Allah, we have struck them time and time again, and they have been defeated time after time. In combat they are the most cowardly of people. Our defense and our war against the American enemy have shown that [America's] warfare is mainly psychological in nature, because of the vast propaganda apparatus at its disposal. It is also based upon intensive bombing from the air, which is designed to conceal its most obvious weakness: cowardice and the American soldier's lack of fighting spirit. Were it not for the need for brevity, I would tell you almost unbelievable stories of this from our fighting against them in Tora Bora and Shahi-Khot in Afghanistan. May Allah make it possible to go into this in detail [in the future]."
"First of all I should like to remind you of the defeats suffered by a number of the great powers at the hands of the Mujahideen . I want to remind you of the defeat of the former Soviet Union, of which nothing remained after ten years of hard fighting by the Afghans and those Muslims who came to their aid, by the grace of Allah. Similarly, the Russian defeat in Chechnya, where the Mujahideen displayed the finest examples of self-sacrifice. The Chechen Mujahideen , together with their Muslim brethren, deflated the Russians' pride and caused them loss after loss. Beaten, they withdrew after the first war. Later the Russians returned with American support, and Russia is still suffering heavy losses because of a small group of believers, whom, we pray, Allah will support and make victorious."
"I should also like to remind you of the defeat of the American forces in the year 1402 of the Muslim calendar [1982], when the Israelis invaded Lebanon. The Lebanese resistance sent a truck full of explosives to the American Marines' center in Beirut and killed over 240 of them, may they go to hell and to a bitter end."
"Later, after the second Gulf War, the Americans sent their forces into Somalia, where they killed thirteen thousand Somalis. There is no power and no strength save in Allah. Then the lions of Islam awoke among the Afghan Arabs and they came to the aid [of the Somalis] and, together with their brothers in that country, they dragged America's pride through the mud. They killed them, they destroyed their tanks and brought down their planes. America and her allies fled under cover of night, each avoiding looking at the others. Praise and thanks be to Allah!"
"At the same time young Mujahideen prepared explosive charges [for use] against the Americans in Aden. When they went off, the cowards had no choice but to flee within 24 hours. Later, in the year 1415 of the Muslim calendar [1994], there was an explosion in Riyadh in which four Americans were killed. This sent a clear message that the local people were opposed to the American policy of support for the Jews and the occupation of the Land of the Two Holy Places."
"The following year there was another explosion in al-Khobar [Saudi Arabia], in which nineteen people were killed and over four hundred wounded. As a result, the Americans were forced to move their large bases from the towns to the desert. In the year 1418 of the Muslim calendar [1997] the Mujahideen publicly threatened America, [hoping this] would cause it to stop supporting the Jews and to depart the Land of the Two Holy Places. The enemy rejected the warning and the Mujahideen managed, through the grace of Allah, to deliver two tremendous blows in east Africa. Later America was warned again, but paid no heed, and Allah sent success to the Mujahideen who, in a tremendous act of self-sacrifice, annihilated the American destroyer Cole in Aden. This was a resounding slap in the face for the American military establishment. This operation also revealed the fact that the Yemeni government, like that of the other countries in the region, had collaborated [with the U.S.]."
September 11th
"Later the Mujahideen saw that the gang of black-hearted criminals in the White House was misrepresenting the event, and that their leader, who is a fool whom all obey, was claiming that we were jealous of their way of life, while the truth - which the Pharaoh of our generation conceals - is that we strike at them because of the way they oppress us in the Muslim world, especially in Palestine and Iraq, and because of their occupation of the Land of the Two Holy Places. When the Mujahideen saw this they decided to act in secret and to move the battle right into his [the U.S. president's] country and his own territory."
"On that blessed Tuesday, the 23rd of jumada al-thani, 1422, which corresponds to September 11th, 2001, while the Zio-American alliance was still using American tanks and planes and Jewish hands to reap [the lives] of our sons and our people in the land of al-Aqsa; while our sons in Iraq were dying as a result of the oppression of the unjust siege [inflicted on them] by America and her agents; and while the Muslim world was still very far from genuinely supporting Islam; while things were in this state of frustration, desperation and procrastination -- on the part of the Muslims, with the exception of those on whom Allah had had mercy, -- and a state of injustice, arrogance and aggression -- on the part of the Zio-American alliance; and while the land of Uncle Sam, heedless in its transgressions, bellowing its tyranny, 'puffed up its cheeks in contempt of the people and strutted merrily on the face of the earth,'[22]without paying heed to anyone, believing that nothing could harm it -- then disaster struck them."
"Come let me tell you what that terrible disaster means: the 'unkempt of hair and dusty of foot'[23] pounced -- they who are everywhere hunted down, young men who believed in their Lord, whom Allah had guided to the right path, whose hearts He had strengthened and filled with faith. [These young men, when it comes to acting] for Allah's cause, do not fear 'the reprimands of those who seek to find fault'[24] because they desire only Allah's recompense; their hearts do not allow them to close to injustice; they sacrifice their lives, but never their honor."
"They carried out the raid by means of enemy planes in a courageous and splendid operation the like of which mankind had never before witnessed. They smashed the American idols and damaged its very heart, the Pentagon. They struck the very heart of the American economy, rubbed America's nose in the dirt and dragged its pride through the mud. The towers of New York collapsed, and their collapse precipitated an even greater debacle: the collapse of the myth of America the great power and the collapse of the myth of democracy; people began to understand that American values could sink no lower. The myth of the land of freedom was destroyed, the myth of American National security was smashed and the myth of the CIA collapsed, all praise and thanks to Allah."
"One of the most important positive results of the raids on New York and Washington was the revelation of the truth regarding the conflict between the Crusaders and the Muslims. [The raids] revealed the strength of the hatred which the Crusaders feel towards us, as the two raids peeled the lamb's skin off the back of the American wolf and revealed the hideous truth. The whole world awoke from its slumber, and the Muslims were alerted to the importance of the [Muslim] principle which states that positions of alliance or hostility may be taken [only] for the sake of Allah. The spirit of religious brotherhood among Muslims was likewise strengthened, which constitutes a great step forward along the road towards uniting Muslims under the banner of monotheism in order to establish the rightly-guided Caliphate, God willing. People discovered that it was possible to strike at America, that oppressive power, and that it was possible to humiliate it, to bring it into contempt and to defeat it. For the first time, the majority of the American people [now] understand the truth of the Palestinian issue and that what hit them in Manhattan is a result of the oppressive policy of their government."
"To sum up: America is a great power possessed of tremendous military might and a wide-ranging economy, but all this is built upon an unstable foundation which can be targeted, with special attention to its obvious weak spots. If it [America] is hit in one hundredth of those spots, God willing, it will stumble, wither away and relinquish world leadership and its oppression."
"A small group of young Islamic [fighters] managed, despite the international alliance drawn up against them, to provide people with [concrete] proof of the fact that it is possible to wage war upon and fight against a so-called 'great power.' They managed to protect their religion and effectively to serve the objectives of their Nation better than the governments and peoples of the fifty-odd countries of the Muslim world, because they used Jihad as a means to defend their faith. As Abu Hilala[25] said: 'Victory has its reasons, as does defeat, and any means which brings victory is worthwhile; the paths which lead to exalted ends are different, and the shortest of them is that which sheds blood and which has noble people [standing] at both its sides.'"
"The Rulers of the Arab States have Betrayed Allah, the Prophet and the Nation"
"Thanks to Allah, many people in the Nation resemble those young heroes, but they are held in check, and we must all work together to release them from their bonds, so that they can burst forth as Mujahideen for the sake of Allah, because Jihad is the way to might and security for the [Muslim] Nation. The limitations and the obstacles standing in the way of the Nation's young men [and preventing them] from erupting into Jihad are many, and we shall discuss [only] the most important."
"Before anything else, I want to quote a hadith from the two authoritative collections of traditions. Those who followed it took [the straight path], and those who deviated from it were lost. The Prophet said: 'What brought about the destruction of your predecessors was, that when a respected man from among them stole, they took no action; but when a weak man from among them stole, they punished him in accordance with the law.' Take note, oh wise ones: this is one of the reasons for our destruction."
"I should also like to mention the story of Khaled [ibn al-Walid]'s conversion to Islam, in order to free [your] thought from blind obedience. He was asked, after his belated conversion: 'Where was your wisdom, Oh Khaled, that you did not perceive the light of prophecy which had been among you for twenty years?' Khaled replied: 'We were led by men whose intellect appeared to us like mountains.'"[26]
"The Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal[27]said: 'A lack of understanding is when a man imitates [others] in his religious belief.'"
"Our generation is shackled and barred [from action], firstly by those rulers and false witnesses among the impious 'ulama, the palace lackeys, the hired pens and their ilk. As far as the rulers are concerned, it is generally agreed that they are powerless and treacherous. To those who demand that people be loyal to these rulers despite all this, we ask: have the peoples ever withdrawn their allegiance to these rulers, so that they can be advised restore their allegiance to them? This has [never] happened, and the result is as you see: we are dominated by unbelievers, and it has already been said that 'He who is unable to foresee consequences in tranquil times will never plan well when the situation gets out of control.'"[28]
"Our quarrel with the rulers is not a minor disagreement which can be solved, as we are speaking of the main principle of Islam: of the shahada [i.e., the Muslim profession of faith] [which states that] 'there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is Allah's emissary.' These rulers have violated the very basis of [this principle] by allying themselves with unbelievers, by passing man-made laws and by approving and applying the infidel laws of the UN. As far as religious law is concerned, their rule has long been null and void, and it is impossible to remain under their dominion. This is not the time or the place to go into details, but we have mentioned the words of the 'ulama, may Allah have mercy upon them, in manifesto number 17 of the Authority for Counsel and Reform."[29]
"After this, we ask: is it conceivable that a Muslim should tell [other] Muslims: be loyal to [President] Karzai [of Afghanistan] and cooperate with him so as to establish Islam, remove oppression and prevent America from carrying out her evil schemes? It is inconceivable, because Karzai is a collaborator who was brought in by the Americans, and so to support him against the Muslims is one of the ten acts which violate Islam and exclude the perpetrator from the Muslim community. We ask: what is the difference between Karzai of the 'ajam [i.e., the non-Arab peoples] and Karzai of the Arabs? Who appointed the rulers of the Gulf States? The Crusaders. Those who appointed Karzai of Kabul and shaped Karzai of Pakistan appointed Karzai of Kuwait, Karzai of Bahrain, Karzai of Qatar and the other states. Those who appointed Karzai of Riyadh one hundred years ago and brought him in after he had been a refugee in Kuwait to fight alongside them against the Ottoman state and its [provincial] governor Ibn al-Rashid - were the Crusaders. They still protect this family [i.e., the Saudi royal family]. There is no difference between Karzai of Riyadh and Karzai of Kabul. Take note, oh wise ones: 'Are your unbelievers better than these? Or [do you believe that] they have been given acquittal in the holy books?'"[3
"The rulers who want to solve our problems, one of the most important of which is the Palestinian issue, by means of the UN or the dictates of the USA, as was the case with the initiative of Prince Abdallah ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz in Beirut, on which all the Arabs agreed - an initiative by means of which he sold out the blood of the shahids and the territory of Palestine in order to please the Jews and America and in order to support them against the Muslims - these rulers have betrayed Allah and his Prophet, and they have expelled themselves from the Muslim community and betrayed the [Muslim] Nation."
"I also say: Those who want to solve our problems by means of these impotent and treacherous rulers are deluding themselves and misleading their Nation. They rely on those [rulers] who acted tyrannically, erring [themselves] and leading others into flagrant error. The best that can be said of them is that they are impotent and depraved. Muslims should admonish them, and if they do not heed the admonition, then they [the Muslims] should beware of them and warn others about them."
"It is also incumbent on all Muslims to disavow these tyrannical rulers. It is well known that to disavow these tyrants[31] is not merely a supererogatory meritorious act; rather, it is one of the two pillars of monotheism without which Islam cannot stand firmly. Allah said: 'He who renounces taghut and believes in Allah - he surely grasps a firm support. Allah hears all and knows all.'"[32]
The 'Ulama Who Serve Arab Rulers
"As for the corrupt 'ulama, the palace lackeys, the pens for hire and their ilk - as the saying goes: every generation has its [own] regime and its own men. These [are] men [in the service] of the regime who distort the truth and bear false witness even in the holy city [Mecca], even in the holy house [of the Ka'ba], even in the holy month. There is no power and no strength save in Allah.[33] They claim that these treacherous rulers are our custodians. There is no power and no strength save in Allah. They say this in order to bolster up the regime. These 'ulama have surely strayed from the right path. [A Muslim] should distance himself from them and warn others about them."
"The regime bases itself upon its 'ulama and puts them on religious programs dealing with fatwa only because, every now and again, it needs them for just a few minutes to provide legitimacy for its actions, as was the case when the [Saudi] king opened up the Land of the Two Holy Places to the Americans: he gave instructions to his 'ulama, and [on his orders] they issued that disastrous fatwa which violated the [laws of] Islam, mocked the intelligence of the Muslims, and supported his treacherous action in [causing] this grave disaster. It is because of that destructive decision [by the Saudi king] and that hypocritical fatwa that the Nation now suffers all the catastrophes, fear and threats that it is [now] suffering. Those who read the biographies of sincere religious teachers in times of trial, such as the biography of Ahmad ibn Hanbal[34]and others, Allah's mercy upon them, recognize the difference between 'ulama who practice what they teach and those 'ulama who flatter [those in power] -- as one can read in siyar a'lam al-nubala'[35]and other books."
"The poet said: 'We patch our world by tearing our religion to pieces; neither our religion survives nor that which we are patching.'"
"The second barrier [to Jihad] are the 'ulama and preachers who love Truth and loathe falsehood, but refrain from participating in Jihad; they have devised interpretations and have turned the young people against taking part in Jihad . There is no power and no strength save in Allah. These men watched the falsehood spread and grow, and summoned each other to fulfill their obligation to support Truth, to command [the doing of] good and forbid [the doing of] evil. Many have been instructed by them in the right path and in religious knowledge. They did well, and may Allah reward them for it. But falsehood cannot tolerate Truth or its people, and [the false rulers] began to obstruct them and frighten them; [they] prevented them from teaching and delivering sermons, they dismissed them from their posts and finally imprisoned those who persisted in continuing to obey the command to [do] good and forbid evil."
"These severe pressures gradually caused [people] to stray from the right path, except for those upon whom Allah had mercy. This is only natural, as a man cannot make the right decision when conditions are not right, especially where [his own] safety [is concerned]. As the Prophet said: 'A judge shall not pronounce judgment between two people at a time when he is angry.' If this may be said of a person who is angry, is it not much.....
9/11 was luck, yeah it was planned, but still, they got lucky, nothing less. It wasn't their stupid god punishing us, it was lax security. Stupid fundie bastard....