24 July 2012

By Al-Ikhwan Al-Mujahidun

Behind the American hegemony in the world generally and the hegemony of Israel in the Middle East, there are two world actors which, in a frontal way, carry out resistance against the two countries. The actors are Iran (state actor) and the Hizbullah (non-state actor). We can see how a President of Iran, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, spoke out aloud that Israel should be wiped out from the world map. In addition to his consistent stance to continue the nuclear project in spite of the opposition from America and the UN.

Antagonism against America and Israel is also shown by the 'Islamic movement' of Shi'ite Lebanon which is led by Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, i.e. Hizbullah. The world was surprised by the victory of Hizbullah in the one-month-war against Israel in 2006. Where this victory was very humiliating to Israel, which is known to be strong militarily as it is aided by America, to the point that it can be said that Iran and the Hizbullah have become the icons of the world community in threatening the imperialism and hegemony of America-Israel.

In the Islamic world, Iran and the Hizbullah are known as the Shi'ah movements. Shi'ah in the Shari'ah terminology means: Those who are guised with the slogan of love for Ali bin Abi Thalib along with his offsprings, that Ali bin Abi Thalib is primer that the entire Sahabahs and that he was more entitled to hold the throne of the leadership of Muslims, the same goes with his offsprings after his death. (Al-Fishal Fil Milali Wal Ahwa Wan Nihal, 2/113, by Ibnu Hazm).

While in terms of Shara', Shi'ah is a sect that had emerged during the period of Uthman bin Affan which was led by Abdullah bin Saba' Al-Himyari. Although known as the Shi'ah movement, Iran and the Hizbullah are still considered as the powerhouse of the struggles of the Islamic World against the hegemony of America and Israel. Iran and the Hizbullah are considered to have given much lessons as to how the world Muslims should respond against atrocities. The popularity of these Shi'ah movements continues to rise and sink the role of the Sunni circles such as the presidents, kings and leaders of the Arab nations, even the Hamas movement which is conducting armed resistance against Israel.

Behind the antagonism portrayed by Iran and the Hizbullah, this writer would like to give an explanation of the other features of these Shi'ah movements. Are these Shi'ah movements really struggling for the glory of Islam? What is the actual goal of these movements? Is there a connection between Iran and the Hizbullah, as well as the other Shi'ah movements in the Middle East? Whatever have been done by these two movements behind their antagonism against America and Israel? The answers and explanations to the above questions are hoped to become an objective assessment on the "the real facet" of these two Shi'ah movements.

The Debate

In addition to the similarity of the religious schools of thought, there are links between Iran and the Hizbullah in terms of cooperation and strategic alliance. Many people say that the Hizbullah get weaponry and ammunition aids from Iran. One of the leaders of the Hizbullah was once asked by reporters in 1987: "Are you a part of Iran?" That leader of the Hizbullah replied: "In fact we are Iran in Lebanon and Lebanon in Iran". Besides that, one Hassan Nasrallah symbolically placed the photo of Imam Khomeni (spiritual leader of Iran) in his work room in Lebanon.

It turns out that the alliance of the Shi'ah movements was not only between Iran and Hizbullah. DR Muhammad Bassam Yusuf (author of the book "Exposing The Great Zionist-Crusader Conspiracy and Neo Shi'ah Safawis Against Ahlussunnah In The Arab Peninsula" [transl.]), signals the presence of a strategic alliances between the Shi'ah movements in the Middle East. The alliances involved Iran, the Hizbullah, Syria and the Shi'ah groups in Iraq.

The case of the Syrian leader's (Bashar Al-Assad's) rage against the Lebanese government followed by the resignation of 5 Shi'ah ministers from the Hizbullah indicates the relatedness of the Hizbullah with Syria. DR Bassam Yusuf wrote that there was a meeting in Damascus in 2007 between Iran and Syria to form a strategic alliance, in which the Hizbullah group was also merged. This strategic alliance of the Shi'ah movements are called the Safawist Shi'ah Revival Project. The Alliance wants to restore the glory of the Safawiyah and Fathimiyah dynasties in dominating the power in the Arab peninsula and Africa.

Here are some phenomena of this Safawistic Project:

1. The presence of the movement and efforts of ethnic and mazhab cleansing against the Sunni Arabs in Iraq, along with the efforts of isolation against them in Southern Iraq. Coupled with the call to divide Iraq based on sect groups, as well as prompting the American troops to carry out arrests, captivity, murders, destruction and cleansing against the Sunnis, against the masjids, institutions and Sunni movements.

2. The involvement of the Persian Safawists in Iraq by a very perfect cooperation with the top-level leaderships of the Shi'ahs in Iraq, especially those of the Persian race. And it was manifested in the form of cooperations in intelligence, military, economy, politics and religion, with the full support from America, be it militarily or logistically.

3. The involvement of the Persian Safawists in Syria to exert the movement of "Shi'ahization" against the Sunni Muslims. Besides that, there was also the granting of Syrian citizenship to the Persian descendants and Shi'ah citizens of Iraq by the Syrian government. And their numbers to date has exceeded 1,000,000 people. Most of them settled in the province of al-Sayyidah Zainab and around it in Damascus.

4. The very obvious attempts in the very vulgar falsification of the demographic calculations of the Syrian populations. And the most obvious proof of that is, the fictitious studies publicized by the Syrian Intelligence that the Syrian Sunni community are the minority, and the percentage of the Sunnis out of the total number of Syrian populations is only 48%. Whereas, the majority of the Syrian population is absolutely made up of the Sunnis, and this is a very obvious fact in Syria.

5. The joint agreement and conspiracy with America. Publications by the highest spiritual leader of the Shi'ahs in Iraq, in the form of fatwas which forbade resistance against America and labeled the Sunnis as terrorists. And all those were done in line with their mendacious efforts which appeared to encourage resistance against America until the nation of Iraq is independent.

6. The more and more increasing efforts in the arrests conducted by the Government of Syria against the Arab citizens of Iran (al-Ahwaz) who have been seeking refuge in Syria since decades ago. Not only that, some of the figures of resistance of al-Ahwaz (Khalil ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Tamimy and Sa'id ‘Audah al-Saky) were then surrendered to the Iranian Intelligence.

The above phenomena indicate an attitude contrary to the "politics of good-representation" of Iran and the Hizbullah (a part of the Shi'ah Safawist alliance) which are known to be vocal against America and Israel. The involvement of Iran and the Hizbullah in the Sh'iah Safawist alliance is another side of the face of Iran and the Hizbullah as the icons of resistance of the Islamic World. A fact which is rarely exposed and only existing "behind the scene."

To attract the sympathy of the world and so as to be accepted as a part of the Islamic World, this Shi'ah Safawist movement makes the Palestinian issue as a political commodity. The Palestinian issue is played so that there would be emotional involvement of the whole Muslim community in the world. The attempt to play the Palestinian issue is carried out by various steps as follows:

1. For more than once, the President of Iran shouted out his empty slogans for the call of the elimination of Israel from the world map.

2. Announcing the alliance of Iran-Syria with a number of Palestinian organizations that have a good image in the eyes of the Arab and Islamic world. The Government of Iran also gave the impression that they would be providing financial aids to the Government of Hamas. But the fact is that, the aids never happen. The aids from Iran is no more than just an empty slogan and promise, because these Safawist-Persianist people could never function except by the motives of race and own circle, and in this case the Palestinian organizations are the people of Sunni.

3. Organizing various suspicious meetings between the Government of Syria and Israel followed by the statement that the Syrian Government is their (the Israelis) choice which should be supported. While the Syrian party also stated their intention to have dialogue with Israel. Whereas, at the same time, the Syrian party are intensively committing ethnic cleansing against their own citizens, carrying out conspiracies against the effort of the Sunni Islam education, while giving supports, or even moral and material assistance to the Shi'ah-Safawist education.

4. The rather deep involvement of the Mossad in Iraq with the support of the American created Iraqi government and helped by the Shi'ah Safawiyah militias in Iraq, to arrest and murder influential Ulama's and Sunni figures in Iraq. Terror acts in the form of abductions, tortures, to murders were committed. And this strategic alliance is even prepared to execute the same measures in the three regions: Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Due to that, any action undertaken by one of those in the Alliance, is indeed a part of the global project of the Safawists, along the region extending from Iran to Lebanon, including Iraq and Syria in it.

This Shi'ah Safawist Project is at least built on 5 basis:

1. Teaming up with the Western powers under the command of America to dominate the countries of the Muslims. And the whole world knows well, that Iran has very big role in cooperating with America to bring down Afghanistan and Iraq. The officials of Iran themselves admitted it. Muhammad Ali Abthahi, former vice-president of Iran says: "If it wasn't for Iran, America would have been incapable of occupying Iraq…If it wasn't for Iran, America would have been incapable of subduing Afghanistan."

2. Sparking off the fire of sectarian war, committing group and ethnic cleansing, working hard to divide the region. Expelling the Sunni citizens of Iraq from the provinces where they live together with the Sh'iahs. Coupled with the destructive roles of the Shi'ah spiritual leaders in Iraq to destroy the Sunnis and all institutions that they have. Al-Shirazy urged in his khutbah for the destruction of the Sunni masjids in Iraq. And the Shi'ah did really destroyed hundreds of the Sunni masjids, or turned them into Husainiyat and Shi'ah Safawists centers.

3. Killing the potential Sunni figures, be they from amongst the academicians, military or religious personages and making efforts to terrorize, drive out or take revenge on Sunni figures.

4. The demographic camouflage as that is taking place in Syria in particular, and also as that is happening in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.

5. Creating fictional conflicts with the Zionist Israel. Whereas, it was just a lure so that Israel would run berserk and then destroy the countries of the Muslims. Hoping that the conditions of other Muslim countries would be the same as Afghanistan and Iraq

There are 4 zones chosen by the Shi'ah Safawists as the initial footstep in the realization of their goals and plans, they are as follows:

1. The Zone of Iran

In this area, the operation of cleansing against the Sunnis happen extensively. This is followed by making halal their properties, honours and even masjids (keep in mind, that in the whole of Teheran there is not even a single masjid of the Sunnis)

2. The Zone of Iraq

Cooperation are carried out with America to undertake such efforts as: the destructions and dividing up of the Iraqi territories, arming the Shi'ah militias to attack the Sunnis, cleansing and expulsion of the Sunnis, and falsifying the percentage of the Iraqi population by spreading false studies which declares the absolute majority of the Shi'ahs, whereas originally the Sunnis occupies 52% of the whole population of Iraq.

3. The Zone of Syria

The Syrian Government –which is a strategic ally of Iran- has done a variety of extensive efforts to arrest and cleanse the people of Syria. They apply restrictions against the institutions of Islamic education, and provide spaciousness for the Shi'ah institutions, whereas Shi'ah in Syria absolutely has no real existence. The Syrian Government also protect the efforts of the Shi'ah missionaries in the midst of the Muslims in Syria, giving citizenship to the people of Shi' ah who come from Iran and Iraq, as well as and narrowing the space of the people of al-Ahwaz who take refuge in Damascus. Syria is also preparing itself as the base for attacking Lebanon and Jordan, of course by using the issue Palestine as a 'weapon' for the interest of this alliance.

4. The Zone of Lebanon

The Hizbullah and Amal Movement –both are obviously Shi'ah movements- play the role of a false resistance movement. Carrying out resistance against Israel for the sake of keeping the guns to remain in their hands and playing the political lobbying in Lebanon in the interests of the Safawist-Persianist Alliance. Both these movements are openly launching the Shi'ah missions and deliberately provoking Israel to strike Lebanon any time the Safawistic alliance needs it. The efforts to destroy the integrity of Lebanon continues to be done in order to form a Shi'ah state in the State of Lebanon

Conclusion

The systematic explanation above clearly shows the efforts of the Shi'ah Safawist movements (government of Iran, government of Syria, the Hizbullah and Shi'ah Iraqi groups) in trying to dominate the Arab peninsula, especially the area that stretches between Iran and Palestine. An explanation that will help in reading the reality of international politics played by Iran and other Shi'ah Safawist party.

The resistance against the Zionist Israel will certainly get the sympathy of the Islamic world. However, the movement that makes its oppositive efforts as a part of the realization of a goal which is not more dangerous than the project of Zionism in the Middle East itself, is an action outside of humanity. The operator of the project only makes the issue of Palestine as a commodity of trade, while at the same time the Shi'ah movements are killing the Palestinians, seizing their properties and honours.

It is unacceptable that the Shi'ah Safawists are committing security intrusions against Syria and Lebanon for the sake of achieving their goals. It is unacceptable that Lebanon is being destroyed and its people killed just because of the provocative behavior of the proponent of the Safawist-Persianist project called the Hizbullah and its executions are accomplished by Israel. It is unacceptable that dark military operations are being made as an arena to stall the time for building the Nuclear Weapons project of Iran-Safawists, that would someday be used to destroy the Arab nation and the Muslims.

In the pages of history, it could not be found at all that Iran has ever been involved in a war against Israel or America. In fact, Iran instead has been importing weapons from Israel and America during the war with Iraq (Iran gate). Iran also persuaded and supported the continuity of the American occupation in Iraq. Iran itself intervenes and eases the Syrian government in eliminating its best sons.

Iran itself is using the Hizbullah to provoke the act of the destruction of Lebanon by Israel. It was Iran itself that seized the three islands belonging to the United Arab Emirates. And it was Iran that tries to change the Palestinian resistance movement into becoming a piece of paper which it will easily play with later on, though the stability and security of the entire Arab regions and Islam have to be sacrificed.

The resistance against Israel is not earnestly done and the proof is, the Golan Heights is still in a state of calm. The Hizbullah demanded the freeing of the Lebanese prisoners by Israel, but at the same time it does not demand the freedom of the Lebanese citizens who are detained by the Syrian Government.

The Shi'ah Safawiyah movement is only playing a political campaign that is not based on facts. This movement is not much different from the Zionist movement. Equally wanting to dominate the Middle East based on racist ideology. Massacres and actions outside of humanity are done to reach the goals. (des)

Original article in Indonesian by: Arie Alfikri*

*Student of Political Science University of Muhammadiyah Jakarta