#Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

[deadpresidents]

You said you read a lot about Arabia and Islam and I have a random question that you might be able to help with. I know that for centuries there was a caliph who was like the leader of muslims and I always wondered why if the king of saudi arabia is in charge of the holy sites why isn't he considered the caliph or declared himself as the caliph?

It's a good question and there are a number of complex reasons why that didn't/doesn't happen which require a much deeper dive, but I'll try to give a simplified answer. First of all, the caliph was the spiritual leader of the entire Muslim world and while the caliphs also had a political role as successors to Muhammad, that role changed dramatically through the centuries as the Muslim world grew, Islamic empires rose and fell, and Islam itself branched into different sects. The last widely-recognized caliphs were the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, but even in the last decades of the Ottoman Empire, there were disagreements throughout the Muslim world about the legitimacy of anyone's claim on the caliphate. The two main branches of Islam -- Sunni and Shia -- have entirely different ideas on how a caliph should be chosen and who the caliph is chosen by.

When the Ottoman Empire collapsed after the end of World War I, the Sharif of Mecca -- Hussein, a direct descendant of Muhammad as the leader of Hashemite dynasty (and great-great grandfather of the current Jordanian King Abdullah II) -- attempted to declare himself the new caliph, but was not accepted. In many ways, it was like a modern European monarch suddenly declaring himself the Pope; that's just not how most Muslims believed the spiritual leader of the Islamic faith should be determined. Plus, Hussein only had a tenuous hold on Islam's holiest sites (Mecca, Medina, and, at the time, Jerusalem) following World War I, and Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud was in the process of taking control of what is now Saudi Arabia. Once Ibn Saud became King of Saudi Arabia, he took over as "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" (Mecca and Medina), but the idea of declaring himself caliph was out of the question. Ibn Saud and the vast majority of his supporters were members of the deeply conservative, puritanical Wahhabi sect of Sunni Islam and they believed that the caliph was chosen by all Muslims, not declared by one person. As the guardian of Islam's two holiest sites, the King of Saudi Arabia is responsible for ensuring that all Muslims capable of making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca (and the lesser pilgrimage to Medina) can do so. Unilaterally declaring himself the caliph would undoubtedly have alienated many Muslims, particularly those from countries outside of Saudi Arabia and especially Shiites. In other words, it's not within the power of the King of Saudi Arabia to give himself (or any other individual) the title of caliph, and he'd probably get just as much resistance from his fellow Saudis if he tried to do so. There's no way that the Ikhwan -- the ascetic tribes and Bedouins who largely acted as Ibn Saud's military forces as he conquered most of the Arabian Peninsula in the first half of the 20th Century -- would have remained loyal to the first Saudi King if he had unilaterally proclaimed himself the caliph.

The Muslim people around the world -- the ummah -- haven't been united since the death of Muhammad, which is when the divide between Shia and Sunnis began over the true successor of the Prophet, so any caliph is going to be seen as illegitimate by a significant percentage of the population. And in the modern world, any political aspects of a potential caliph are going to be superseded by the temporal responsibilities of the heads of state or heads of government in every country, no matter how large or devout their Islamic population might be. So, a modern caliph would really have to be a spiritual leader, not a political one -- very similar to the Pope. But the Pope also has the unique position of being the head of state (and, really, an absolute monarch) of a sovereign nation. The Islamic world is too fragmented and divided by opposing theologies to allow a modern-day caliph to govern, command military forces, and provide religious guidance in the same manner as Muhammad's immediate successors or even during the 600+ years of Ottoman Sultans. A caliph would effectively have the same standing today as a modern-day Doge of Venice or Japanese Shogun; it's an anachronistic position of leadership and somewhat outdated concept in the world we currently live in -- you know, like the Iowa Caucus or Electoral College.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Eli Lake

Just over a year ago, the entire world woke up to news of a massacre.

We all know the horrid tale. Waves of gunmen—some on paragliders, others on motorcycles—attacked families at kibbutzim and young people attending a music festival. The marauders filmed their murders on GoPro cameras. They burned families alive in their safe rooms, raped and mutilated their victims, and took hostages back to Gaza on golf carts. 

Why did they do it? 

This is how Al Jazeera journalist Marc Lamont Hill ascribed the motivation: “Before October 7, the people of Gaza didn’t have one minute of self-determination.” Never mind that Israel pulled out of the territory in 2005. Hill calls this fact “a right-wing lie that we’ve got to dissect with the truth, which is that for a hundred years there’s been a settler colonial project.”

For progressives, October 7 was a jailbreak from an open-air prison. 

But for the belligerents, it was Operation Al-Aqsa Flood: an act of jihad, or holy war. 

That’s what Hamas said shortly afterward, anyway. On October 10, they released a communiqué, which explained that the purpose of this massacre was “to bolster the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in the face of the open aggression of the occupation, thwart its schemes and dreams of Judaizing Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa, and achieve victory for the just cause of our Palestinian people and our struggle for the liberation of our land, prisoners, and sanctities.” 

It’s worth lingering on that phrase, “Judaizing Jerusalem and al-Aqsa.”

Because it reveals something very important about the Israel-Palestine conflict: that much of this is not about a country; it is about an ancient city. The world knows it as Jerusalem. The Palestinians call it Al-Quds. In the middle of this city is a large hill known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, or noble sanctuary. Here, there are two great mosques: Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa. This, Muslims believe, is where the prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven in a dream.

And if you listen to Hamas, they’ll tell you that there is a plot by the Jews to destroy Al-Aqsa and build a third Jewish Temple where it now stands. 

That is a lie.

It’s been 57 years since Israel won the territory in the Six-Day War—plenty of time to Judaize Temple Mount. And though there are a few on the fringe of Israeli politics who speak fanatically about the desire to build a third temple, every government since Jerusalem was reunified has entrusted the mosques on top of the mountain to the guardianship of a Jordanian religious agency known as the Waqf.

Muslims, not Jews, remain the custodians of Al-Aqsa. 

But it’s worth understanding where this lie came from.

Palestinian nationalism has taken many forms over the past century, from Maoism to Islamism, but this one theme persists: Jews have no place in their ancestral homeland, and they threaten the third holiest site in Islam. You hear it over and over again in the history of Palestinian revolts. And it stems directly from one man.

Born in 1895 to one of Jerusalem’s great families, he could trace his lineage back to the prophet Muhammad himself. He was a seminary school dropout, an antisemite, and a Nazi collaborator—and the first leader of Palestine. His name was Haj Amin al-Husseini. And while Palestinians today are embarrassed by his legacy, it’s a legacy that explains many of the pathologies that still afflict their leaders—from the celebration of spectacular violence to the rejection of compromise.

The story begins in 1920, just three years after the British adopted the Balfour Declaration, by which the empire promised to facilitate the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.

The British became the protectorate of Palestine in 1920, but they did not conquer or covet the land; it had been entrusted to the empire through the League of Nations. Before the British Mandate, Palestine had belonged to the Ottoman Empire, which collapsed after World War I. There had never been a Palestinian state as such.

But there had been Arab nationalism—both as a backlash against the Ottoman empire, and as a movement based on shared language, culture, and geography, according to Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington.

And the first birth pangs of a Palestinian national movement began as a rejection of the Balfour Declaration—and specifically, the Zionist Jews returning to Palestine to create a Jewish state. It’s at this volatile moment that a young Haj Amin al-Husseini came onto the scene.

On April 4, 1920—which, in the Christian calendar, was Easter Sunday—Jerusalem’s Muslims were celebrating the festival of Nabi Musa, which involves marching to the tomb of Moses near Jericho.

A crowd chanted: “Palestine is our land and the Jews are our dogs.” 

Al-Husseini, who was only 23 years old at the time, stood on a balcony in the Old City, held up a photograph of King Faisal of Syria, and shouted: “This is your king.”

King Faisal was one of the first independent Arab leaders to emerge after World War I, and at the time, many Palestinians considered the territory to be southern Syria.

The crowd then descended on the Jewish quarter of the old city, bearing knives and clubs. In the ensuing pogrom, five Jews and four Arabs were killed. All told, 211 Jews and 33 Arabs were wounded in the riots. 

[kirstythejetblackgoldfish]

[zacksbloghpc]

Weekly Journal 2 : Travelling to Saudi Arabia

I am writing another journal about my life, wondering how much has changed since my last entry. This entry picks up where I left off, continuing my reflections on my adventures while traveling. This time, I will be going to a place where all Muslims strive to be,  the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Saudi Arabia. This journey starts off with my uncle, a significant figure in our family, who successfully won a case that resulted in a substantial financial gain for him. My mom, who played a crucial role in helping him, convinced him to sponsor us to go there. My uncle agrees because he's trying to find a meaningful thank-you gift to show his appreciation for the help he received. After much thought, they have decided to stay for two weeks, one in Makkah and the other in Madinah. This made me glad because my friend had recently returned from Makkah and was describing his experience there. He added that while he was there, he felt at peace for the first occasion in his lifetime and could spend the rest of his life there. This made me wonder what caused him to feel that way.

               As the time draws near, the awaited moment is here. Excitement fills the air, and anticipation builds as everyone is united in our preparations and looks forward to what lies ahead. My mother made a clumsy yet devastating mistake on our trip to the airport. She genuinely forgot to close the gate, which caused my father to panic. Fortunately, our gate had yet to be renovated to an automatic gate, which calmed my father, who was still a little furious with my mother's ineptitude. I'm also thankful our journey over the next few hours went smoothly. The flight will take approximately 8 hours, and I am perfectly prepared. I've pre-downloaded a handful of movies and comics I'll binge-watch. Some include Straight Out of Context, which tells a story about Ice Cube's origin and his group called N.W.A. For comics, I've downloaded Tower of God and God of High School, which has around 1000+ chapters.

               After 8 hours, we were near the Saudi border. From there, we could see how their city is organized. It was phenomenal seeing the gorgeous night panorama from above. I was relieved when we landed since my back was beginning to hurt. As we exited the flight, the stewardess sent us off with a bright smile, hoping we would fulfill our Umrah peacefully. There, everything felt weird because almost everything was written in Arabic. But first, we went to grab some food because, as always, food on a flight tasted weird compared to that on the ground. We only bought some bread to ensure we weren't hungry since we arrived around 1 a.m. Once done, we took a bus that would take us to the hotel where we would be staying. During the ride, we were able to see the city. It was interesting to see that some buildings were shaped differently than others, making me think, are there any advantages to that shape? Or just for ecstatic? Once arrived at the hotel, my uncle assigned a room for us. Each room could fit 3 people. My cousin, brother, and I were assigned to one room while others were assigned somewhere else. Everyone slept early because it had been a very tiring day.

               This section will be about my journey throughout Madinah. We started our day by going to the Nabawi Mosque to pray for Subuh. It was an intriguing experience because while they basically recited a normal surah, how they pronounced it made it captivating. Upon completion, we would shop, walk around, and enjoy the views and their culture. Walking around felt normal because their vibe was the same as if I were in Malaysia. The only difference is that they are very proactive in getting customers. Some even resorted to using physical strength to pull people around. This made me uncomfortable because while it wouldn't be much of a problem for men, it would be troublesome for women. Other than that, everything else was fine. The food is mouthwatering. I especially enjoyed the kebab because the meat was well-seasoned, and the sauce was well-made. The frozen dates were also delicious, giving a texture different from regular dates. I recommend that others try it once in their lifetime because the difference in the quality of the dates compared to the ones we ate in Malaysia is phenomenal. As I almost forgot, another reason why Madinah was important for us Muslims was because the grave of our prophet, Muhammad, is located inside the Nabawi Mosque. To go there, you would need patience because many people are willing to even injure others just to see the tomb. My experience in Madinah was good, as I even saw the tomb.

               Makkah was busier than Madinah, not because it had more retail stores but because it housed the famed Kaaba, which all Muslims wanted to visit. There's nothing much to say other than that the Kaaba in real life is incomparably beautiful compared to the pictures on Google. I met many friendly people there who were also doing their Umrah for the first time. Besides the famed Kaaba and the experience of doing Umrah for the first time, everything else was just the same as in other countries I visited, and it was memorable. From the buildings to the people, everything looked the same as in Malaysia but were unique in their own way.

               Looking back, I realize now how much that experience changed me. I've learned so much from how they lived, from how the Arabians sacrificed their dignity just to get enough money to survive in this harsh world to how people act nicely despite hardships. Now I understand when my friend stated that, for once, he felt peaceful in his life. This may be what he meant by it.

[dpr-lahore-division]

With compliments from, the Directorate General of Public Relations,

Government of the Punjab, Lahore Ph. 99201390

No. 1017/Zafar/Mujahid

HANDOUT (A)

Message of CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif on 94th National Day of Saudi Arabia

Lahore, 23 September 2024: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif in her special message on the 94th National Day of Saudi Arabia, has congratulated the people of Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz on the national day.

CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif in her message said, “Saudi Arabia resides in the heart of every Pakistani as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are connected to each other on the basis of beliefs, culture and traditions. The strong foundation of Pakistan-Saudi Arabia mutual relations lies in respect and devotion to the Holy Harmain Sharifain.”The CM added,”Saudi Arabia is the spiritual centre for Pakistan.”

The Chief Minister on the eve of 94th National Day of Saudi Arabia appreciated the vision titled “We dream and we achieve it. The CM said that Saudi Arabia holds the position of an elder brotherly country for Pakistan and its cooperation in every difficult hour is unprecedented. The Holy Haram is the focal point of devotion and love for the Muslims across the globe.”

** **

[precisionwormshaft]

Following the Israeli decision

During discussions with Netanyahu, Abdullah had demanded that Israel remove the metal detectors.A work crew removed the metal detectors from one entrance to the compound in the early hours, and cameras installed on overhead bridges in recent days were also gone, an AFP correspondent reported..The compound lies in east Jerusalem, seized by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.The mosque compound has served as a rallying cry for Palestinians.The move came in the face of intensive international diplomacy seeking to stop wider Palestinian unrest, with Israel saying it would introduce subtler security measures instead to secure the site following a fatal attack.

In 2000, a visit to it by then Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon helped ignite the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, which lasted more than four years. The street says yes and we say yes; if the street says no to the measures, we will say no," he told AFP following the Israeli decision."The dangers on the ground will escalate if we go through another cycle of Friday prayer without a resolution to this current crisis," Nickolay Mladenov said after briefing the UN Security Council, which met to discuss how to defuse the tensions on Monday.They continued on Saturday, leaving two more Palestinians dead.Israeli authorities said the metal detectors were needed because the July 14 attackers smuggled guns into the compound and emerged from it to shoot the officers.One person set off a firework, prompting Israeli police to use sound grenades to disperse the crowd.As word spread of the decision, a few hundred Palestinians gathered to celebrate near an entrance to the mosque compound.Muslim officials remained undecided on Tuesday morning as to whether to accept Israel&China Economy T Nuts Suppliers39;s move and end their halt to prayers at the Haram al-Sharif mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.They decided "to change the inspection with metal detectors to a security inspection based on advanced technologies and other means," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.Israel's security cabinet took the decision to remove the detectors early on Tuesday.

Details of the advanced technologies the cabinet planned to use were not immediately clear.The Israeli army said the 19-year-old Palestinian had spoken in a Facebook post of the holy site and of dying as a martyr.On Sunday night in Amman, an Israeli embassy security guard shot dead a Jordanian who attacked him with a screwdriver, according to Israeli officials.Israel installed metal detectors at entrances to the compound, which incorporates the Al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock, after an attack on July 14 that killed two policemen. They refused to enter the compound in protest and prayed in the streets outside instead.A few dozen Israeli security personnel stood quietly around the entrance, outside which Muslims have prayed for days in protest of the metal detectors.Jordan is the official custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.Clashes erupted between Israeli security forces and Palestinians around the Old City, elsewhere in annexed east Jerusalem and in the occupied West Bank, leaving three Palestinians dead.Palestinians viewed the new security measures as Israel asserting further control over the site.A second Jordanian was also killed, apparently by accident."We as the Waqf listen to the street.It also came after one of US President Donald Trump's top aides, Jason Greenblatt, arrived in Israel for talks on the crisis and with the UN Middle East envoy warning of the risks of escalation.Friday's main weekly Muslim prayers -- which typically draw thousands to Al-Aqsa -- had brought the situation to a boil.

The decision to remove the metal detectors followed talks between Netanyahu and Jordan's King Abdullah II.Considered the third holiest site in Islam, it is the most sacred for Jews..

[pressarabia]

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Congratulates South Africa’s President on Freedom Day

http://dlvr.it/T67LTk

[emirates-newswire]

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Congratulates South Africa’s President on Freedom Day

http://dlvr.it/T67LQm

[shahananasrin-blog]

[ad_1] ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Wednesday said that the recently-instituted Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) would continue to work as before in laying the foundations for fast-track foreign investments -- particularly from Saudi Arabia. The prime minister, in a meeting with Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmad Al-Malkiy who called on him, highlighted energy, infrastructure, agriculture, IT and manpower as potential sectors of cooperation. The Saudi ambassador congratulated the prime minister on assuming office and conveyed best wishes and greetings on behalf of the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques as well as Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and the people of Saudi Arabia. Read Blinken congratulates Kakar, assures support for economic prosperity The prime minister said that Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoyed historic and deep-rooted ties. He thanked the Saudi government for its consistent support for Pakistan’s economic stability and development. He particularly mentioned the large number of Pakistanis working in Saudi Arabia and requested the Saudi side to continue extending all possible facilitation to them. Prime Minister Kakar lauded the vision of the Saudi leadership and said that Saudi Arabia could always count on Pakistan as its trusted and reliable partner. Ambassador Nawaf said that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan were bound together in a fraternal relationship, which was characterized by mutual trust, understanding and close cooperation on all bilateral and regional issues of common interest.  [ad_2]

[jaziranewswire]

HM King thanked by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques

http://dlvr.it/SsW7qK

[summary-egypt]

Episode "June 30 play" now on the summary channel. Follow the story from the beginning                          On the anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution, the American media launched a strong attack on Obama for not supporting Morsi against Al-Sisi                     The latest news of Egypt and developments in the situation in Egypt, and new Egyptian affairs, are presented by this episode of Samari TV.|

The episode presents an analytical article broadcast by the American Foreign Policy magazine on the tenth anniversary of the June 30 revolution. Its writer, Shadi Hamid, said that the course of events on June 30, 2013 necessitated the current or future American administration to rethink its steps towards Cairo so that what Hamid considered a coup against democratic legitimacy would not be repeated. in Egypt.

The episode refutes the claims of Foreign Policy, and stresses the sins of the Muslim Brotherhood in governance, which ultimately led to their removal from power, less than a year after their representative, Mohamed Morsi, assumed the presidency. It also indicates the popular nature of the events of June 30, when the anger that was rising in the Egyptian street against the Brotherhood, after which the armed forces intervened to stop the warnings of civil war, and restore things to normal in the country.

The episode also refers to the confirmed role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in putting pressure on the Obama administration and preventing it from taking action against the June 30 revolution. These roles appeared specifically in the positions of the late King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal.

#Egypt #Sisi #latest news

The June 30 revolution.. and the behind-the-scenes events and plans from America and so far arouse the interest of some.. What if the June 30 revolution did not take place? This is what we will know in a theatrical episode June 30 on the summary channel

On the anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution, the American media launched a strong attack on Obama for not supporting Morsi against Al-Sisi

[alawalpress]

King, Crown Prince congratulate King Carl XVI Gustaf on Sweden's National Day

JEDDAH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has sent a cable of congratulations to King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden on the anniversary of his country’s National Day. Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman has also sent a cable of congratulations to King Carl XVI Gustaf on the occasion. The King and the Crown Prince wished the Swedish monarch continued good health and…

[all-about-news24x7]

Saudi Fund for Development Signs a Multiyear Contribution Agreement With the Global Fund

[] GENEVA, Switzerland–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Under the directive of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), on behalf of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, signed today a $39 million multiyear contribution agreement with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and…

[24x7rooms]

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