[Ganoshenko]

Cii Exclusive – “We want the regime of Bashar Al-Assad and his cronies toppled” – Sheikh Rabi Junaidi

Cii News, May 22, 2012

The tragedy unfolding in Syria continues to tear at the hearts of Muslims around the world. On Monday, May 21, 2012, Cii Broadcasting again featured a senior scholar from the blessed land of Shaam (Syria and surrounds) to provide some insight into what is happening in the region.

Resident mufti, Abdool Kader Hoosen, chatted to Sheikh Rabi Junaidi – a former resident of Hims – now living as an exile in Egypt.

The questions in the interview have been removed to as to create a single text.

“I am in Egypt as we had to leave our motherland Syria because of all the mayhem, chaos and attacks that are taking place. Bashar Al-Assad (the Syrian president) is not a Muslim and doesn’t have anything to do with Islam. He belongs to the Allaweeyin and Nusayreeyin which is amongst the worst type of Shia believing in things that are totally contrary to Islam. For the past forty years they have done a great disservice to Islam and the Muslims and now we have reached a stage where the lives of every male, female and child is in danger.

“This is not something new; it was done by Bashar’s father, Hafiz Al-Assad. He (Bashar) is also one of the strongest allies of Israel. When we look at the Arab states that have borders with Israel, then he is the one who is protecting the Zionist regime. He has already sold out the Golan Heights to them. The condition is dire and serious for the people in Syria. There are thousands of people who have become refugees; thousands of people have been murdered by the brutal regime.

“The Iranians and Hezbollah in Lebanon are accomplices to the crime and they are giving their full support to the brutal regime of Bashar Al-Assad. We ourselves have caught some of the Hezbollah members. They call themselves the Party of Allah, but rather they are oppressors and tyrants because they are siding with those who are brutally killing their own people. Similarly when we look at the Iranian regime of Shias, then there again we find that they are exporting tons and tons of ammunition to the Syrian regime and helping them. Oh you people in South Africa, you know what freedom is after all your difficulties. We are now under occupation and oppression so you need to help us and assist us so we can also taste freedom.

“I want to make it very clear to all Channel Islam International listeners throughout the globe, remember our fight is not with the outside governments or anybody else. Our fight is the masses of people in Syria against the brutal regime of Bashar Al-Assad and his cronies. We want our rights, we want our freedom and we are totally desperate because this is going on for the last forty years in Syria.

“There is limited help from neighbouring Arab countries but we need much more. When we see the amount of blood letting and mayhem, it is free for all from the government sides. Who is there to prevent all of this. The international community, the United Nations is witnessing all of this. This regime has violated every convention and every statute of the law and they are not abiding by any agreement. The international community is the one who put pressure on the South African Apartheid regime. This is the question I am asking the free world. Why are you allowing bloodletting in the holy land of Shaam? And you all know who the guilty party is.

“One of the regime ministers came to our city, Hims, and wanted to negotiate. But these are the same people who started murdering and killing our own people. If someone does this to you, kill your people and start fighting, what will you do? Obviously, everyone will take a stance and fight and defend their honour, their family. When you look at the Bashar Al-Assad regime, they have deceived the Arab governments, the international community and Kofi Annan. They keep on making promises but the war on innocent men women and children continues. And their friendship with the Israelis seems to be going on and these are the same people who lie and they are the enemies of Islam and the Muslims.

“The man, Mufti Hassoun, who said anti-government demonstrations are not allowed, is appointed by the government and is not really a mufti in the true sense of the word in that he does not have independence. He works for the government and his own son has become a martyr. Then he protested and Bashar Al-Assad and his cronies warned him that if he talks too much he will be assassinated. Now the whole thing is opening up to him also as to who are the real oppressors and who are the victims. He is just carrying out his duties because of the pressure on him. He is a man of influence; he has many madaaris, but the truth of the matter is that he has also come to realise that he was siding with the wrong party all along.

“Sunni and Shia have been living peacefully in Syria for 1400 years. There are so many other groupings and sects like the Isma’eelis, the Druz, the Christians and so many others and people were all coexisting peacefully. Today, when you look at the revolution, you will find predominantly Ahlus Sunnah as well as Christians and Isma’eelis all of them uniting against the oppression of the regime of Bashar Al-Assad. They have seen that he wants to impose the Allawi and Nusairy school of thought on everybody and rule come-what-may, even if it means murdering his own people.

“The message is clear. We have thousands of Shuhadah (martyrs). People murdered by this regime. We have orphans, their parents have been murdered. We have widows and we have millions of people displaced in their own country and some of them leaving their borders. So think about it Oh free people of South Africa and the world. You all love your honour. You all love your freedom. This is what we asking the world. We also want our freedom and dignity and we are not asking for anything special. Yes, what we want is that the regime of Bashar Al-Assad and his cronies be toppled. We as Muslims, we live with Islam, we will die with Islam and we are always Muslims. And remember, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) spoke of Shaam and said; Oh Muslims when the people of Shaam (Syria and surroundings) become corrupted, then you the Ummah, there is no goodness in you. So we are doing ourselves a favour by helping this revolution. I beg you, I appeal to you, each one of you make dua for us. We need your material and financial support. Remember us and remember that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) taught us that when this Ummah feels pain in any part of the world then we need to feel pain. We can see it is not fiction; it is a reality on the ground.


Biography of Sheikh Rabi Al Junaidi

Born: 1973

Country: Syria

City: Hims

Villiage: Talbisah

Graduated in 1994 from the The Shari’ah College, the headquarters of which is in Masjid Khalid ibn Walid – i.e the Masjid where the great Sahabi is buried.

Graduated from Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Shariah

Diploma: Department of Verification of Islamic Heritage- Arab Research and studies College- Arab League of Nations

Masters: Department of Verification of Islamic Heritage- Arab Research and studies College- Arab League of Nations

Currently preparing his doctorate in Department of Verification of Islamic Heritage- Arab Research and studies College- Arab League of Nations

Sheikh Rabi has obtained various Ijaazaat and Sanads in Hadeeth from the senior Ulema whose Asaaneed (Sanads) go back to the senior scholars of the Ummah from India, Pakistan, Britain, Morocco, Shaam and Egypt- Alhamdulillah.

Sheikh Rabi is currently living in Egypt because he had to flee Syria when he stood up against the oppressive regime when people eventually started demanding freedom.