Appeal From President Saddam Hussein to All Muslims, and in Particular to Muslims in Chechniya
In the name of God the Beneficent, the Merciful
Prayer and peace
be on Mohamad Ibn Abdulla, the truthful Prophet, his good, sanctified
descendents, and colleagues.
For sometime, we have intended to address, from Baghdad, some of our Muslim
brothers, to perform our humanitarian role, for which we are called upon by our
true religion, the religion that is the true council and advice, to carry out
part of our humanitarian duty, because Baghdad since its founding, has been
doing its duty, following the consummation of its acclaimed role in spreading
the message of Islam to where it had reached, including the peoples of the East.
Every time We had intended to offer such advice, we demurred for fear it might
be misconstrued, or misrepresented by falsehood, or by the ill intentions of
Zionism, and the anti-Islam, and anti-humanity American administrations, and
also for fear that our call would be confronted by some who may not understand
us, nor remember Baghdad’s responsibility in delivering the message, and the
religion, due to their narrow views on politics, and its objectives.
Still, and despite all this, we found that dithering on expressing an opinion
that, in our view, might be of benefit to the people, may entail on us, the sin
of partaking in a harmful act, which may be thwarted off, if our opinion, once
expressed, is heard by those associated with that act.
Brothers Muslims,
Islam is a specific call addressed to humanity, not a call for prejudice
against religions, prophets, and peoples who had preceded Islam, in choosing
their faith, although we remember, and do not forget the words of Allah, Blessed
be He:” This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon
you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” and his words “Islam is the
seal of the heavenly religions,” But, because every new religion, ordered by the
Beneficent, the Merciful, coming about in its own field, and spreading to
wherever it may, as well as in its timing, comes as a perceptible, or outright
correction to whatever previous religion, or religions. It calls on the people,
through his messengers, prophets, and their apostles, to adopt the new religion,
so that it may replace the previous faiths, on a scale commensurate with the
extent of its spread on the basis of conviction or adherence.
And, because the new heavenly religion is the one ordered by God almighty, it
is, on such basis, coming from the same source from which God almighty had
ordered the previous religions to come out into light.
This is the grounds for the sanctity of any new heavenly religion. Prophets and
messengers are but the chosen slaves of God, who are instructed, each according
to God’s own vision, to deliver his messages to other slaves of God from among
mankind on earth, to wherever the efforts and drives of the faithful may reach,
with the blessing of God the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Furthermore, because any new religion carries, in its spirit and texts, what
suites its era, and the level of man’s understanding of his role within it, and
towards humanity at large, and as such, represents an ascendance, by God’s will,
of man to his new role, and the type of his relationship to God, it is then also
considered a rescue for man on two counts: rescuing him from himself, and
rescuing him from others, when time and fancy had made their impact, thus
burdening the previous religion, or religions, with whatever burden may have
been set upon them.
Out of such meanings we may understand that faith is not a means for rescuing a
one who believes, once he believes and sanctifies, but, rather for rescuing
others by means of his humanitarian role in the midst of mankind too.
For this reason, religion is sent down by the Lord onto the people while they
are in their own homelands.
Its domains, however, are not restricted to the homeland where it descended, nor
confined only to the people who can see, and hear the new Prophet, or see and
hear his apostles. Difference in religion is not necessarily a means for
dismembering homelands, or for inter-fighting between the sons of the same land,
if their religious freedom is guaranteed.
As such has been, and still is, Baghdad’s view of its role, and the faith in
this role, including the invoking of the role God almighty chose for the Arabs,
and the honor He bestowed on them, in sending the heavenly messages,
successively, onto their land, and entrusting them with the task of
disseminating them to the realms of humanity.
Out of this, and based on this, we say that any one with a true religion, in the
domain of humanity, is imbued with as much of faithful Arabism as the extent of
his faith, and his love of the Arab’s history and role in carrying the honor of
the message, or rather messages, and in bearing the sacrifices, and the
hardships they had to bear. Thus, on such basis we view the required integrity
of the homelands.
But, because Baghdad was founded, and prospered on the basis of its humanitarian
role in carrying the message of God’s religion, it doesn’t dither from
expressing its opinion, by saying that immunizing the homeland is not a
prejudicial introversion that precludes man’s role and influence on the human
environment, just like our rejection of the opening-up becoming a means for
violating peoples, and destroying their cultures, and the spirit of their
religion, at the hands of Zionism, America, the cross-continental corporations,
or any other body.
Imperialism, and the selfishness of some selfish major and super powers, or
their persecution of peoples, are rejected. Also rejected is any role, or act
that ruins an opportunity for Islam and Muslims to have a positive influence on
peoples, so that whoever strives, intentionally, to consolidate the immunity of
the homeland in the face of whoever is launching an aggressive, or selfish
attempt, will make the peoples of the earth against him, not on his side, at a
time when, he is called upon to, at least, make them adopt a neutral position,
if and when a conflict develops amongst the various titles, and positions. We
have a good example, in God’s Prophet, and his doctrine, to refer to in this
context.
While we had meant to say this before this time and for more comprehensive
reasons, the timing of this, however, came about because of the latest operation
attributed to the Chechniyans in Moscow.
On the basis of these particularities, we say, after having expounded on the
general aspects of what can be a good introduction that: although the Russians
embrace the Orthodox Christian religion, we have not sensed from them a
religious prejudice against Islam and Muslims, neither at the peoples level, nor
at the level of the general state policy, throughout the previous era, and in
the present one as well.
Rather, the Russian state, and the former soviet Union, maintained good
relations, aside from certain exceptions which we had criticized at the time,
with the Islamic states and peoples, at the forefront of whom were the pillar of
Islam: the Arabs.
Thus, we see that it is not wise that the Chechniyans lose the sympathy and the
compassion of the Russians and the Russian State on any matters over which they
differ, due to differences over whose opinion is the better one. It is
obligatory that we say that this action will make the peoples of Russia look not
at the cause, even if there was one, but rather at the consequence, and its
apparent image. Then, the Chechniyans will have lost the Russians and others
within the domain of Islam, and humanity. Furthermore, an opportunity will be
made available to Zionism and America to stab at the Islamic religion, and the
Muslims, by way of this path, and the consequent positions and behavior.
Baghdad’s view of its responsibility towards its true religion, and humanity,
obliges her to express this opinion, and to take on the basis of this opinion,
its position.
Brothers Muslims,
You are aware of Baghdad’s role and responsibility in delivering the faith
to you. You also know its role in introducing to you the religion, the juri,
their models, and their methods in application. Thus, listen to the voice of
Baghdad, and contemplate it on these bases. If you are convinced, then manage
your affairs as you may see useful, in which case we shall be your partners in
the reward for what we have conceived. If you choose to neglect it, then the sin
shall be on the perpetrator.
Brothers Muslims,
China, ever since the agreement reached with the Muslim army, which had set
out from Iraq under the leadership of Qutaiba Ibn Muslim Al Bahili, is not an
enemy of Islam and Muslims, nor are its people, even though they are of a
different religion. It is a friend of the Arabs and Muslims, and hasn’t placed
itself in an inimical position towards them.
India, aside from exceptions related to historical aspects on its borders,
hasn’t placed itself as an enemy of Islam and Muslims. It is historically a
friend of the Muslim Arabs. Thus, do not let the actions of any one of you
become a cover and an access to be utilized by Zionism, America, and their
allies in a way that will lead to the Arab Muslims, and all Muslims losing the
sympathy and compassion of the peoples of those states towards Islam and
Muslims, because their loss is a counter-loss for Arabs and Muslims, while
whatever benefit that may be is hardly apparent.
Baghdad, your Baghdad, calls on you on this matter and as you know Baghdad is in
a conflict with Zionism and America. The positions of Russia, China, and India
on this conflict, and towards Zionism, that is occupying Palestine, are
different from those positions of Zionism and America. There is no doubt that
Palestine, coming out of this conflict, liberated, and Baghdad triumphant, God’s
willing, are a great achievement, not only for the Arabs and Muslims, but for
humanity at large. It is an achievement that is more valuable than any one
present in the slogans of those who happen to be in the areas we referred to
earlier.
Brothers,
The tyrants of our present era are Zionism and America, not India, China,
Russia, or any other state, aside from those allied with the previous two. Thus,
do not make those states, by detesting your behavior, also detest Islam and
Muslims, throwing their lot on the side of the tyrants against us all.
Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Saddam Hussein
Baghdad, 19th Sha’ban, 1423 Hijri,
25th October, 2002