Straight Talk about the Peace Process

Renowned Saudi Scholar Sh. Al-Hawali's latest book offers a scholarly and straightforward analysis of the Israeli problem.

Posted: 7 Jamad-ul-Awwal 1422, 28 July 2001

Title: The Day of Wrath
Author: Shaikh Safar al-Hawali

[This book can be read at: http://home.swbell.net/jhaidar/0_preface.htm].

The subtitle of "The Day of Wrath", the latest book from Shaikh Safar al-Hawali, is "Is the Intifadah of Rajab Merely the Beginning"? The author takes the reader right into the meat of the issue with the first chapter "The Intifadah of Rajab" where he quickly dispels the notion that there exists amongst the Jewish peoples of Israel a genuine opposition to the Zionist regime's oppression of Palestinians. His opinion is that the metaphorical symbols of the peace-seeking (albeit trivial) "dove" and ruthless, violent, attacking "hawk" that are so often used by commentators to characterize the attitudes, agenda, and actions of Jewish socio-political activists are no longer valid. In fact he boldly proclaims that while the naive person may see these two, the dove and the hawk, as two sides of a Zionist coin, they are in fact both one side of a coin, having the same objective, i.e. the expansion of Zionist hegemony over the Arab and Muslim lands but differing only in tactics and scheduling of this progression.

"In the entire world there are no stranger opposing sides than within the ranks of the Jews. You hear communiqués or read announcements and are unable to tell whether they come from the hawks or the doves unless you know the name of the speaker or his party. When you hear two Jewish leaders -one a politician, the other a Rabbi- threatening the Palestinians and refusing to cease Israeli expansion, your first thought is that they represent the hawks, but when you learn who they are they are assumed to be doves. And when you hear one of the hawks calling for the total annihilation of the Palestinian then you know that the dove only disagrees with him concerning method and timing."

Sh. al-Hawali suggests that the dove and hawk scenario is actually rooted in Jewish logic and ancient traditions whereby different parties compete against each other in "zealotry, excess, crookedness, and delay." The parties give the impression that they oppose each other yet they are, in principle, the same. The sparing and calculated maneuvering that goes on in public under the guise of Oslo, Camp David, and Madrid, serves the dual purpose of appeasing the already weakened and de-moralized subjects while seeking to further isolate those who refuse to shake the bloodied hand of unbridled concessions and false promises.

The current Intifada was fueled by a shrewdly planned stage of events. The Arabs listened and watched as Yasser Arafat made concession after concession to a stubborn Zionist regime that expressed little desire for compromise. Ehud Barak, milking the role of "dove" for all its worth, tabled a deal that would allow the Palestinian flag to fly at Al-Aqsa but would give the Jews autonomy over the sky above and what lies beneath al-Aqsa. Barak knew that while this was an unworkable scenario it would serve the interests of the Zionists in the long-term. In the aftermath of the continuum of so-called "peace talks", the hopeful Palestinian on the street and in the stores and workshops grew increasingly wary of the negotiations. When the Butcher of Sabra and Shatilla Ariel Sharon approached the Aqsa Mosque obviously with the regime's foreknowledge and planning (he was accompanied by over 2,000 Israeli troops), Palestine erupted. The world received a stark reminder that, in the words of Sh. al-Hawali, "Jews are Jews. There are no hawks or doves."

Sh. Al-Hawali notes that one of the most significant features in the current Intifada, is the replacement of nationalist slogans with Islamic terminology. This he suggests is due to the resurgence of Islam in the region and a growing acceptance that Islam remains as the only way forward. Under Islamic Vision of Prophecy, the author draws attention to the speculation of events and future calamities that is being carried out primarily by Christian Zionists. The Jews and Christians are more consumed by this exercise in prophetic interpretations than any other religious group. They have a large number of proponents in the media, government, and virtually every influential sector of the society.

Although the Bible and Talmud are unreliable sources for prophecy, Jews and Christians support "prophecy" from these books with lies, distortions and fabrications in order to manipulate opinion. This is especially so regarding the future of Israel and the Intifada. Sh. al-Hawali challenges us to raise the standard of the Islamic vision of prophecy to counteract and expose the lies being spread by the Jews and Christians.

"The reality of our world today which is recognized by many intellectuals, is that it is possible for a terrorist organization in Europe or Russia to demolish world peace completely, so why are we ignoring this huge movement which has seized the minds of a third of the people in the most powerful nation on earth, and which strives with all persistence to control the affairs of this nation, and which expends all its energy to support the largest terrorist organization in the world -the Zionist state?"

The author raises the ante in the next section of the book, False Messiahs. Under this heading, Sh. al-Hawali warns of a growing cult-like movement in America that has leaders who have convinced a great number of laypersons and an increasing number of influential government officials that they are inspired by God and or that God speaks through them. He exposes the core of their beliefs as:

1. The establishment of the state of Israel as a precursor of the coming of Christ.
2. The peace process delays the promise of God.
3. All of Jerusalem must be under Israeli control.
4. Israel is blessed. Blessed are they who bless it, and cursed are they who curse it.
5. The Palestinians (and the Arabs in general) are a pagan scum, and the party of Gog and Magog.
6. The Millennial reign will soon commence, but only after believers are suddenly caught up into heaven to meet the Lord while all the pagans are destroyed in the battle of Armageddon.

It becomes quite apparent to the reader what the Muslims, not only in Palestine, but all over the globe, are up against in the section, Has Anything Changed?. Sh. al-Hawali indicates that any overtures towards peace made by the Zionist regime are not due to changing world opinion or pressures from its allies. After the Madrid conference Sh. al-Hawali said:

"The so-called peace process has not come about due to changes in international conditions and the end of the stage of the Cold War, and in harmony with the requirements of international accords, as it is pictured in the Western media and its Arab retinue. These changes themselves only came as a result of the fundamental cause of the changes, the Zionist plan for world domination, especially in the Islamic world."

One very crucial problem that has always haunted the Zionist regime was the population problem. How could a Jewish state survive and develop without enough Jewish citizens? Many Jews did not buy the honey-dipped dream the Zionist pioneers were hacking in order to boost immigration to Occupied Palestine. Not enough Jews were willing to leave the comfort and relative safety of their communities in the United States and Europe to live in a fortified sun-baked enclave surrounded by a hostile enemy. Sh. al-Hawali suggests that more than anything it was the population problem that forced the Jews to the negotiations table:

"The Jewish State feared the rising tide of reverse migration, and the failed attempts to promote procreation. Statistics appeared showing that for every Palestinian Muslim martyr dozens were born to take his place. Indisputable Israeli experience demonstrates that she is unable to eliminate the opposition herself. For their annihilation she depends on her agents in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, and elsewhere."

"Therefore, it was necessary to fabricate a tactical movement in which the Jews would withdraw from certain areas and surrender them to what is called 'limited self-government,' so as to complete the greater strategic goal in which they would give up geographical expansion in exchange for political, economic and social penetration which more than one observer called: 'the United States of the Middle East.'

"In this manner the opening of cultural, social and economic borders and the announcement of the opening of political channels will lead to the Jews becoming to the Middle East what they are to New York. The Muslims' resources will become their buried treasure, their universities and cultural institutions will become their dens, their financial centers will become their marketplaces for their goods, and the general Arab population will toil as laborers in the service of their Jewish lords."

In Jews are Jews the author purposely refrains from using Qur'anic evidence against the Jews but instead relies solely on the religious texts of the Jews to expose their rejection of God's servants, their hard-heartedness, and deceptive ways.

In Indisputable Evidence the author relates the story of al-Aqsa in chronological terms and refutes the Zionists claims by proving that the prophecies are against them. The Biblical prophecies clearly describe the House of Allah, and a nation whom Allah chose to multiply and make its faith dominant over all other religions. However, Sh. al-Hawali makes an interesting point that is rarely addressed in Islamic circles...namely the difference in significance that al-Aqsa holds for the Muslim and for the Jew. He states:

"The Muslims, despite their ignorance of many of their special characteristics and the divine blessings upon them, including this house and facing towards it, do not see the relationship between Makkah and Jerusalem as one of opposition or competition. Rather, it is the same relationship as that between Muhammad -may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him- and Moses and Jesus -peace be upon him; a connection of love, brotherhood, and a single goal. Although there is a difference between them in the level of favor bestowed on the messengers and on the mosques."

"As for the Zionist fundamentalists, the matter is to them, decisive and absolute: Jerusalem is the City of God, and the Temple is the House of God mentioned in the prophecies. There is no choice, or idea, or even existence for any other. In this way they have placed themselves in an extremely dangerous position before the court of reality, which shows no favoritism to anyone. Either what they say is correct, or else they are the worst liars in the world, and the ones most deserving of that deferred punishment from which there is no escape."

In the next five sections, The Return of the Jews and the Prophetic Gap, The Prophecy of Daniel, The Abomination Of Desolation, The Entire Bible Describes the Abomination, and Judgment not Reconciliation, Sh. al-Hawali systematically dismantles the Zionists claim of a prophetic return and a dominion in Palestine by drawing primarily from footnoted Biblical scripture and documented historic events. The many contradictions existing between the interpretations of prophecies and their application to current events notwithstanding, the author points out that it was generally accepted by Jews that these very prophecies used by Zionists today had already been fulfilled. A great number of Jews, still today, do not dare to approach this opinion that these prophecies are yet to be fulfilled. They consider this notion foreign to Judaism and warn of dire consequences for embracing the false notions.

Sh. al-Hawali contends that this doctrine of un-fulfilled and false prophecy has very peculiar origins. According to the author, the Zionist movement was not born Jewish, but is actually Christian in it's origin and development. The Jews at that time were secular and believed that the prophecies were already fulfilled. It was later, sensing an opportunity, that the secular Jews adopted the Zionist idea to further their aspirations.

"Because it was the Christian Zionist movement as represented in the aforementioned fundamentalism that started the battle all over again, which began and continues to circulate false interpretations of the prophecies, which considered the establishment of the Jewish state as the prelude to the coming of Christ, and which was thrilled by the failure of the peace process and the beginning of the latest Intifada."

In the last two sections of the book Sh. al-Hawali shows us how throughout history, the causes of Allah's Wrath have been repeated by one people after another: These were the major sins of worshipping others besides Allah, rejecting Allah's Messengers, rebelling against Allah's commands, shedding innocent blood, oppression, and the vices like enmity, plotting, cheating, treachery, indecency, and maltreatment of the poor and widows. In answering the questions; How will the Day of Allah's Wrath come, and how will the punishment befall Israel? He answers:

"The prophecies clearly describe for us these matters:

1. The attributes of the victorious army.
2. The collapse of the Zionist forces.
3. The fate of the strategic ally of the Zionist state.

The beginning or the new era will be with the announcement of jihad, and it is our hope that this Intifada will be that beginning. But if it is not, it is doubtlessly a preparation for it. Therefore, jihad must be announced and all other slogans cease."

By Jamaaluddin al-Haidar

Jamaaluddin al-Haidar is an Islamist writer-activist based in Houston Texas-USA.