Al-Sadr fighters in 2004 (AFP)
By Ala al-Baghdadi, deputy chief editor of the weekly "Al-Hawzah" and issued by the Late Imam al-Sadr Bureau.
"...Doubtless to say, what Iraqis experienced in the previous two years under the abhorrent occupation and the successive governments, both transitional and elected, is the worst thing that human societies witnessed, even those societies that do not possess fragments of what Iraqis possess on all level: cultural, scientific, religious, and economic. Iraq is breathing its last in the slaughterhouses of democracy and liberation, within the sight and hearing of all people. The civil war and sectarian time bomb, controlled by U.S. timing, has not been defused to save Iraqis from its evils...
The security institutions with all their departments are still unable to establish security, and have started inheriting Saddam regime methods in frightening people and spreading fear and panic in the streets. The state institutions are still sinking in administrative corruption and subjected to group methods, party hegemony, personal interests, and narrow gains.
Ba'athists are still working freely in state offices, occupying various positions, and defusing their poison among people to appropriate and avenge their time-honored glory, fearing no deterrent...no de-Ba'athification, which is itself suffering from the winds of Ba'ath that have entered into it. The politicians and leaders of the country and people are still subjected and have no authority.
After all this, is it not compulsory for us, the Al-Sadr followers, to alleviate, with Allah's assistance, this injustice, destitution, humiliation, and degradation on this underprivileged nation? Does not the religious, national, moral, and human necessity call on the best people to participate in building their country and restore their rights before they are turned into by the opportunists, who prevail on people, to commercial projects that will settle in Washington and London banks...
Why unite with the [United Iraqi] Alliance?
Needless to say, the followers of the [active] Al-Hawzah are the largest public basis for which many mouths watered and many people were flattered to win their favor and come closer to them, and many people coveted greedily at their door, but...
In this political situation, which is charged with polarizations and alliances that aim at defeating others on sectarian and national drives, until we saw the Kurds, who are the brother enemies, in the most beautiful image of unity and collaboration to achieve as much as possible for their people. So why should we, the Al-Sadr followers, be the reason behind dividing the lines, wasting the expectations, and degrading the faith, Allah forbid.
Let us seek a decision from the pure protector [the late Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr], who is assigned by Allah to use his words as a guide and follow his method and listen to what he wants: "There is no need to continue separation, hatred, and exchange of charges and errors. We should rather come to agree, keep good company, conciliate, and love each other in Allah, his prophet, the guardianship of the Prince of Believers [Imam Ali], and faith. I want nothing from you except brotherhood in Allah, his prophet, and the guardianship of the Prince of Believers, and all other details are minor and can be discussed gradually.
Our differences and separation should not be of use to our common enemy, imperialism and Israel, and to those removed from Allah and his prophet. If we are combined by real holy ties, why should we not unite and become brothers and come closer to each other? Why do we support the enemy of Allah, whether we know it or not?"
This is what the owner of refuting proofs, the pure protector, wants from us, we sons of the [active] Al-Hawzah. He never wanted the sons of his [active] Al-Hawzah to be hostile eliminators who detest the one who works to serve and save them. After all this we see some evil scholars, those with unstable turbans, driving people away from the virtuous path, contriving intrigues, casting doubts on the Al-Sadr office and his political representatives, driven by personal motives and purposes, judging by doubt and suspicion, forgetting the protector's saying: "Do not argue by possibilities and rumors, or you will say wrong instead of right, for fishing in troubled waters always exists, and evil people are many."
So do not be carried away by false rumors and do not say anything or do anything without referring to the Al-Hawzah, and refrain -- if it forbids you -- and obey if it orders you, and if you find it good or necessary to participate, speak, or act, let your speech be that of the pious and knowledgeable men of the Al-Hawzah...
These are our pleas and reasons, and our intention is to support the oppressed people of this country. Let Allah be the witness on what we say and do. These are our hands stretched out for you."
We see some evil scholars, those with unstable turbans, driving people away from the virtuous path, contriving intrigues, casting doubts on the Al-Sadr office and his political representatives, driven by personal motives and purposes, judging by doubt and suspicion...
The security institutions with all their departments are still unable to establish security, and have started inheriting Saddam regime methods in frightening people and spreading fear and panic in the streets. The state institutions are still sinking in administrative corruption and subjected to group methods, party hegemony, personal interests, and narrow gains.
Ba'athists are still working freely in state offices, occupying various positions, and defusing their poison among people to appropriate and avenge their time-honored glory, fearing no deterrent...no de-Ba'athification, which is itself suffering from the winds of Ba'ath that have entered into it. The politicians and leaders of the country and people are still subjected and have no authority.
After all this, is it not compulsory for us, the Al-Sadr followers, to alleviate, with Allah's assistance, this injustice, destitution, humiliation, and degradation on this underprivileged nation? Does not the religious, national, moral, and human necessity call on the best people to participate in building their country and restore their rights before they are turned into by the opportunists, who prevail on people, to commercial projects that will settle in Washington and London banks...
Why unite with the [United Iraqi] Alliance?
Needless to say, the followers of the [active] Al-Hawzah are the largest public basis for which many mouths watered and many people were flattered to win their favor and come closer to them, and many people coveted greedily at their door, but...
In this political situation, which is charged with polarizations and alliances that aim at defeating others on sectarian and national drives, until we saw the Kurds, who are the brother enemies, in the most beautiful image of unity and collaboration to achieve as much as possible for their people. So why should we, the Al-Sadr followers, be the reason behind dividing the lines, wasting the expectations, and degrading the faith, Allah forbid.
Let us seek a decision from the pure protector [the late Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr], who is assigned by Allah to use his words as a guide and follow his method and listen to what he wants: "There is no need to continue separation, hatred, and exchange of charges and errors. We should rather come to agree, keep good company, conciliate, and love each other in Allah, his prophet, the guardianship of the Prince of Believers [Imam Ali], and faith. I want nothing from you except brotherhood in Allah, his prophet, and the guardianship of the Prince of Believers, and all other details are minor and can be discussed gradually.
Our differences and separation should not be of use to our common enemy, imperialism and Israel, and to those removed from Allah and his prophet. If we are combined by real holy ties, why should we not unite and become brothers and come closer to each other? Why do we support the enemy of Allah, whether we know it or not?"
This is what the owner of refuting proofs, the pure protector, wants from us, we sons of the [active] Al-Hawzah. He never wanted the sons of his [active] Al-Hawzah to be hostile eliminators who detest the one who works to serve and save them. After all this we see some evil scholars, those with unstable turbans, driving people away from the virtuous path, contriving intrigues, casting doubts on the Al-Sadr office and his political representatives, driven by personal motives and purposes, judging by doubt and suspicion, forgetting the protector's saying: "Do not argue by possibilities and rumors, or you will say wrong instead of right, for fishing in troubled waters always exists, and evil people are many."
So do not be carried away by false rumors and do not say anything or do anything without referring to the Al-Hawzah, and refrain -- if it forbids you -- and obey if it orders you, and if you find it good or necessary to participate, speak, or act, let your speech be that of the pious and knowledgeable men of the Al-Hawzah...
These are our pleas and reasons, and our intention is to support the oppressed people of this country. Let Allah be the witness on what we say and do. These are our hands stretched out for you."
RFE/RL Iraq Report
RFE/RL Iraq Report