Appeal From President Saddam Hussein to All Muslims, and in Particular to Muslims in Chechnya

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