American Muslims who traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform what they understand to be their obligation according to the Pillars of Islam were attacked by other Muslims wielding knives and other weapons. This year’s annual pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the hajj, took place last week, Oct. 13-18. More than 10,000 American Muslims are believed to have participated in their pilgrimage. For several who went on the trip from Detroit, the experience was traumatic. A group of Shia Muslims traveled with Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini of Dearborn. Qazwini is the head of the largest mosque in metropolitan Detroit. One of the many prescribed rituals that is part of the hajj is to travel to the Saudi Arabian city of Mina, 3 miles east of Mecca, where the pilgrims throw a prescribed number of pebbles at Shaitan (“Satan”), represented by three stone walls. Hundreds of thousands of tents are set up in Mina, in order to accommodate the pilgrims. After the Detroit Shias entered a tent in Mina reserved for Australian, American and European hajj participants, the violence began. The American Muslims recounted being approached by a large group of people they later learned were Lebanese Sunni Salafist Muslims. According to an account in the Detroit Free Press, The Salafis asked one of the Shia men if he was Shia, recalled Seyed Mothafar Al-Qazwini, a nephew of Imam Al-Qazwini. “He responded ‘yes.’ He was immediately attacked by three men, one grabbing him in a choke hold, the others punching him in the face.” Al-Qazwini said the leader of the Salafis then shouted “Kill them all. Kill the Shia.” In addition to the physical violence, the American victims reported the perpetrators screaming that they were going to rape all the Shia women who did not leave the tent in 15 minutes. The Sunnis also referenced a 7th century battle in Karbala, Iraq between Sunni and Shia Muslims in which a Shia leader and family members were murdered by Sunnis. “We will make this day like the day of Karbala. We will kill all your men and take your women as captives,” the Detroit Imam reported. “During the attack, the men reportedly shouted “Our [holy pilgrimage] will be complete once we have killed you, ripped out your hearts and eaten them, and [then] raped your women,” according to a report in the Washington Times. Al-Qazwini complained about the disinterest showed by the Saudi police in the complaints filed by his group. He also said that a video of the incident taken on his phone by a member of the group was erased by the Saudi police. State Department officials told a Detroit journalist that the hajj and interior ministries in Saudi Arabia “have confirmed that they are investigating” the incident

Read more at: http://www.jewishpress.com/news/american-muslims-attacked-during-hajj/2013/10/22/

more desecration of the holy land by the salafists/Wahhabis.

isn't fighting prohibited in the holy land? alas! not for the followers of Yazid, who ordered that Imam Hussain (as)-the grandson of the Prophet (sa)-be killed even if he is found clinching on to the walls of the Ka'aba.

I'm not surprised; usual trait, violent orientation.

l

There should be unity when in Hajj, of course that makes all the same cos it is part of the pillars of islam no matter which caliphate one believes in!

What happened in Mina just make it seem as if 'Shitan'(satan) threw back the stone thrown at it, and that will make 'shitan' happy that he made a perfect target and hit them hard!

I dont beleive it it was reported by jewish press

Believe this, you will believe anything

Were these people attacked because they are Shias or because they are Americans?
Jewish report on attack of Americans make good press
But we also know that the Jews and the Shia are very very close pals - forget all those posturing by Iran and Israel
It is difficult to imagine anyone performing hajj fighting there - against the rules of hajj
proposing to a woman is against the rule of hajj let alone trying to commit zina or even worse, molestation
To crown it, anyone will twist and glorify the issue of Karbala during hajj?

This is good news for the Jews and the Shia amongst those who have little knowledge of Islam
But for true Muslims, the story is unbelievable

BetaThings: Believe this, you will believe anything

Were these people attacked because they are Shias or because they are Americans?
Jewish report on attack of Americans make good press

so it is allowed for the Shia to be attacked in Makkah and Madinah? do you know that the most ancient of the inhabitants of Madinah,known as al-Nakhawilah,are Shia Muslims? why would salafis from Lebanon (a country where there are more Shia than Sunnis in itself) come to Saudi Arabia to attack American Shia?

don't you have any respect that sin and crime should not be committed in the holy land?

But we also know that the Jews and the Shia are very very close pals - forget all those posturing by Iran and Israel

yes in the brain of a Wahhabi/salafi everything is possible.last I checked,the only war that was fought that Israel did not emerge victorious and was giving an heavy blow was in the 2006 Lebanon war against a Shia resistance movement.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar (both Wahhabi sheikhdoms) continue to do deals with Israel and yet it is the shia that are close to the jews.wahhabism itself is a creation of the british empire to serve the jews.as for the Shia you hate so much,and you deem "more dangerous than the jews",we in fact have no problem with the jews if not for the Sunni Palestinians.the shia support your brothers in Palestine and yet you are as ungrateful as Iblis.

It is difficult to imagine anyone performing hajj fighting there - against the rules of hajj
proposing to a woman is against the rule of hajj let alone trying to commit zina or even worse, molestation
To crown it, anyone will twist and glorify the issue of Karbala during hajj?

but the victims are Shia,arent they? so it is permissible to bend the rules of hajj to "fight shirk".everything in the head of a salafi/Wahhabi is the word "shirk".no "shirk" accusation,no wahhabism/salafism.even your fellow sunnis are largely committing "shirk" in your estimation,but you dare not to say it until you are done with the Shia as per your imagination.

This is good news for the Jews and the Shia amongst those who have little knowledge of Islam
But for true Muslims, the story is unbelievable

whether this story is believable or not,it is not the first time Shia Muslims have been attacked and even killed in the holy land.in 1987,a massacre was committed in makkah where about 300 pilgrims were shot and killed by Wahhabi security forces.recently I saw a video showing how Wahhabis assaulted a Shia alim in the masjidul haram in makkah by pulling off his turban.what a shame!isnt this the holy land?

I don't believe this.

"they want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah has refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers dislike it..." (at-Taubah 9:32)

It's either this whole story is a lie or the real story hasn't been told but this concoction, I refuse to buy...
Just like someone stated earlier, anyone who believes this can believe anything...

More links to the news that American Shia Muslims were attacked during hajj:
http://c.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/american-muslim/2013/nov/1/americans-attacked-hajj-receive-death-threats-chil/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/21/detroit-muslims-hajj-attack/3147385/

PRESS RELEASE: American Shia Attacked in Hajj

Submitted by admin on Sat, 10/19/2013 - 20:00

Saturday, October 19, 2013

WASHINGTON D.C. – This week, a large group of Salafis attacked a group of American Shia Muslims performing Hajj. The incident took place in Mina, during late hours of the evening. The Americans arrived at the tent, only to be immediately accosted by a group of men demanding to know if they were American. When the group responded in the affirmative, the men asked if they were Shia, and then immediately attacked after hearing the response.

During the attack, the men shouted ““Our Hajj will be complete once we have killed you, ripped out your hearts and eaten them” and “We’re going to do Karbala all over again.”  They also shouted other vulgarities towards Shia women.

Details of the attack can be in various news media:

"The Americans fled the tent area, which the Saudi government had specifically designated for American and European pilgrims. During the escape, many of the group, almost entirely U.S. citizens and mostly hailing from Dearborn, Michigan suffered bruises (in one case, due to an attempted strangulation), concussions, broken bones, and black eyes."

The Universal Muslim Association of America condemns this attack, and calls on the United States Embassy in Saudi Arabia, as well as the State Department, to take immediate and swift action to punish those responsible and prevent future such incidents.

Read more on the incident, click here.

http://www.umaamerica.net/content/press-release-american-shia-attacked-hajj

LagosShia:

so it is allowed for the Shia to be attacked in Makkah and Madinah? do you know that the most ancient of the inhabitants of Madinah,known as al-Nakhawilah,are Shia Muslims? why would salafis from Lebanon (a country where there are more Shia than Sunnis in itself) come to Saudi Arabia to attack American Shia?

don't you have any respect that sin and crime should not be committed in the holy land?



yes in the brain of a Wahhabi/salafi everything is possible.last I checked,the only war that was fought that Israel did not emerge victorious and was giving an heavy blow was in the 2006 Lebanon war against a Shia resistance movement.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar (both Wahhabi sheikhdoms) continue to do deals with Israel and yet it is the shia that are close to the jews.wahhabism itself is a creation of the british empire to serve the jews.as for the Shia you hate so much,and you deem "more dangerous than the jews",we in fact have no problem with the jews if not for the Sunni Palestinians.the shia support your brothers in Palestine and yet you are as ungrateful as Iblis.


but the victims are Shia,arent they? so it is permissible to bend the rules of hajj to "fight shirk".everything in the head of a salafi/Wahhabi is the word "shirk".no "shirk" accusation,no wahhabism/salafism.even your fellow sunnis are largely committing "shirk" in your estimation,but you dare not to say it until you are done with the Shia as per your imagination.



whether this story is believable or not,it is not the first time Shia Muslims have been attacked and even killed in the holy land.in 1987,a massacre was committed in makkah where about 300 pilgrims were shot and killed by Wahhabi security forces.recently I saw a video showing how Wahhabis assaulted a Shia alim in the masjidul haram in makkah by pulling off his turban.what a shame!isnt this the holy land?

*********

Zhul-fiqar:
the 1987 Hajj Massacre:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987_Mecca_incident

Muslims are oppressed in many places but the Shia pilgrims go to Saudi Arabia to protest the palestinian crisis.
Iran can easily go and liberate the Palestinians from their cousins the Jews. That will be a more sincere approach
However they never protested when Muslims were unjustly massacred in Srebrenica. They hardly pay attention to injustice to Muslims elsewhere.
The focus is Palestine and the political (rather than the spiritual) capital in the Middle East

All these posts don't prove anything - they are Shias claiming that they have been attacked. I want some independent report
Any Sunni who goes for hajj knows he has to behave
he is not allowed to harass other pilgrims - you cannot argue with, push, shove people etc why would anyone threaten to kill anyone?
You cannot even propose to a woman let alone marry. So why would anyone talk about intimacy let alone molestation?

Shia can do all the above because they have their own ziyarat that outweigh their reward from Hajj

Below are some of the alternatives to Hajj available to the Shias - so they can fight and do whatever during Hajj.
Such options are not open to the Sunnis. So they must behave during Hajj
Kamil Al-Ziyarat is a shia book written by Ibn Qulawayh Al-Qummi

- Praying an obligatory prayer equals a Hajj, and praying a recommended prayer equals an Umrah in Kufa Mosque ( pg 27)

- One who performs the Ziyarat of the grave of Imam Husain by the banks of Euphrates[b] is like one who has visited Allah on His Throne[/b]. ( Pg 142 )

- One who performs the Ziyarat of Imam Husain with recognition of his rights and without any pride or arrogance is equal to 1000 accepted hajj and 1000 accepted umrahs. ( pg 153 )
- Missing Hajj and spending Arafah day at the grave of Imam Hussain is equal to the reward of participating in 1000 battles with a divine messenger and performing 1000 accepted hajj and umrahs. ( pg 158 )
- Persons of illegitimate births can visit Arafah but nobody with illegitimate birth can visit the grave of Imam Hussein. ( pg 159 )
- Performing ghusl in Euphrates river is equal to earning a reward of hajj and umrah. Pg 176

- The faith and belief is incomplete without performing ziyarat of the shrine of Hussein. Those who omit will be from the folks of hellfire. Pg 178

- The land of the Kaaba once said in pride, “Who is like me, Allah has built His house on me, people from far come to me and I have been chosen as Allah’s sanctuary?” Allah revealed to it: Keep quiet and calm down! I swear by My Glory and Magnificence that your honor compared to the honor which I have granted to the land of Karbala is like a drop of water on a needle dipped in the sea. Pg 288
- One should not settle in Mecca, because the people of Mecca openly disbelieve in Allah and the people of Medina are even worse than the people of Mecca. ( pg 157 )

BetaThings:

Muslims are oppressed in many places but the Shia pilgrims go to Saudi Arabia to protest the palestinian crisis.
Iran can easily go and liberate the Palestinians from their cousins the Jews. That will be a more sincere approach
However they never protested when Muslims were unjustly massacred in Srebrenica. They hardly pay attention to injustice to Muslims elsewhere.
The focus is Palestine and the political (rather than the spiritual) capital in the Middle East

firstly do people who protest against the occupation of Palestine deserve to be killed collectively?

it is Shia and Persian Iran (after the Islamic revolution in 1979) under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini that declared with a binding fatwa that the last day of the holy month of Ramadhan be observed as "al-Quds Day" (Jerusalem Day).

during the conflict in former Yugoslavia, the Iranian revolutionary guards and their ally Hezbollah (both Shia Muslims) sent aid and even fighters to help the Sunni Muslim Bosnians in the face of the massacres the serbs committed against innocent civilians.do your research well and google will help you out.

now why did the Iranians/Shia choose the climax of the hajj in 1987 to protest the Zionist occupation of palestine? here are some points one can consider:

1.) The hajj is a show of muslim unity where all muslims can collectively make their voice heard on the occupation of Palestine

2.) the hajj during which the symbolic stoning of satan takes place teach the muslims to resist forces of evil and oppression.the hajj is a symbolic place to revive the teachings against shirk and the stance of the Prophet (s) during the occupation of the pagan arabs of the holy Ka'ba.today similarly the al-Aqsa is under a similar occupation.

3.) during the hajj,the masjidul-haram (the first holiest mosque) is visited while the masjidul-aqsa (the second holiest mosque) is under occupation.from the masjidul-haram a message was been sent in solidarity with al-Aqsa.

of course that show of unity,strength and message did not please the Saudi Wahhabis against their Zionist allies,and they decided to spill muslim blood to silence muslim unity;mind you this was no Shia-Sunni issue.yet you deny all these facts and insist to labeling the Iranians as the "cousins of the jews".how did you conclude that? that is even so false because it is the arabs who are really "cousins of the jews" (Ismaeel and Ishaq-(as)-being brothers) and the Iranians are non-arabs.please let us try to put emotions and sentiments aside and for once think what is right and in the interest of muslims and islam and what is not,and who is following what and for what reason.let us be objective.

Zhul-fiqar:


firstly do people who protest against the occupation of Palestine deserve to be killed collectively?

I don't believe in senseless killings. The answer is a simple No

it is Shia and Persian Iran (after the Islamic revolution in 1979) under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini that declared with a binding fatwa that the last day of the holy month of Ramadhan be observed as "al-Quds Day" (Jerusalem Day).

Irrelevant
I see Quds day parade in Nigeria. It has no effect on Israel apart from giving the impression to people that muslims are militants

during the conflict in former Yugoslavia, the Iranian revolutionary guards and their ally Hezbollah (both Shia Muslims) sent aid and even fighters to help the Sunni Muslim Bosnians in the face of the massacres the serbs committed against innocent civilians.do your research well and google will help you out.

You seem to have forgotten that when the issue of Srebrenica was brought up on NL, shias were clearly against the matter
The link is still there for us to refresh our memories with
I have seen Sunnis defend Islam when there is some negative perception of Islam caused by the activities of Shia
I have NEVER seen Shias defend "Islam" whenever an issue was caused by Sunnis
When renegades Sunnis strike, Shias quickly distance themselves from "Wahabbis"

And please remember that you Shias have said it is bid'ah to be a sunni - So don't tell me your grouse is only with "wahabbis"
All of non-shias are filthy products of adultery according to your scholars

now why did the Iranians/Shia choose the climax of the hajj in 1987 to protest the Zionist occupation of palestine? here are some points one can consider:

1.) The hajj is a show of muslim unity where all muslims can collectively make their voice heard on the occupation of Palestine

2.) the hajj during which the symbolic stoning of satan takes place teach the muslims to resist forces of evil and oppression.the hajj is a symbolic place to revive the teachings against shirk and the stance of the Prophet (s) during the occupation of the pagan arabs of the holy Ka'ba.today similarly the al-Aqsa is under a similar occupation.

3.) during the hajj,the masjidul-haram (the first holiest mosque) is visited while the masjidul-aqsa (the second holiest mosque) is under occupation.from the masjidul-haram a message was been sent in solidarity with al-Aqsa.

UNITY!!!!!!
Most of the articles from the stable of Shias on NL show a deep hunger and passion for unity!
Anyway, did you discuss this your planned show of unity with anyone? Did you carry anyo0ne along? Or you just started a protest in a country sensitive about such things without consulting the hosts
Personally as a Sunni, I will not join any protest during hajj because I am not supposed to conduct myself in such a manner during hajj
If that is my only hajj I thereby invalidate it through such conduct, what will be my recourse
Like I have explained above, Shias don't have such restrictions. They can do anything during hajj and earn nothing and make up in a big way by visiting some graves

of course that show of unity,strength and message did not please the Saudi Wahhabis against their Zionist allies,and they decided to spill muslim blood to silence muslim unity;mind you this was no Shia-Sunni issue.yet you deny all these facts and insist to labeling the Iranians as the "cousins of the jews".how did you conclude that? that is even so false because it is the arabs who are really "cousins of the jews" (Ismaeel and Ishaq-(as)-being brothers) and the Iranians are non-arabs.please let us try to put emotions and sentiments aside and for once think what is right and in the interest of muslims and islam and what is not,and who is following what and for what reason.let us be objective.

I know that all the problems of this world are caused by Saudi "Wahhabis"
Yet the "pristine" Shias wanted to be "united" with them.
BTW the issue of Abdullah ibn Saba, the jewish founder of Shiaism, is for another day

vedaxcool:

Why?

BetaThings:

I don't believe in senseless killings. The answer is a simple No

but you justify killing Shia civilians.

Irrelevant
I see Quds day parade in Nigeria. It has no effect on Israel apart from giving the impression to people that muslims are militants

how peaceful of a Wahhabi sympathizer.peaceful demonstrations against occupation give the impression that muslims are "militants",but all the bombings and beheadings done by the salafists/Wahhabis portray muslims in good light.that is your view anyways.you are free to take part or not.however whether you are right or wrong is not the issue here.the point is your contention that the Shia don't care about what affects muslims at large (in reference particularly to what affect Sunnis).therefore I pointed out the efforts done by Shia to support Sunni Palestinians.you described the effort as "militant".that is great if the Shia can turn into "militants" to support your sunni brothers.it defeats your argument that the Shia do not do anything.

You seem to have forgotten that when the issue of Srebrenica was brought up on NL, shias were clearly against the matter
The link is still there for us to refresh our memories with

the Shia were not against the bosnians or their struggle or even the memory in remembering sebrenica.the point was raised that since Wahhabis/salafists term everything under "shirk" and "bid'ah",why is the remembrance of the massacre of sebrenica not classified as "bid'ah" just as they classify the commemoration of the massacre and tragedy of Karbala? that was the entire point.but as usual you read more into every idea and then project your interpretation to give an idea of your own as the reality.that is how salafism/wahhabism operates especially when they classify other muslims as "mushrikeen".

I have seen Sunnis defend Islam when there is some negative perception of Islam caused by the activities of Shia
I have NEVER seen Shias defend "Islam" whenever an issue was caused by Sunnis
When renegades Sunnis strike, Shias quickly distance themselves from "Wahabbis"

you need to search more.i wont comment further because the case of Wahhabis/salafists is different.

And please remember that you Shias have said it is bid'ah to be a sunni - So don't tell me your grouse is only with "wahabbis"
All of non-shias are filthy products of adultery according to your scholars

we are not ashamed at all that we believe what we hold is the truth.we have ideological differences.but is that reason to start killing ourselves like Wahhabis/salafists do? having differences and disagreeing is one thing,and the case of killing and terror of Wahhabis/salafists is on another scale.

UNITY!!!!!!
Most of the articles from the stable of Shias on NL show a deep hunger and passion for unity!
Anyway, did you discuss this your planned show of unity with anyone? Did you carry anyo0ne along? Or you just started a protest in a country sensitive about such things without consulting the hosts
Personally as a Sunni, I will not join any protest during hajj because I am not supposed to conduct myself in such a manner during hajj
If that is my only hajj I thereby invalidate it through such conduct, what will be my recourse
Like I have explained above, Shias don't have such restrictions. They can do anything during hajj and earn nothing and make up in a big way by visiting some graves

Makkah and Medina belong to all Muslims.they are not the property of aal-Saud.if pilgrims burst into an emotional chant and start to carryout a show in solidarity with muslims,your pseudo-fatwa about validation or nullification of hajj only applies on you.hajj itself is a huge demonstration.take an example with the stoning of satan.

I know that all the problems of this world are caused by Saudi "Wahhabis"
Yet the "pristine" Shias wanted to be "united" with them.

no we don't want to be united with them since we are "polytheists/idolaters" in their evil eyes.

BTW the issue of Abdullah ibn Saba, the jewish founder of Shiaism, is for another day

you are still treading the path of an old fashion Wahhabi lie,that even Wahhabi preachers presently feel shy to use in this age and time.this lie has been trashed here on nairaland and it was made clear that not one hadith exist to validate the Abdullah ibn saba claim/myth :
https://www.nairaland.com/1107764/story-sunni-imam-shia-ayatollah/4#13246368

however if following the commands of the Prophet (sa) in Ghadir Khumm and loving the Ahlul-Bayt (as) and believing in the 12 holy Imams (as) makes one a "jew" then I am proud to be a "jew".

but don't forget to consult google on the jewish origin of the al-saud clan in wahhabistan.

Frontpage pls. Islamophobia has no place in our society and all those involved in this heinous crime must be exposed...

Its still islamophobia right? I mean it's muslims against muslims. Anyway sha front page.