I saw this video a few days ago but I hesitated to post it as it could be a fake, or a false flag, or a propaganda piece. Now, since the Mail Online confirms it, and even such a pro-FSA pro-CIA outfight light Human Rights Watch confirms it:
Peter Bouckaert of Human Rights Watch said that he had seen an original, unedited copy of the video and that Abu Sakkar’s identity had been confirmed by rebel sources in Homs and by images of him in other videos wearing the same black jacket as in the latest clip and with the same rings on his fingers.
Finally, nobody, as far as I know, has denied it. So I decided to post it now.
Rebel is believed to be Abu Sakkar, a founder of the rebel Farouq Brigade. He is filmed cutting into the torso of a dead soldier and pulling organs out. He rants: ‘I swear we’ll eat from your hearts and livers, you dogs of Bashar‘. He then raises one of the organs to his mouth and takes a bite.
Wow! Charming, isn’t it?! Even the Chechens did not engage in this kind of stuff, but the Syrian “freedom fighters” appeared to have reached a new level of murderous insanity.
I can just about imagine the hysterical squeals of the Western “human right defenders” if somebody on the government side would have been filmed committing such acts. But since these guys are the “good guys” while Assad is a “evil dictator”, such ghoulish cannibalism will have absolutely no impact on the stance of the various “Friends of Syria” and other CIA sponsored “non-governmental” organizations.
But the imagery, the symbolism, is good. These murderous psychopaths are, indeed, trying o destroy the heart of Syria. Figuratively and literally.
The Saker
syrian army takes more ground
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/13/syrian-regime-control-town
Some Shi’a Muslims believe that the events in Syria is part of the prophecy of events before the rise of the 12th Imam Mahdi (AS). One of the prophecy is that the Sufyani – descendants – arch enemy of Imam Mahdi, will emerge in, or even rule over Syria… Abu Sufyan was the grandfather of Yazid, who sent out the army to kill Imam Hussein (AS) and his companions in Karbala…
The wife of Abu Sufyan is Hind Bint Utbah – she is known to have killed the uncle of The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him and his family) – and eaten his liver.
Aside from the prophecy – what is interesting about all of this is that – these individuals later took the pledge to become “Muslims”… Similarly these individuals who are indulging in such crimes call themselves “Muslims”… (trying wikipedia for more details… not the best source, but will give a general overview)
@Anonymous20:05: Thank you *very* much for this information about which I had never heard before. This is very interesting stuff for me, and I was wondering whether you could give me some references (URLs, articles, books, YouTube presentations/speeches) to find out more about this.
I am also confused about what you are saying about these peoples taking the pledge to become Muslims. I understand that these people are not Muslims and that they ghoulish psychopathology has nothing to do with Islam, but you are suggesting that there is something specific about a pledge they make. This I do not understand. Do they do something else besides reciting the shahada? Do these guys have some kind of pledge specific to their sectarian affiliation?
Which Wikipedia article are you referring to>
Sorry if I am obtuse, and thank you for any clarifications.
Finally, since you clearly know the topic well, is there some kind of book which would be known to be a good introduction to Shia Islam for non-Muslims. I would like to study Shia Islam in more details, its history, but also its core beliefs and differences with Sunni Islam.
Many thanks in advance,
The Saker
re: “pledge” I meant “bayat” – which is taking a pledge of allegiance to the Prophet – which, I think, (not quite sure) would have, at the time, been the same as the shahada… sorry about the confusion…
“bayat” in the contemporary spiritual context is often done in Sufi circles… where the student “takes the hand” of the teacher and pledges to follow his (mostly,sometimes) her guidance… (this is in addition to the shahada)
It is a bit difficult to recommend books – esp. on Imam Mahdi , not only in English, but in any language – ’cause so much this is 1) transmitted orally in gatherings and in “hawzas” (places of Islamic learning, specific to Shi’a Islam) – and 2) so much is non-linear, so books don’t quite convey … esp. western academic books…
But having said that, I think Shi’a by the late Allama Tabatabai may be one of the best introductory book around, written by a Shi’a scholar, available here:
http://goaloflife.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/shia-by-allamah-sayyid-muhammad-husayn-tabatabai.pdf
I’ll have to think and search around to see what might be available for more specific background on Imam Mahdi – but for now see the following wikipedia pgs:
on Sufyani:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sufyani
and on Hind see (also discusses differences in Sunni beliefs)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hind_bint_Utbah
oh, and then there is little bit from Chavez on Imam Mahdi :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqjTxQhGmcc
(he makes the error of saying that it is in the Qur’an – not quite, the specific that he is talking about is in the hadith , or sayings of the Prophet)
@Anonymous01:40&01:43: sorry that it took my a while to get back to to you! Also, thanks for all your information which I will follow up. And don’t worry about the fact that no good books are available about Shia Islam as it is the same with my own religion: Orthodox Christianity exists now since 2013 years, and yet there no single good book which I could recommend – the least bad ones are, at best, superficial…
Thanks for the Tabatabai book which I will read with great interest.
Kind regards and peace,
The Saker
Imam Mahdi (and the prophecies regarding him) are not restricted to the Shia’s. Sunni’s too believe in the prophecies about and the personage of the Mahdi. For a non-Muslim I would recommend this book which describes the events of End Times, the prophecies, and the identification of the Mahdi: http://harunyahya.com/en/Books/27681/the-prophet-jesus-%28as%29-and
Peace.
And for a contemporary perspective: http://www.sufilive.com/index.cfm?qs=mahdi&ai=1&si=&ra=&rb=&sld=&gi=2&ti=&ci=&tl=&li=&sb=+search+
Plus here are two more links:
1. Awaited Imam – discusses Imam Mahdi
http://www.minhajbooks.com/images-books/awaited-imam/awaited-imam_1.pdf
2. The fallacy of the Wahabis: http://biphome.spray.se/hyla/wahabia/06.htm
By the way, I would suggest reading a good, comprehensive, unbiased book on Prophet Mohammed’s life and mission before, after or concurrent to reading any book discussing Shia Islam. Farewell from Pakistan.
@Anonymous: thanks a lot again for these very interesting sources!
Peace to you too,
The Saker