The session has just started. You are invited to join us with your questions.
Yours,
Islamonline Editing Desk
Name
Aasiya
- Lebanon
Profession
Question
Hello Dr. Jabar, I would like to ask you about your general assessment of what is going on in Iraq now, because there seems to be sort of a lot of predictions about how things will unfold, how long it will stay in Iraq and how much involvement the US will have in the region, do you think that the ongoing military campaign in Iraq for greater influence of the US in the region, does this entail similar military campaign against other countries.
Answer
Now, the major result of the invasion was the fall of the single party Ba'th regime. The ensuing vacuum must be filled as quick as possible. Negotiations among different Iraqi groups have just started. The forces appearing on the streets are just a tiny part of the whole gamut of Iraqi social institutional and oppositional forces. The majority demand a UN-led civil administration until domestic administrations is firmly in place.
Under the past Ba'th former regime, all the former civil associations have been either destroyed or paralyzed. That is why traditional forces like tribal chiefs and clerics emerged to fill in the gab in this transitional phase. The US will not be able in the long run to impose on Iraqis a political order not of their choice.
Lastly, the US campaign is part of a global strategy to achieve two goals:
1. weakening the networks or radical militant groups bent on violent tactics;
2. to bring the countries in the region into a line of development that would allow for more transparency, accountability to make them less unpredictable the way Iraq had been.
Name
Khulud
-
Profession
Question
What do you explain the paradox between Iraqis shown on TV chanting for American forces and those chanting against them on last Friday prayer?
Answer
My answer is: Iraqis have a general strong patriotic feelings in the sense they love their own country and wish to keep it as their own. Iraqi patriotism was detached from the former Ba'th regime. That is why only few fought for it. This does not mean that Iraqis while being disconnected from the Ba'th authoritarian regime are plugged into the America project. Simply put, hating the old regime does not mean loving the Americans. And the crowds you have seen on the TV simply express these two sentiments on different locations and at different moments.
Name
Mona
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
What is your perspective on how things should go in Iraq now? What should the Iraqis do in order to get rid of the occupying sources?
Answer
It is impossible to have the US forces out of the country before the creation of a viable government inside the country a cabinet, a police force, an army, a security force, and administration. The moment this is done, removing the American the easiest thing you can imagine. Focusing on the Americans only means that we are removing the de facto security and defense force which may plunge the country into civil war. I don’t like the US forces to remain in my country, but I don't war civil war either. We must care for our nation.
Name
Denis
-
Profession
Question
Looking to Syria, can we say that Saddam Hussein is now protected by Syria?
Answer
I don’t know where Saddam Hussein is at the moment. He was obsessed with underground secrecy. Never in Iraq's history has a ruler been so obsessed with building tunnels, bunkers, hideouts. Syria didn't want him to fall, both are of the same ideological flock. But he is over, and they know that.
Name
Sabah
-
Profession
Question
How do you see the shi'a-sunni demonstration that occurred on Friday? Will the Sunnis and Shi'a be able to unite under one banner and face the aggression?
Answer
Religious identity in Iraq does not conflict with national identity. He or she might be a Shi'i , an Arab, and Iraqi at the same time. Iraqi nationalism is a reality, both sunnis and shi'is embrace it. Islamists on both sides have different theological concepts, but politically they are of one mind so far. They wish to be consulted, take part in shaping Iraq's future, and having it relieved from dictatorship and occupation.
Name
saadiyaa
- Mauritius
Profession
student
Question
Assalamu `Alaikum Warahmat Allah Wabarakaatoh.
Dr Jabar. I've read a lot about the signs preceding the coming of Qiyamah and I cannot but make the relationship between them and what has been happening and what seems to be predictable in the future for the entire Middle East region. It depresses me however to see that the world is not focusing on these signs, and I wonder how come the Anglo-American coalition forces have not had wind of them? !Surely there are those of them who know Islam better than those within us. Why would they precipitate their own demise (insh'Allah in the future) and that of Israel if they have the evidence in front of them? Could you enlighten us on this issue, especially since you seem to be versed on the philosophical side?
Answer
This is a theological problem. Doomsday is God's jurisdiction, and reading the works of our great ancestors, theologians ('ulama' al-kamal), I feel unable to indulge in such predictions. I take your statement as an expression of anger and frustration. It is good to be at least partly optimistic. We can build our own future and become greater than the others without any need to destroy anybody. Achievements in science, technology, and morality should be our aim.
Name
Rehan
-
Profession
Question
Salaams and thank you for your time. What is your opinion about using militant means in order to eject the US occupation forces? Should the Iraqi's and other fighters try to engage the US forces via guerilla style attacks? The aim would be to make this so expensive (financially and otherwise) for the US that they would think of leaving Iraq?
Answer
Militant means now would destroy Iraq's tranquility. We need peace to build our government first. The moment we have a government we can eject the American forces peacefully, if not militantly.
Name
Mike
- United States
Profession
Question
Will the competing factions in Iraq ever come together long enough to achieve some sort of common ground on which they can govern the country?
Answer
Definitely yes! The moment we will have institutions of governance in place, institutional politics will gradually become the norm. The problem now is that each factions thinks it is larger or more representatives than the others. Going to the ballot and quarrel over water will end. Votes will decide who will do what. We had a parliamentary system in the past. It worked well for about half a century, but for another half a century, we have been under dictatorship. The nation needs time to get tuned. It won't be long.
Name
John
-
Profession
Question
Will Iraqis obey the new karzay of Iraq?
Answer
There is no karzay so far, and I don’t think there will be any.
Name
Ali
-
Profession
Question
What do you think of Ahmad Chalabi being the guy who is suggested to run the affairs?
Answer
To the best of my knowledge,Chelebi has not been selected to run the affairs. He is a controversial person. He is highly educated, resourceful, and very clever, but his reputation is tarnished. Whether or not he will run for elections remains to be seen. Iraqis will decide in the end whom to trust.
Name
Najed
-
Profession
Question
How would the people in Iraq forget about the destruction of the mosque of Imam Abu Hanifa and that of Imam Ali, may Allah be pleased with them?
Answer
These mosques have not been scratched. Where did you get this information from?
Name
Haroon
-
Profession
Question
Will the Iraqis accept Chelbi? Would it be possible that the Iraqi society be moved from a dictator government to a liberal one? Can you give us some information about his history? How is he going to behave?
Answer
Why are so focused on one person? What shapes the future of the country is a multitude of institutional and social forces. I have already given some information about Mr. Chelebi. The next democratic government to replace dictatorship cannot be firm in place unless some pre-conditions are achieved such as the vision of power, a democratic constitution, franchisement of all segments of society without dismantling of command economy.
Name
Shukri
-
Profession
Question
Is is possible that Kurds establish a country?
Answer
Kurds are for a self-rule within a unified Iraq. They have no separatist plans. Federalism does not mean splitting the country into two nation's states. It means devolving some powers from the centre to the periphery. The Kurds will have a local executive council and assembly. The will run their local affairs. Defense, security, foreign policy, financial policy will be jurisdiction of the central government, just like before. Federalism then is about power-sharing, not country-dividing.
Name
Fathy
-
Profession
Question
Can the Islamic groups use this chance to mobilize the Iraqis to establish an Islamic state?
Answer
Islamic groups in Iraq are divided in three main groupings: 1) the Shi'i groups, like the da'wah party or Sairi party; 2) the Arab Sunni groups; 3) and the Kurdish Sunni groups.
The majority of these groups think democracy is the solution and Islamization will proceed if and when the majority votes for it. I don’t think an Islamic state will be established like the one in Iran or in Saudi Arabia.
Name
kamal
- Iraq
Profession
Question
Salamu `Alaykum,
Where are Saudi Arabia muftis and scholars' roles and opinions about the situation in Iraq? Would someone please, wake them up from their numb and nap? How do we call someone as scholars if their role in the life is just as observers or spectators? Why did most of Arab muftis make a big mistake by making fatwa for people to go to Iraq and fight US and British troops before thinking about the circumstances that Iraqis live in Iraq under the brutal regime? Isn't one of the conditions for a fatwa to be aware of the circumstances before making the fatwa? Or the muftis just were zealous about one of the Arab countries? In this web, I emailed you several times that Iraqi regime is as worse as US and don't make a wrong fatwa by encouraging people to go to Iraq and you have seen how the Iraqi regime and its followers betrayed the Arab feeda'een (freedom fighters) before they faced the enemy troops. So, Allah's promise is truly right that Allah supported the true Muslims not the Hypocrites (Iraqi regime).Our next step is to show the entire Arab nation and muftis that Saddam's regime was the biggest traitor and should have gone and let the Arab World see what he did in Iraq (US and British troop) never do one-tenth what Iraqi regime did in raping, killing, mass grave yard, torture, destruction. I see it's Allah's bounty upon us that Sadam is gone, and we have –Insha'alah- our path and goal to clean our country in the future and show the people what kind of mistake they did while supporting this regime . Thank you.
Answer
Here again we have an angry political statement. Muslims and Arabs abroad opposed the US not because they supported the deposed Iraqi regime, but because they stood against what they saw as a Western invasion. Of course, the Iraqi Ba'th regime was a menace to the Iraqi nation. Observers in the Muslim world did not see the strained relations between the former government and the people of Iraq. They did not see how far the government was unpopular. They failed to support the Iraqi nation against the tyrant. This created a psychological gab between the majority of Iraqis and the Arab and Muslim world. Now a new situation has emerged and the gab could be removed.
Name
Nikud
- Canada
Profession
Question
Is it necessary to find Saddam Hussein now?
Answer
Yes, indeed. Iraqis should hold him accountable for what he had done. Killing half a million Iraqis is not a small offense, so is squandering the country's wealth.
Name
Anisa
-
Profession
Question
Where is the Arab League from what is going on now?
Answer
The Arab league has always been a non-starter. They are the living dead.
Name
Neveeda
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
As-Salamu`Alaykum,
Why can't, for once, the Muslim Ummah unite and try to help in doing what is best for Iraq?
Answer
The Muslim Ummah can help a lot: send food, doctors, engineers, nurses, help the Iraqis build a country for God's sake. Do something practical, stop vague slogans and big words. Action is needed. Go to Iraq, send some money. This is a shattered nation, it needs every bit of help.
Name
Editor
-
Profession
Question
Answer
Editor:
We would like to apologize for our viewers for not being able to answer all the questions within the time allotted to this session. We request our viewers to join us in the upcoming sessions on Iraq.
