Iran repopulates Syria with Shia Muslims to help tighten regime's control

Lemmi's tip of the day:

When repopulating a country with Muslims it's important to get the right kind of Muslim. They don't mix very well and things could turn sour in a hurry.

 

I have no idea if this is true about Alawis.

They are two separate groups, with totally different beliefs. The discussion on this page is only about the beliefs of the Arab Alawis.

The Arab Alawis follow Ibn Nusair and that is why their sect is referred to as Nusairia. Many of their beliefs are very blasphemous from Islamic perspective. Their beliefs are probably the farthest away from Islam, compared to other Shia groups.



The following is a summary of their main beliefs of the Arab Alawis:

- They believe in re-incarnation: unbelievers (Muslims, Christians, Jews) return as animals, whilst 'Alawis are re-incarnated into other 'Alawis and eventually they can reach the state of luminous stars. Faithful Alawis believe they must be transformed or re-born seven times before returning to take a place among the stars, where Ali is the prince. If blameworthy, they are sometimes reborn as Christians or Jews, among whom they remain, until their atonement is complete.

- The eternal existence of the Universe.

- They deny the Resurrection, Hell, and Paradise after death, but rather they regard that people experience Hell or Paradise in the current World.

- The five prayers are: Ali , Fatima, Hassan, Hussain and Muhsin. Mentioning these names would suffice for abolution, purification from Janaba and the commandments of prayer.

- Fasting is the recitation of the names of thirty men, and thirty women mentioned in their books.

- The main Alawi Holy Book is "Kitab Al-Majmu" compiled by Al-Khasibi and containing 16 Suras. Other sacred books are: Kitab Al-Mashaykha (manual for Sheikhs), Kitab Majmu Al-Ayad (Book of Feasts), and Kitab Taalim Al-Diyana Al-Nusayria.

- Alawis consider Ali Ibn Abi Talib as the manifestation of Allah (God). The Alawi profession of faith states: "I testify that there is no God except Ali ibn-Talib the one to be worshipped, no Veil, except Muhammad, who is worthy of praise, and no Gateway (or Path), except Salman Al-Farisi, the object of love". This is summed up in the following poem in Arabic:

أشهد أن لا إله إلا == حيدرة الأنزع البطين
و لا حجاب عليه إلا == محمد الصادق الأمين
و لا طريق إليه إلا == سلمان ذو القوة المتين

- An Alawi is not considered an Alawi unless he or she vows not to reveal the principles of his religion and learns what are the names and meanings of the principle figures of his religion such as: the name being Adam and the meaning being Sebit, and the name being Jacob and the meaning being Joseph and try to infer this from the Quran. Jacob was nothing but a name who could not surpass his position for he said: " I will ask for you My Lord for forgiveness", while Joseph said: " this day let no reproach be (cast) on you" and he did not depend on any other in this matter because he knew that he is the god who can do what he wants. Moses is the name and Joshua is the meaning for he managed to make the sun return back for him and the sun would only do this to her Lord. Similarly, Ali is the meaning while Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is the name he created from his own light.

- They practice Taqiyya which includes pretending to be Muslims outwardly to deceive Muslims, but keeping their real beliefs private. Their practice of Taqiyya is explained in the following statement by an Alawi man:

"We are accepted as Muslims because we have worked hard to be accepted. We have copied the Sunnis. Some Alawis cover their hair and wear hijab, either for personal reasons or when they marry Sunnis. We don't eat pork, and even when we do, we don't eat it in front of people. We fast - or we pretend to fast; out of respect for others, we don't eat in front of them during Ramadan. We have built mosques in our major towns. Some Alawis go to Friday prayer and to the Hajj. My grandfather was a modern shaykh who encouraged everyone to pray at the mosque in Jable. The charitable foundation established and run by Jamil Al-Asad (the brother of former President Hafiz Al-Assad) finances hundreds of Alawis to go on Hajj, and the women working for the organization have to wear the hijab. Hafiz Al-Asad prayed in Mosque and fasted. When his mother and son died, he prayed for them in Mosque. He built the Na`isa mosque in Qardaha, his home town, in the name of his mother. All these things are proof to Sunnis that we try hard to be part of Islam and like Sunnis. They accept it. We have succeeded."

- Alawis consider wine as Halal and is consumed in their masses where wine and bread are consecrated and partaken of by the male initiates. The wine is considered to be the very essence of God (Ali), trans-substantiated by the mass and offered to the believer. It is called "The Servant Of Light" ('Abd al-Nur). Vines are treated with great respect in 'Alawi culture.

continued.

http://www.discoveringislam.org/alawi_sect.htm

 

update:

http://www.politicalforum.com/curre...nowledge-hezbollah-fighting-terror-syria.html

 

the things are already very, very bad to the stage that 3 major groups will never live in 1 country its 100%

 

Oh wow..... Hezbollah ought to be pretty good, seasoned fighters.

 

Litwin, I think we're just fine with Russians and Iranians for now man. We don't need no American proxy in Syria threatining our security trying to execute Ralph Peters' plan for sure. They must be all kicked out for good and believe me they will be soon. Because nobody can stop Turks surging eastward once they're done with Bab. YPG already started digging trenches around Manbij as if Turks haven't buried them in those trenches they dug in Eastern Turkey in late 2015.

Among all NATO countries I think only Turks do know how to conduct guerilla warfare in cities because they've been fighting against Israel and US proxies in "Turkish" cities for a long time now. They can respond to an attack right back just as they've received it. For example, the guy called Bahoz, also known as the doctor, or Bahoz Erdal, number 1 ranked field commander of PKK, famous for his planned attacks including sudden terror bombings of Turkish soldiers catching them off guard, got killed in a car bomb attack in N.Syria last year. So sad...

 

its very ugly, and it always was this way in this region

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alawites#Ottoman_Empire

---

http://www.clarionproject.org/news/alawite-massacres-sunnis-reported-syrian-coastal-towns#

 

Not only seasoned fighters but they pray five times a day and will protect their sister's honor to the death.

 

yes they are, i just wonder what Trump thinks about such Lovorov/Kremlin´s initiative

 

as i said before Syrians have no recurses to fight longer , others fight each other in Syria

[video=youtube;SeZF3NE55ZE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeZF3NE55ZE[/video]

[video=youtube;RTVDMLGpTGE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTVDMLGpTGE[/video]

 

And to think they whine about...

... Israeli settlements.

 

I don't know what exactly you are trying to say, but I personally hope that the Turks will learn from a couple of thousand years of history -- much of it even pre-dating their arrival in the Anatolian peninsula - marked by countless and ultimately fruitless wars between Iran and whoever was ruling Anatolia (be it Rome, the Byzantine empire, or later the Ottomans). Neither Iran or Turkey will benefit from a failure to manage their rivalry. The good news, and here is where I agree with 'goody', is that neither the Persians nor the Turks (unlike Persians and Arabs etc) have any real animus towards one another. The bad news is that there are plenty of states in the region and beyond who like to push them into resuming their old habits. Unfortunately, I am reading more and more articles from the Turkish press and Turkish commentators which makes me worry about where Turkey is going to be heading in its relations with Iran. The latest example is this one, which appeared just hours ago in a pro-Edrogan publication. It basically repeats the lines you find in the anti-Iran talking points from Wahhabi Arabia and Israel! In fact, the author is promoting an anti-Iran alliance with Wahhabi Arabia and the GCC, which is something the latter have been promoting for a couple years now. Frankly, the obsession with Iran that is gripping so many in the region would be funny and even flattering, except it can lead to seriously tragic ramifications for all the region and beyond.

http://www.yenisafak.com/en/columns...-and-the-iran-threat-shaking-the-gulf-2036166
The president's visits and the Iran threat shaking the Gulf

The line below was almost comical!

And this line out of Israel's play book and its repeated nonsense about Iran being an 'existential threat', even as Israel has (according to Colin Powell) some 200 nuclear armed missiles pointed towards Iran!

Reading articles like this, you would be forgiven if you didn't realize that Wahhabi Arabia has the world's 3rd largest military budget, only behind the US and China (ahead of Russia's). That billions more in weapons are sold to the other GCC countries pushed to face up to Iran. That besides these countries, Iran has to face threats from the US, Israel and many others. Including from groups like ISIS and Al Queda and other vehemently anti-Shia terrorist groups. Yet, despite all these threats, it is not Iran that is crying about facing an 'existential threat', but rather these forces that have been lined up against it, with the Turks apparently thinking (after their failure in Syria) that its time for them to openly jump into this mess too!

 

Dude you're worrying because what yenisafak says? ahahah... You gotta long way to go then. I wouldn't let my own credibility go low by sharing sh.it like that but maybe you just like it that way, I don't know. They have been sunni islamists ever since they were born, sure they won't like Iran. I don't even remember when was the last time they said something positive about Iran. I don't even touch how Iran's press think about Turks, because that's not the point. People who really do have influence over Turkish foreign policy want to build good relations with Iran even though they have the upper hand in many cases because they think we have close cultural ties in between which could boost our economies if such synergy can be created. As you put, outside factors should be eliminated. I know it's hard by Turks being a NATO ally, but they showed their anti-imperialist tendency very well for the last 3 years. Once we get rid of NATO, I believe stronger ties will be built.

 

well, i have a question, how sees Iran future of "Syria"? does Iran have a plan(s) for "Syria"?

 

if its your choice, why not. by the way do you know that UK, USA saved Bosporus (and Istanbul ) from the Georgian gangster Sralin- koba annexation? in 1944-45

 

To be honest, the contradictory approach from Turkey in terms of relations with Iran is exemplified in the differences in some of your own posts. You rightly realize that Turkey will stand to gain a lot from its ties to Iran, with billions pouring into the Turkish economy given the proximity of Turkey and the fact that despite the removal of some sanctions, most western banks and major firms still refuse to handle Iranian business. On the other hand, the minute someone whispers the idea that Turkey might be able to 'rule' the region (never mind that even at its height, the Ottomans ruled only those parts of the region to the west of the Safavid empire), you find yourself tempted by various shades of neo-Ottoman dreams and begin to fall for the folly and hubris that is being fanned by these comments. Turkey cannot have it both ways. If it decides to work with Iran, I am sure it will benefit greatly and, while cashing on the opportunities that arise, also find Iran cooperative and understanding in terms of legitimate Turkish concerns. The fact is that Iran and Turkey working together can bring peace and stability to the region. Working against one another, as Turkey unfortunately has been tempted to do, and the region will neither find peace nor prosperity.

 

Iran's position is that the future of Syria is to be decided by the Syria people, in elections monitored by the UN, without any outside imposed preconditions regarding Assad's role in Syria and his right to stand and contest those elections. This is Iran's position because Iran knows that Assad would actually win those elections. What Iran really wants in Syria is a friendly regime that doesn't follow the dictates of its enemies. And that is exactly what Iran's enemies do not want.

Ultimately, the real issue in Syria that many of Iran's adversaries are focused on is making sure Iran's influence in Syria is taken out. Indeed, many (even the US, but certainly Wahhabi Arabia and, yes, Turkey) seem to prefer Syria under Russian boots than choosing to have strategic ties to Iran. For that reason, they have been working feverishly to promote divisions and differences between Iran and Russia in Syria. Basically promising Syria (and Ukraine et al) to the Russians, if they agree to work with them to kick Iran and Hezbollah out of Syria. That is the next challenge Iran faces: to make sure the Russians don't fall for this trap. In the past, they have fallen for similar traps without gaining anything from it. Hopefully, this time around, they are wiser.

 

Russia had illusions about the west, thinking it was the Soviet ideology the West was against, but Putin woke up when the US thieves stripped the country in the 90's, as well as the illegal war against Serbia. After the wars in Chechnya, and the help the terrorists had from the CIA, Russia realized its survival depended on the Shia crescent separating the Gulf jihadis from the moderate Sunnis in the Caucasus and Central Asian States.

 

Nice sentiment... Here we are with a half million dead and 5 million refugees... and you are blaming the Wahhabis.

 

any democratic election in Syria,will win sunni arabs easy, do you think Kurds, Christians and Alawites will accept sunni - arab rule (Islamic, with sharia , etc.) ?

"Basically promising Syria (and Ukraine et al) to the Russians, if they agree to work with them to kick Iran and Hezbollah out of Syria" any link to this?

 

Assad will carry a substantial portion of the Sunni vote and, in particular, the Sunni middle class vote. Indeed, there have been various western polls (not to mention the 2014 elections in Syria) that show the opposite of what you assume. Let me put it this way: if Iran is enthusiastically endorsing the idea, and those opposed to Assad are unwilling to allow him to stand in elections, its because what you assume isn't something that is supported by the evidence that exists.

As for the US working to drive a wedge in relations between Iran and Russia, there have been several reports on the subject. Most recently, the Wall Street Journal had a piece on. this issue. What exactly the US will be offering isn't clear, but the main idea seems to be along the one I have stated.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-...ving-wedge-between-russia-and-iran-1486342035

 

If the shoe fits...

 

I have my doubts as to where Russia will end up on these issues, but certainly the Russians have learned to at least stick to their guns to drive a better bargain than they have in the past. But, to be sure, I would be quite happy if the Russians stand their ground and prove my doubts to be unjustified.

 

I don't see why Sunnis would vote for Assad.

 

some from the middle class who dont want sharia and salafism , 3-7% , but the majority sunni hate assadists