Qabbani Holds Hariri, Saniora Responsible for 'Harms He May Suffer', Stresses Will Stay Mufti until Mandate's End
Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani on Tuesday held former premiers Saad Hariri and Fouad Saniora “responsible for any attempt on his life or any harm he may suffer”, expressing that they will be "stigmatized" for trying to release him from his duties.
"I will remain Lebanon's Mufti until the end of my mandate or until I am deceased,” Qabbani confirmed during a meeting with a Syndicate of Editors' delegation.
He added: "And if they succeeded in the attempt of releasing the Mufti from his duties, the al-Mustaqbal party leaders will be stigmatized”.
“The do not want a strong Mufti”.
The Mufti announced that a former prime minister politically intervened and contacted a judge who is closely following-up on the case.
"The Shura council's decision, is however, not binding any the Mufti does not have to abide by it”.
Qabbani said that some Sunni leaders are “offending the sect because of they are going after their proper ambitions”.
He elaborated that he is entrusted with holding the Higher Islamic Council's elections even if it was boycotted by some provinces: “I do support amendments after the elections”.
"They held talks on these changes before at Saniora's resident, and another one followed during which fraud took place,” the Mufti revealed, noting that investigation will shed the light on “misconduct that took place”.
Qabbani is refusing to hold any meetings at Dar al-Fatwa for considering that the HIC's term has expired.
The Council elects the mufti and organizes the affairs of Dar al-Fatwa, Lebanon’s top Sunni religious authority.
Last year, the Shura Council suspended a call for the elections after 21 HIC members, who are close to ex-Premier Saad Hariri's al-Mustaqbal movement, filed a challenge against Qabbani's invitation to hold the polls.
Differences between them spread when the 21 members extended the term of the council until the end of 2013 despite the objection of Qabbani, who argues that the extension is illegal and the council’s term has expired.
Commenting on the attacks against Dar al-Fatwa clerics Sheikh Mazen Hariri and Sheikh Ahmed Fakhran, Qabbani said that the incident would have lead to a sectarian Suni-Shiite strife: “The situation required dealing with it with wisdom”.
The clerics were beaten up earlier in March while passing through the Beirut area of Khandaq al-Ghamiq, state-run National News Agency reported.
As the news broke out, angry protesters blocked roads in the Beirut areas of Tariq al-Jedideh, Qasqas and Corniche al-Mazraa, as well as Sidon's entrance in the South and al-Masnaa's road in the Bekaa.
Mufti Qabbani urged calm and restraint after the attack, stressing that the perpetrators “will not go unpunished".
11 years
Who does he hold responsible for the murders of Hariri, Gemayel, Tueni, Kassir, Eid, Al Hassan, Eido, and others? Or the attempted murders of Hamade, Murr, Chidiac, and Harb?
Seems weird that he accuses Saad and Saniora of wanting to kill him, yet he hasn't commented on the actual killings of numerous M14 leaders, where there is actual evidence that Hezbollah was involved.
11 years
No, it is not him only: it is most of the Lebanese people who believe that.
11 years
On the subject of repeating lies, please tell us again that you are an atheist (non-shiite), and yet you spend 24/7 defending Hezbollah and Iran on this M14 leaning website. That's a good lie that you like to repeat almost every day.
What a worthless life you have, getting paid minimum wage to be a propagandist
11 years
As i said,while thugs from amal & hezbsavaid assult & abuse sunnis every day, he remains silent on the issue. He seems weak, he should leave before the sunnis themselves get rid of him
11 years
Flamer, did the cat bite your tongue? Peoplenpower nailed flamer, love it.
11 years
Taqiyya Thrower.... yes it is possible to be non-religious and to support M8, but that is not what we are talking about. We are talking about posting comments 24/7, dozens of comments in one day, that are all defending Hezbollah and Iran.
A non-religious person doesn't do that, it doesn't pass the smell test.
I can smell the taqiyya in your posts as well.
11 years
Lebanese politicians and religious leaders were, are and will be always crooks, stealing money from their people. Why do you think they are all millionaires? Lebanon needs a big clean up and only the people can do this. We still have the same crooks and criminals of the civil war running the country now. When will the Lebanese people ever learn?
11 years
democracy at work. The venerable sunni sect is starting to practice democracy, to have multiple opinions, Sunnis came of age, and became democratic finally... Like the christians.
Still need to see the day where the monochromatic chiite sect start voicing different opinions...
11 years
momo, you soooo funny LOL
11 years
Yeah, he is a pushover, while thugs from amal & hezbsavaid assult & abuse sunnis every day, he remains silent on the issue
11 years
haha omar aka hussain, hezb slave talking about frauds, lek go pay your power bills you leeches & contribute something to lebanon other then starting wars
11 years
all clerics should be forbidden to talk politics... shame on this country...
11 years
Another turban religious mafia. Take your black turbaned boyfriend and scram.
11 years
This is further proof that the Sunnis ARE GETTING CRAZIER AND CRAZIER in addition to becoming filthier than the filthiest filth, with the exception of allouchti SO FAR. It's only a matter of time before the last semi-sane sanni Sunni allouchti ticks!!! Keep hope alive, BUT KEEP THE DDT SPRAY BOTTLE HANDY.
11 years
he is not very smart. know Hariri ennemies can also kill him to accuse Hariri.
11 years
Exactly! Besides, he need to return the house offered by Hariri Snr to "mufti al joumhouria" that he sneakily registered under his wife name....
what he knows is that his son has been stealing the awkaf money :)