Rav Ovadia Yosef: We Must Pray for the Destruction of Iran | JewishPress

In his own words

Rohingya Muslims, Iran Hype, and Sadaqa

Because I have been so busy with family business and work I have not had the chance to write as much lately as I would like to. I will also be going to Dallas Sunday so I may not have a lot of time this week.  There are a few things I would like to briefly comment on though.

Rohingya Muslims in Burma

There are a lot of things Muslims in the blogosphere argue and debate about; but I think the issue of the poor and oppressed Rohingya Muslims of Burma (Myanmar) is an issue that can unite us. This report on NPR highlights the bad and racist treatment of the Rohingya and systematic starvation by the ruling junta and by the Buddhist population as a whole (including the opposition). It amazes me that this issue has not received more attention from the mainstream Muslim organizations in America. This would be a cause worth taking up.

Iran

Tom Friedman of the New York Times once remarked that all of the people he talked to in Egypt were virtually of the same mind in their embrace of globalization. He then said “of course all of my friends are from the secular westernized elite”. The problem with that is very few in Egypt are in this category. There are more in this category in Iran, but they are still a minority, and the media in the West paints the picture that the regime has no support and everyone is in opposition. Part of the reason for this, other than the obvious reasons of political propaganda, is the fact that even well-meaning journalists only talk to these westernize elites. Joe Klein, hardly a supporter of the Islamic Republic, paints a more balanced picture and accurately says that to millions of Iranians President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad is their “fighting prince”, almost all in Iran are angry with the US over historical issues,  and the neo-cons are trying to instigate a war over the recent unrest.

These street demos remind me of what we saw in Thailand where the urban elites did not want to share power with the government that had been brought into power by the rural, the poor, and the working-class so they used street demonstrations to remove a democratically elected government with the support of the West. There are many in the West, Israel, and the Arab World who would like to use this occasion for regime change and if there was a Republican President now you could believe they would be working to further arm the opposition and destabilize the country.

I am not saying these things as someone who has always been a great supporter of Iran and till this day I disagree with many aspects of their foreign policy. But on this issue I know when the media is painting an inaccurate picture.

Prayers and Sadaqa

People often email me requesting prayers and asking for sadaqa. Alahmdudilah I have not been blessed with a lot of Rizq and am barely making ends meet or I would give to all of these people inshaAllah. However, I can put out a request for them on my blog so if anyone is in need of help let me know and if I think it is worthy I will put it on my blog ( and I know the New York sheikh I have not put up yet Khalil but I will inshaAllah).

Also, for those in need of duah, please email me. I can put the request on my blog and those far more pious than me can pray for you.

A Manufactured Scandal : Ahmadinejad a Bigger Man than Bush

With the arrival of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to New York in order to address the United Nations and take his message to the people we have seen a manufactured scandal arise created by FOX News, conservative talk-radio, right-wing bloggers, and elements of the Pro-Israel community.