| Date: 21/09/2012 Time: 10:01:00 PM |
Thousands of protesters gathered in front of
mosques after the noon prayers on Friday in several Lebanese cities to
denounce the release of an infamous movie in the United States which slanders
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Addressing a demonstration at the courtyard of Belal Bin Rabah Mosque,
downtown Beirut, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Asir, the imam (prayer leader) of the mosque,
said: "It's against the true values of Islam to hit back against slander by
slandering other religions."
"A county that harbors extremists and allows them to defame a holy faith is
an extremist country that fuels intolerance across the globe in order to serve
the interests of the global Zionism," he argued.
"It's a paradox that such shameful acts emanate from countries that pretend
to defend and respect the rights and freedoms of people with different
cultures and to promote the civilized values," Sheikh Al-Asir regretted,
apparently hinting at the United States and France where anti-Islamic cartoons
were published recently.
He noted that the movie and cartoons had nothing to do with the mainstream
Christians who are so civilized that they cannot accept such acts.
He thanked Lebanese President Michel Suleiman and Moronite Patriarch Mar
Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi for their positions against the movie and cartoons.
The peaceful demonstration attracted the well-known singer Fadhl Shaker who
sang two religious lyrics.
Similar demonstrations were staged in Tripoli and Sidom as well as other
parts of Lebanon. |