Sanaa, Yemen (CNN) -- His anguish apparent, the father of Anwar al-Awlaki told CNN that his son is not a member of al Qaeda and is not hiding out with terrorists in southern Yemen.
"I am now afraid of what they will do with my son, he's not Osama Bin Laden, they want to make something out of him that he's not," said Dr. Nasser al-Awlaki, the father of American-born Islamic cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.
As recently as Sunday, Yemeni officials including provincial governor Al Hasan al-Ahmadi claimed that al-Awlaki was hiding out in the southern mountains of Yemen with al Qaeda.
"He's dead wrong. What do you expect my son to do? There are missiles raining down on the village. He has to hide. But he is not hiding with al Qaeda; our tribe is protecting him right now," insisted al-Awlaki's father in an exclusive interview with CNN.
"My son is (a) wanted man, he's cornered, that's the problem I am facing," al-Awlaki said.
The al-Awlaki family comes from the large and powerful Awalek tribe of southern Yemen. It has many connections to the government of Yemen, including the country's prime minister, who is a relative of the al-Awlaki family.
Recently, Yemeni officials have also claimed that Anwar al-Awlaki had contact with Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab during his stay in Yemen in late 2009. When asked if his son met with the man charged with trying to blow up a U.S.-bound plane on Christmas day, al-Awlaki's father said it's not likely.
"I have no idea but I don't believe it," he said.
But the United States has independent intelligence verifying that AbdulMutallab met with al-Awlaki somewhere in southern Yemen before the Christmas Day bombing attempt, according to a U.S. security official with knowledge of the intelligence.
Even if al-Awlaki is hiding out with his tribe in the mountains of southern Yemen, the official added, authorities have no doubt that he is a member of al Qaeda and is now one of the top five or six operatives in Yemen for the terrorist organization.
The official said al-Awlaki's transformation from inspirational leader to operational recruiter for al Qaeda was first picked up in the early part of 2009.
This official also noted that the United States believes he is still involved in trying to recruit more bombers to launch attacks.
His father, the elder al-Awlaki, is an accomplished academic and had held several positions within the Yemeni government, including minister of agriculture. He first went to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar in the late '60s, and his son Anwar was born there in 1971.
Al-Awlaki says he is doing what he can to coax his son out of hiding, but does not want to jeopardize his son's life.
"I will do my best to convince my son to do this (surrender), to come back but they are not giving me time, they want to kill my son. How can the American government kill one of their own citizens? This is a legal issue that needs to be answered," he said.
"If they give me time I can have some contact with my son but the problem is they are not giving me time," he said.
Al-Awlaki acknowledged his son has espoused some controversial views but all of them, he said, would be protected by freedom of speech provisions in the American Constitution. He denied his son has done anything to encourage terrorists to commit violent acts.
"He is a preacher, you cannot tie Anwar to acts of terrorism," said al-Awlaki.
Al-Awlaki's name surfaced in November when U.S. officials revealed he and Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan -- the U.S. Army psychiatrist accused of fatally shooting 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5 -- had exchanged e-mails. The intercepted e-mails between the two, officials said, had not not set off alarm bells.
The cleric recently told Al Jazeera's Arabic-language Web site that he met Hasan nine years ago while serving as an imam at a mosque in the Washington, D.C., area. He said he lauded the Fort Hood attack because it was aimed at troops, whom he accused of fighting an unjust war against Islam.
"It is a military target inside America and there is no dispute over that," Anwar al-Awlaki said. "Also, these military personnel are not ordinary; they were trained and ready to fight and kill oppressed Muslims, and commit crimes in Afghanistan."
When asked why his son would praise Hasan, Nasser al-Awlaki said he did not agree with his son's views.
"I don't think that's right what he said about Major Hasan's actions, but my son has been very upset by the violence against Muslims," said al-Awlaki.
Al-Awlaki does concede his son's views did seem more radical after he spent time in a Yemeni prison from 2006 to 2007 for suspected ties to terrorism. He was released for lack of evidence.
"They put him in jail for 18 months and I detected a change after he got out of prison, he began to get away from the mainstream," al-Awlaki said.
The father also warned that the aggressive hunt for his son and al Qaeda operatives in Yemen using missile strikes will only serve to recruit more members to the organization.
"I don't want those American cowboys to destroy Yemen," said al-Awlaki before conceding that the hunt for al Qaeda in Yemen is now a global concern.
"He has been wrongly accused, it's unbelievable. He lived his life in America, he's an all-American boy. My son would love to go back to America, he used to have a good life in America. Now he's hiding in the mountains, he doesn't even have safe water to drink," al-Awlaki said. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/...her/index.html
They won't rest until they rid this Ummah of its scholars and scientists
يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُطْفِؤُواْ نُورَ اللّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَأْبَى اللّهُ إِلاَّ أَن يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ {32} [Pickthal 9:32] Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdaineth (aught) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse.
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by UmmSqueakster
Why does it always have to be either/or? Can't we speak against the wrong done to muslims, and the wrongs done by muslims? Isn't it wrong that he said it was ok to kill innocent people on an airplane? And if it's wrong, then why can't I say so?
People should be aware of the totality of his works and words, including those that say it's ok to kill innocent civilians. If he continued to do lectures like those about there hereafter and the life of the Prophet (saws) without wishing me dead, I'd be thrilled.
peace
I feel satisfied whenever I find those muslims who control their emotions...
while we all muslims not satisfied by the American aggressive policies ,but that shouldn't mean we should go to the extreme ...
ben laden and his group and those similar to them (taliban,the other similar radical groups,governments etc.....) have gone to the extreme in almost everything ......
they haven't realized yet that the treatment of injustice to muslims is not by destroying others' powers but to build our own power ...
power according to our times is fueled by the word (science),such word which is an alien for his school and those other similar schools...
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
May Allah (swt) protect Imaam Anwar Al Awlaki & his family from the torment of the evil doers & bless him for the gud lectures & other islamic work that he did & we benefit from, Aameen!!
''LIVE for the sake of ALLAH, LOVE for the sake of ALLAH, FIGHT for the sake of ALLAH, & DIE for the sake of ALLAH''
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
Thank you sister. This is much appreciated.
Out of interest, why did he leave America?
I really don't know.. I love him for his lectures, and he accompanied me through the entire east coast driving between cities.. I'd pop one of his CD's and really appreciate his scholarship..
I think you might enjoy many of his lectures as he doesn't simply concentrate on Muslims, but he talks of many righteous people who came before and of their trials..
peace
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Ferown
I used to listen to this guys lectures and quite liked him. Maybe the time held he was held captive without charge has changed him?
He has a very sweet personality, I have listened to hours upon hours of his lectures, it is very difficult for me to believe whatever they are charging him with plus you can't really charge people for speaking their mind.. I am not sure, why it is OK to bomb whole villages of civilians in the name of some crap like ridding the world of 'al-qaeda' but to condemn or hate these acts in return turns a scholar into a wanted man..
sob7an Allah
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
The truth he is not the only want who has strong feelings towards those who oppressed muslims, even here in Malaysia theres lots of those sheikh...but do they got caught? Alhamdulillah not for now maybe. But now they are targeting the person who is just using words without any platforms. Just becausee he gave famous lectures...
25:36 And the true servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk the earth with humility and when the ignorant address them, they respond with words of peace.
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
As Salamu alaykum,
BismiAllah,
there is no doubt that Br Awlaqi is one of the MOST BRILLIANT lecturers on topics within Islam [i'm trying to carefully word this.]
SEEING him is even MORE awe inspiring, his dvd set, which someone bought for me, is mesmerizing! within the first 10 minutes or so, you felt that you were in the company of greatness. i told my [future ex] wife to watch as soon as she could and she went through the whole series twice and Awlaqi is pretty much her favorite lecturer.
Awlaqi IS great as a lecturer, his scholarship comes through in the Q&A sesions.
UNFORTUNATELY, the "West" has been at war with him for quite some time. he WAS unfairly jailed for quite some time. AFTER this time, his blog that he set up, mentioned on the topic of Jihad alot, especially shabaab in Somalia. MANY Muslim scholars have taken the opportunity to distance themselves from his comments on jihad. Awlaqi then began to focus PRIMARILY on Jihad. as Muslims can have different opinions, scholars began to disagree a bit more.
APPARENTLY, Western Intelligence [i know, oxymoronic] began to monitor not only the blog but Awlaqi's email as well. as the "West" comments on Awlaqi, he is often asked to respond to Arabic journalists. his words, whether taken out of context or not, ARE being used a) to target him and b) spread disinformation about him. his personal opinions on some matters are be treated as fatawas on Jihad.
IF you view his comments in the light that they are given, he spends more time defending those who other won't defend. it took me weeks to find the response he had posted on his blog about the Ft Hood shootings. the rightwing radicals can still post it, but if YOU do, EXPECT trouble. his blog was closed down VERY SHORTLY after his comments on the incident were posted.
IF you read his words as a fatwah on Jihad as opposed to a defense of the defenseless, they come of as arrogant and nearly terrorist inspiring. EVERY word that he now speaks is, i'm sure, rushed personally to Pr. Obama and i'm quite certain there is a "Presidential" directive calling for his IMMEDIATE elimination.
he is not allowed to misspeak or to be taken "in context' as his moniker went from Shabaab supporter to Al Qaeda supporter to Al Qaeda recruiter.
whether his views on Jihad or ABSOLUTELY correct or not, others have distanced themselves from his views and that just makes his outstretched neck appear longer. after all, who's going to debate him? where do his "opinions" and his "guidance" part ways? Allahu Aalam? if i misspeak, who cares, if Br Awlaqi does, he is an Al Qaeda supporter, make that recruiter.
we may NEVER know the full truth on his statements as he may not succeed on evading the reach of the US. he is not given the opportunity to "clarify" anything, nor to reword what he has said. i know if i had to consider my words as much as Awlaqi must now, i would not have a chance to ever say much of anything.
we ask Allah to guide us all and to make our words those which please none but Allah.
ask Allah to keep him safe and to grant him the wisdom and the sabr to choose his words more carefully.
i hope this makes some sense.
Had the non-believer known of all the Mercy which is in the Hands of Allah, he would not lose hope of entering Paradise, and had the believer known of all the punishment which is present with Allah, he would not consider himself safe from the Hell-Fire http://www.muftimenk.co.za/Downloads.html
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
Hey American sis Umm squeakster, I hope that sh Anwar al-Awlaki does not need your personal duas. I also hope your allegiance is to Islam than to civilians or nationalities which seems quite unlikely after how you have slandered Sh Al-Awlaki. There are enough pious Muslims who are willing to offer dua for him. And only Allah (swt) accepts or rejects dua.
Those Americans who aid and abate the military in the killing of Muslims knowingly are a target of the resistance movements. Any scholar who denies that, he is let loose of the rope of Prophet Muhammad pbuh.
Someone said "ahlus sunnah wal jamaa" have refuted him. Who is to decide who is Ahlu us Sunna wal Jammah when each deviant sect is its claimant ?
Sh Anwar al-Awlaki oozes knowledge. His critique of modernity might not be 100% accurate but his mastery of Islamic scholarship is self-evident. To the extent that I am willing to forgive him even if he made those "american media" statements and if they are SOMEHOW islamically wrong.
Better than average Sh Joes that you find around North America.
If you listen to his other lectures, he has made clear that those American civilians who abhor and dont participate in the sacntioned killing of Muslims, their lives are as precious. But the fact of matter is all of us are participating in it. The tax money we are paying while living in the US might have a blood of a Muslim on it ....
He is the voice of Muslims who have suffered. He is the voice that emerges from the suffering lands. His voice's echoes must be understood in the context of the point from where they arise.
Did anyone notice how Umm squester was quick to point out when she misinterpreted Al-Awalki's statements which supposedly pose damage to her life in a relatively peaceful American society? So as a result, she discounts the sheikh's knowledge just cuz her life has been put in jeopardy, SUPPOSEDLY.
Last edited by CosmicPathos; 02-05-2010 at 04:17 AM.
Help me to escape from this existence
I yearn for an answer... can you help me?
I'm drowning in a sea of abused visions and shattered dreams
In somnolent illusion... I'm paralyzed
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
I really don't know.. I love him for his lectures, and he accompanied me through the entire east coast driving between cities.. I'd pop one of his CD's and really appreciate his scholarship..
I think you might enjoy many of his lectures as he doesn't simply concentrate on Muslims, but he talks of many righteous people who came before and of their trials..
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Gossamer skye
in which way did they refute him? that is really news to me!
This man Anwar-Awlaki is a Khariji and according to Muhammad(sallallaahu'Alaihiwasallam) these people are the dogs of Hell-fire...he has been declared by the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia as a Khariji, and this was the unanimous decision(ijma) amongst the noble scholars of the holy land...we should not listen to him, support him or anything...and here we have some people supporting him, supplicating for him and not only that, but calling others to join in as well...Na'uzhubillah...May Allah preserve the Ahlus Sunnah..
Last edited by Abdul Qadir; 02-05-2010 at 05:04 PM.
Re: They now targetting Al-Awlaki, pls keep him in your du3a
format_quote Originally Posted by Abdul Qadir
This man Anwar-Awlaki is a Khariji and according to Muhammad(sallallaahu'Alaihiwasallam) these people are the dogs of Hell-fire...he has been declared by the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia as a Khariji, and this was the unanimous decision(ijma) amongst the noble scholars of the holy land...we should not listen to him, support him or anything...and here we have some people supporting him...May Allah preserve the Ahlus Sunnah..
a kahriji is:
Other narrations regarding the Khwarij state that the Prophet SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam said: There would arise in this nation a people and you would hold insignificant your prayers as compared with their prayers. And they would recite the Qur'an which would not go beyond their throats and would swerve through the Deen (as blank) just as an (swift) arrow passes through the prey. The archer looks at his arrow, at its iron head and glances at its end (which he held) in the tip of his fingers to see whether it had any stain of blood.
[Sahih Muslim: Book 005, Number 2322]
not someone who calls for Muslims to reunite against the kuffar.
sob7an Allah, everyone is so afraid of the word Jihad even if it is in self-defense that they would declare kufr on someone for it.
I too have something to say:
whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should say what is good, or be silent.' (Sahîh Bukhârî, Sahîh Muslim).
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
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