Eight Satellites Declare War against Islam: Imam Alsidik

Dr. Turkey Bin Khalid Al-Zifeiri, Professor of Dogma and the Speaker-Imam of Abu-Bakr Alsidik's mosque in Al-Riyadh proclaimed an Islamic project to counter the Arabic speaking Christianization satellite channels that squirt out their poison, which question Islam as a religion and attempt to shake Muslims' belief. Al-Zifeiri said, "These channels have crossed the red lines and started to openly disgrace the Koran, the gracious messenger, and the principles of Islam." Sheikh Al-Zifeiri backed up his claims by referring to the role that priest Zakaria Botrous has been playing through his programs on Al-Hayat, an Arabic speaking Christianization channel. He added. "Z.Botrous, who has been excommunicated by the Egyptian Orthodox Church, uses in his program all kinds of deception and lies to beguile Muslims." Sheikh Al-Zifieiri demanded that Z.Botrous be prosecuted in the courts for these libels and that Islamic countries play a role in stopping this channel that broadcasts from Cyprus. He went on to say, "We all were upset when the Danish newspaper published the cartoon that insulted the messenger (prayer and peace be upon him) and now here Z. Botrous disgraces the book of Allah and insults our gracious messenger with worthless and vulgar words. Why do we let him get away with it?

This took place during the speech of Sheikh Turkey Bin Khalid Al-Zifeiri in (Ahdiat Al-Rasheed) under the title 'Christianization of Arabs Sneaks In Through the Satellites' – where he was observing and analyzing the Arabic speaking Christianization satellite channels. His speech was exclusively about eight satellites, which are 'Miracle', 'SAT-7', 'AL-Hayat', 'Agape', 'Karma', 'Healing', 'Spirit', and 'Nour Sat'. He continued to say, "It was not enough for these channels to broadcast their programs in Arabic but then they started to broadcast in Turkish, Farsi, Urdu, and Malloy 24 hours around the clock. The most dangerous part is the Live Programs, which use stories claimed to be by converts who tell their story of conversion to Christianity.

SAT-7 broadcasts its programs in Arabic from Cyprus to Asia, Africa, and started to broadcast in Farsi to Iran and in Turkish to Turkey. The channel started in 1995 to broadcast for two hours and in 2004 moved to cover the 24-hour day. Twenty-five churches finance this channel. Some of its contributions are from Arab countries and others from Europe and USA. SAT-7 has started to evangelize in Farsi and the overseers say that the number of Farsi speaking viewers varies between 1.5 to 2 million.

Al-Hayat is considered to be the most aggressive among the others because of its programs that openly and directly attack Islam. This channel has crossed all the red lines. Priest Z. Botrous adopts an agitating style in his program that disregards the feelings of Muslims. He accuses Islam as a religion that fuels lust, and claims Mohamed as the real author of the Koran. Through the hundred episodes of his series titled (Truth Talk) Z. Botrous questioned everything in Islam.

In his program titled (Daring Question) which is the first live program, Z. Botrous took advantage of all the impressive tools to boldly attack the Koran. He allocated thirty episodes out of hundred to query and to ridicule the Koran, fourteen episodes to question the Sunna (Mohamed's sayings), and to accuse Mohamed as being a terrorist. He extended his attack to the wives of our messenger (prayer and peace be on him) and to our messenger's kin.

Why This Silence?

Sheikh Zifeiri said, "I do not know why we keep silent toward this man who does not respect the Muslims' feelings by describing the Hajj (pilgrimage) as a disgusting ritual and claimed that the word Hajj is taken from the word Hak (rubbing) the sexual organs on the Black Stone; to which he allocated a complete episode.

Miracle channel focuses on proclaiming Christ' miracles and emphasizing His healing power. This channel is considered to be the least aggressive one towards Islam because it claims that it calls for forgiveness between religions. Still, some of its programs, like the 'Why not?!' program, have the boldness to attack Islam. The overseers of this program interview Christians who would attack Islam, ridicule the book of Allah and his messenger (prayer and peace be upon him) and question whether Islam is a heavenly religion.

Sheikh Al-Zifeiri also spoke about 'Agape' channel, which is a Christianization channel owned by the Egyptian Orthodox Church. It was launched in 2005 and is financed by Christian businessmen in Egypt and abroad. The overseers of this channel tried to broadcast their programs through 'Nile Sat' or 'Arab Sat' but failed. Now they air their programs via Hot Bird, the European satellite. The overseers are still trying to launch a new channel titled 'Copt Sat' through Nile or Arab Sat and they claim that this channel is focusing on Coptic history and culture.

Spirit Channel broadcasts its programs from England. He spoke for a long time about 'Sheeban' channel, which is considered to be one of the greatest TV and Radio Christianization Corporations. Six hundred fifty TV channels and Radio stations, in all languages, are run by this corporation. All these programs openly question Islam, convey the message of Christ, and send Gospels all over the world. This corporation has a worldwide network of evangelists spread throughout all countries. When you call them from any country and ask them about Christianity, immediately they put you in touch with the nearest person to your location and furnish you with a phone number to help you find the answer to your question. They offer all kinds of ministries to those who need help getting Christian literature, gospels, videotapes, etc and their network covers the Gulf as well.

The Dangerous Consequences 

Dr. Al-Zifeiri said, "The problem now is that these satellites have become available to all and no one can stop them. Its danger is mainly in the doubts that it sheds on Islam, targeting the laymen and the young generation who have not been well educated in Islamic Shariaa. These channels use striking styles to draw viewers and to raise doubts in the hearts of viewers towards Islam. Also, these channels are considered to threaten the national security of Arabs in Islamic countries. There is not a single Muslim on this planet that would accept being libeled in his religion or belief. No Muslim would accept any insult directed against the messenger of Allah (prayer and peace be on him), or against his companions or his wives. No Muslim would accept fun being made of his way of prayer, fasting, pilgrimage or any other Islamic ritual. Such channels push some uncontrollable young men, because of their lack of knowledge and being stirred up, to commit uncontrollable acts. We all witnessed the events in Alexandria when a church there played a show that was making fun of Islam and of the messenger of Allah. As a result of that show, demonstrators, overwhelmed with anger burst into the streets and fighting started, which caused the death of one Muslim man. If it was not for the favor of Allah the consequences would have been even worse. How much greater should we consider the danger of these 24-hour Christianization channels which insult, disgrace, malign Islam, the Koran, and the messenger."

Z. Botrous' Smutty Style

Al-Zifeiri said, "Z.Botrous, without knowing, has contributed to the failure of this Christianization effort in Arab regions because of his smutty style and blatant words directed to harm Islam. The lies that Z. Botrous has been telling form the main reason for excommunicating him from the Orthodox Church and for his being rejected by other Christians. We want the Orthodox Church in Egypt to clarify its stand toward such a man that wants to put the whole area on fire.

Al-Zifeiri said: "Those evangelists do everything to serve their Christianization mission. Therefore, they competed in launching these satellites while we, Muslims, have woken up ten years later. The only satellite channel that answers back to these Christian channels was the Qadianite channel."

He said: "The goal of these Christian satellite channels is to help restore Christians to their faith, to call the non-Christians into the Christian faith, to raise doubts in the hearts of Muslims about Islam, to unite Christians, and to spread the Holy Bible. Therefore, they present diversified and attractive programs."

Al-Zifeiri demanded that Muslims counter these channels by launching satellites that can respond and by establishing research and analysis centers to observe this Christianization movement. This role should be played by the States and by governmental, public, and charitable organizations and corporations because the danger is gaping and Islam has been insulted beyond the red lines.