... Grand Mufti of Lebanon and the most prominent Sunni Muslim cleric in the country. An assassination attempt against Qabbani was foiled by Leb internal security forces in 2009 as part of the Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Beirut. In an interview broadcast in 2012, Qabbani stated that Jews were behind secularism, because they opposed the authority of the church, against Christianity.He also suggested that the attacks of September 11, 2001 were
orchestratedby Jews in order
to justify the persecution of Muslims worldwide.Qabbani is against the legalization of civil marriage in Lebanon. He has issued a fatwa declaring any Muslim politician who approves civil marriage legislation an apostate. Surprisingly, he is not considered very much of a nut by Moslem standards.
held talks on Monday with a delegation from Hizbullah that condemned the recent assault against the holy man.
Sheikh Abdul Majid Ammar of Hizbullah said after the talks: "Ties with the Mufti are constantly evolving."
"Our visit was aimed at checking on the well-being of the Mufti in light of assault and we relayed to him the regards of Hizbullah chief His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah
The satrap of the Medes and the Persians in Leb...
," he continued.
"The assault against the holy man does not reflect the morals and values of the sect he represents," he added, while slamming political rhetoric "that is aimed at creating strife."
Asked by news hounds if the incitement against Qabbani stems from his ties with Hizbullah, Ammar replied: "Our relations with the Mufti are constantly evolving despite all attempts to tarnish them."
The ties will remain based on common values "and therefore all attempts to harm this relationship will fail", he remarked.
Qabbani on December 29 attended the funeral of Mohammed Chaar, a youth killed during the December 27 Starco blast in downtown Beirut.
Mourners at the funeral were angered by his arrival and began chanting slogans against him, prompting members of the Internal Security Forces Intelligence Bureau's Strike Force to escort him out of the al-Khasheqji Mosque where the funeral was being held.
Qabbani considered that the protesters were seeking to "kill him" upon his arrival at the premises.
The Mufti's ties with al-Mustaqbal
... the Future Movement, political party led by Saad Hariri...
deteriorated last year when he met with a delegation from Hizbullah the same day the Special Tribunal for Leb indicted four party members in former Premier Rafik Hariri's February 2005 liquidation.
Relations between the two sides were also shaken when the Mufti met with Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul Karim Ali, whom al-Mustaqbal and the March 14 opposition alliance have on several occasions said should be expelled.