A video of Muslim children at the Houston Islamic Education Center wearing shahid headbands while singing a radical Shia song, Salam Farmande, that praises Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has caused controversy after going viral over concerns the children are being radicalized to terrorism. The song, in a verse not sung by the children in the video, also praises deceased Quds Force commander Gen. Qassim Soleimani. The song is ostensibly about Twelfth Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi and a pledge by the children to martyr themselves.
The video, which was made private on YouTube, was copied and went viral. The children are segregated by sex per Muslim custom.
Today's @HoustonChron has a frontpage piece about the video last week from the Islamic Education Center in Houston TEXAS where kids as young as 4 were made to swear allegiance to the Supreme Leader of Iran's regime & vow to become "martyrs" one day
Time to probe IEC's Iran links https://t.co/LXcdxucLnb pic.twitter.com/C60G55a8yd
— M. Hanif Jazayeri (@HanifJazayeri) July 30, 2022
Al Arabiya reported the video was shown by Iran state media (excerpt):
A group of Shia Muslim children in Houston, Texas, sang an Iranian-sponsored religious anthem that includes references to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and slain military commander Qassem Soleimani last week, videos shared online showed.
The event was organized by the Islamic Education Center of Houston, according to a post on the organisation’s Facebook page. Video of the children singing the anthem was shared by Iranian state media.
…The anthem was “written upon the recommendation of” Khamenei, “who called on children and youths to address Imam Mahdi,” according to the Lebanese Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV.
The anthem, which aired for the first time in March on Iranian state TV, makes references to Khamenei and former Revolutionary Guards commander Soleimani. The anthem has been heavily promoted by Iranian state media.
The Houston Chronicle reported Islamic Education Center chairman of the board of directors Faheem Kazimi compares the song to The Beatles.
In Houston, members of the Shia Muslim community approached the Islamic Education Center in Houston to see if they could do their own version in English, according to Faheem Kazimi, chairman of the center’s board of directors.
“A lot of people translated it in their language and adapted it and when you have religious activity, that people are asking that if they can (perform it), we do have that religious freedom and expression of speech so we said, ‘Sure, why not?’”
Kazimi, who said he thought the song was catchy, equated it to different versions of Beatles songs.
“There’s no political intent in it. It’s a purely religious pledge to a messianic figure,” Kazimi said.
Lyrics to Salam Farmande (Hello Commander):
YA MAWLA YA SAHIB AZZAMAN….
The love, my soul, the Imam of my time (Imam Almahdi) X4
(The world(Dunya) has no meaning without you
The love of my life
When you are here
Our world( Dunya) is Spring) x 2Salam Commander (Imam Al Mahdi pbuh)
Greetings from this new brave, left behind generation
Salam Commander (Imam Al Mahdi pbuh)
Seyed Ali (Shia and Iranian Leader) has called his nineties (kids were born between 1390 until 1400 solar calendar)
Salam CommanderCome , please Come
come , I’ll be with you
ill be your supporter
I will be in your service (closest translation)
Ill be your Ali Ibn Mahziyar
and with my short height I will be your soldier x2Salam Commander (Imam Al Mahdi pbuh)
Greetings from this new brave, left behind generation
Salam Commander (Imam Al Mahdi pbuh)
Seyed Ali (Shia and Iranian Leader) has called his nineties (kids were born between 1390 until 1400 solar calendar)
Salam CommanderDo not take notice of my short height
But I will rise up and stand for you x2Do not take notice of my short height
I will complete the duty like Mirza Koochak KhanDo not take notice of my short height
I say salam from the line of 313 (the 313 soldiers of Imam Al Mahdi pbuh guaranteed when he returns, 313 best of the best of people will help Imam to manage peace in the world)Do not look at my age
Just call me and see what I will do for youDo not look at my age
With these small hands I always pray for youDo not look at my age
‘Be Abi Anta wa OMMI’ ;
(I sacrifice all I have for you, even my father and my mother)Salam Commander (Imam Al Mahdi pbuh)
Greetings from this new brave, left behind generation
Salam Commander (Imam Al Mahdi pbuh)
Seyed Ali (Shia and Iranian Leader) has called his nineties (kids were born between 1390 until 1400 solar calendar)
Salam CommanderI make an oath
I will be useful to you one day
I make an oath
To be like your Hajj Qasem
I make an oath
like Ayatullah Bahjat(R.A) and your like your unknown soldiers
To be your servantI make an oath
That I will stand by the Islamic Revolution
I wish you would take notice of me like your Hajj QasemIt has been over 1300 years that whole world is seeking for Al Mahdi (ajtfs)
Do not grieve, you have even soldiers from year 1400 era (people were born in 1400 solar calendar)Salam Commander (Imam Al Mahdi pbuh)
Greetings from this new brave, left behind generation
Salam Commander (Imam Al Mahdi pbuh)
Seyed Ali (Shia and Iranian Leader) has called his nineties (kids were born between 1390 until 1400 solar calendar)
Salam Commander
Original video of song:
A petition at Change.org is calling on Spotify to remove the song.
“Salam Farmande” which literally means “Hello Commander” should not be allowed to stream on Spotify. The reason is that the purpose of this song is to brainwash children and young generations to join radical Islamic movements (simply you can just watch the official music video with English subtitle) and the content is complementing the most horrifying dictator and terrorist in the world, Seyed Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of criminal Iranian regime.
Secondly, Persians are on sanction lists and cannot use this platform within the country so the criminal government should not be able to use it for their own purpose either.
Houston, we have a problem.
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