Yemeni chanters condemn terrorist attack on US embassy

Chanters join forces with mosque preachers and compose performances denouncing acts of terrorism.

For the first time in Yemen the religious chanters condemned terrorism and terrorist attacks within their religious chants. More than 200 chanters representing 16 chanting ensemble from Yemen, Egypt and Syria took part in the Sana’a 7th chanting carnival that commenced its activities in Sana’a old city last Tuesday night.  Hashim al-Ghurbani head of the Habib Allah chanting ensemble, member of the Yemeni Chanting Association said they intend to perform a religious chant that criticizes extremism and condemns terrorism. He said his ensemble will perform this religious chanting within the activities of the Sana’a 7th chanting festival.

Al-Ghurbani on behalf of the Yemeni Chanting Association also condemned the terrorist attack that targeted the US Embassy in Sana’a and killed 19 people including 6 of the attackers.

Religious preachers also during Friday  service condemned the terrorist attack against the US embassy and rejected all sorts of terror and extremism, stressing those acts contradict Islamic rules and values.

On the same context the Fulbright Alumni of Yemen condemned the terrorist attack and extended their condolences to the families of the victims.

In a statement issued by the Fulbright Alumni of Yemen, they expressed their anger and shock at the terrorist attack that targeted the US Embassy. The statement also consoled the victims’ families and prayed for the souls of the heroic central security soldiers who gallantly sacrificed their lives to stop the attackers from inflicting further casualties.

“We condemn the use of terror in all its forms and under any pretext and call upon civil society organizations, intellectuals and religious figures to stand firm against extremist ideologies and to spread the culture of tolerance, moderation and democratic values. We are morally compelled to do whatever possible to bringing this issue to the attention of the public as part of a concerted civil effort to forestall extremism, the precursor to terrorism.”
 
Religious chanting in Yemen is a religious and social art that has developed to become a distinctive part of Yemeni religious culture. Chanters sing religious chants in all weddings and other social events. They also chant in funeral ceremonies. Their chanting content focuses on praising the Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, and urges good values. The chants also focus on social and cultural life. 

Organizers of the Sana’a 7th chanting festival said that this festival is distinguished for hosting more than 16 chanting bands from the different governorates of Yemen including the new established governorate of Rayma. They also said that new styles of Yemeni folkloric chanting will be presented in this festival. 

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