Salman Al Murshid

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Salman Al Murshid (Arabic سلمان المرشد) born in 1907 in Jawbit Burghal (Arabic جوبة برغال) in the Province of Lattakia, Syria.

On 12 July 1923 (at the age of 16), Salman Al Murshid united three clans (Mahalibah, Darawesah and Amamerah) into one clan (Bani Ghassan). In 1937, he became a member of Parliament and in 1943 he was elected again as a member of the central Syrian Parliament. Some rich families and then the so-called national government used public money to bribe newpapers in Egypt and Lebanon to attak him as they saw in him a great threat to their interests and traditional authority. He was the first to open schools and built roads in costal mountain villages where his people lived.

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[edit] Correction of wrong believes and habits

Salman gradually brought his people back to the true prenciples of Islam and corrected many of their wrong believes, which were introduced to their religion over many years. He prepared his people for a day, that was not far, when [Al-Mahdi] comes to fill in the land with fairness after it has been filled in by misjustice. Some claimed that Salman asked people to worship him. This accusation was used in many publications commesioned by his enemies (from inside and outside the country) but was not used in the court during his trial in 1946 as they knew the slenderness of this claim.

[edit] Unionist Movement

France divided Syria into several federal states in 1920 and assigned the Province of Lattakia, which include the sea coast of Syria and adjacent mountains, as the Alawite State. Later in 1939, the French were forced to have a referendum allowing people in this province to decide whether to join Syria or stay independent. France wanted to keep an independent Alawite State that they can control and use in their traditional struggle with Britain. That is why France supported the separatist movement. However, Salman's popularity made it possible for the unionist movement to win the referendum/election. Salman also played a key role in forming the first Syrian army after independence. Only him succeeded in convincing the Syrian soldures in the French army to join the new national army (although none of them was from his followers). Recently, researchers (after declassifying British and other documents) started to show a completely different story from the one promoted by Salman's enemies who had the power, the money and controlled the media.

[edit] Excecution

Some rich families (mostly of Turkish origin), the Syrian government and Britain claimed that Salman had ties with the French Intelligence Services in Syria. They made their followers from Jawbit Borgal file hundreds of petitions against Salman in Latakia and Damascus (for example, forced-abduction of land and properties..). The so-called National Government originally wanted to execute Salman with Treason charges, which they failed to proof. They executed him on Monday the 12th of December 1946 (only 3 days after a hasty trial) for other alleged civil charges. Later, it was revealed that the British High Commissioner (Spear) instigated and encouraged al- Jabiry (then the Syrian Prime Minster) and Shokry al Kowatly (then the Syrian President) to liquidate Salman although they needed no encouragement.

[edit] Later

The followers of al-Murshid later became known as Al-Murshidyya (Arabic المرشديه )found by his second son Mujib who was killed by Abd Elhak Shihada (by direct order from Adeep Alshishakly, the Syria president) on 27 Nov 1952. Since then, Murshidyyans were persecuted by the Syrian authorities until Hafez al-Assad who came to power in 1970. Since then, Murshidyya was practiced relatively freely like any other religion.

[edit] References

Shoaa Kapl Al Fajer (Mozakerat Ahmed Nehad Al Sayyaf)- Muhammad Jamal Barut, 2005 شعاع قبل الفجر: تقديم وتحقيق: الكاتب والناقد محمد جمال لـ " مذكرات احمد نهاد السياف

http://www.alghad.jo/?news=219644

http://www.alghad.jo/?news=44267

http://www.odabasham.net/show.php?sid=11934

http://magazine.qunaya.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=291