Jamaican Cleric Claims ‘Infidels’ Are Poisoning Muslims with Cancer Water

The Middle East Media Research Institute brings us the latest fiery rant from Jamaican Sheikh Abdullah el-Faisal, who claims infidels are putting cancer into fake “zamzam” sacred water and selling it to Muslims.

After declaring that “every Catholic is a liar and a hypocrite, and every hypocrite is a Catholic,” Faisal explained the kuffar (infidels) “put zamzam in bottles, and sell it to Muslims. And it’s fake zamzam, not real. And they put cancer in the water, and many, many Muslims die from cancer, something you do not know.”

“Fake zamzam, and they put cancer in it,” he repeated. “And people buy it and drink it, and many, many Muslims die from cancer by drinking fake zamzam. So when you buy from the kuffar your fake zamzam, you are going to die from cancer. Many people, many Muslims die from cancer by drinking fake zamzam water.”

“Zamzam” is the name of a well in Mecca, whose water is considered sacred to Muslims. However, the actual water from this well is toxic. The BBC noted in 2011 that “samples from the source suggested it held dangerous chemicals,” particularly arsenic and nitrate, along with harmful bacteria.

The BBC explained that commercial export of the water is forbidden under Saudi law, but tourists are allowed to bring back small amounts of it, after making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

Nevertheless, investigators found “large quantities” of bottled zamzam water for sale in east and south London, and in Luton. Public health officials tested it and recommended against drinking it because the arsenic levels exceeded healthy limits.

Water taken from authentic Zamzam Well taps in Mecca was tested and found to be comparable to the illegal water on sale in the UK. Unfortunately, the Saudi government was seen as reluctant to advise against drinking zamzam water because the notion of the sacred well being unhealthy would anger Muslims. The shops in London apparently did remove the water from their shelves after the British government’s health warning.

Faisal is, essentially, arguing that actual zamzam water is fine, and the tainted water is fake, deliberately infused with carcinogens by infidels to kill Muslims. This might sound dangerously plausible to Muslims who remain convinced authentic water from the Zamzam Well conveys amazing health and spiritual benefits and is, in fact, the purest water on Earth, certified as such by the Prophet Mohammed.

A BBC profile of Sheikh Faisal notes that he was born a Christian under the name Trevor William Forrest to Salvation Army officers in Jamaica, but he converted to Islam after spending several years in Saudi Arabia. He moved to the United Kingdom, where he was jailed for soliciting the murder of Jews and Hindus in 2003 and was seen as an influence on the July 7 London suicide bombers and “shoe bomber” Richard Reid. He was deported back to Jamaica in 2007.

Tapes of his sermons have proven distressingly popular in some circles. He preaches jihad in many of them, including a sermon cited by the BBC where he explained nuclear weapons should only be used against countries which are “100 percent unbelievers.”

A 2015 article in the UK Mirror accused Faisal of recruiting jihadis for ISIS, noting he is “broadcasting almost daily online rants to thousands of followers, including many Brits.”