2025-08-30
Grand: From “Night of Sensation” to “Battle of Controversy” in Tripoli
Overnight, and one day before the “Night of Sensation” activities were to be held at the Rashid Karami International Fair, the city of Tripoli witnessed a sudden upheaval. Both the “Hizb ut-Tahrir” and those “zealous” for Gaza and religion moved to prevent the concert from being held in the city, linking this to the genocide in Gaza on the one hand, and the preservation of religious rites on the other. They carried out marches in a number of streets in rejection of the “debauchery and immorality” concert to be performed by the artists Muhammad Fadl Shaker and Salah al-Kurdi, in a monument that has not witnessed any artistic or even cultural events for years, due to the economic deterioration and the “eye” that aborts any attempt to revive any facility in the city.
“Hizb ut-Tahrir” was not the only one who spoke about the concert or the “farce” as they described it, but it was the one who took the initiative to move on the ground to cancel it. In the same context, the “Muslim Scholars Association in Lebanon” issued a statement criticizing the concert, considering it to be in violation of Sharia provisions and Islamic values, inconsistent with the identity of the city of science and scholars, and inconsistent with the duty of brotherly and human solidarity with Gaza, “patient and struggling in the face of the Zionist expansionist project in the entire region.”
After the young protesters announced yesterday that they would hold a sit-in at six o’clock in the evening (today) in front of the exhibition to prevent the concert from being held, data indicates that the tickets have been completely sold, and that the attendees of the concert are not only from Tripoli, but from various northern regions, and even from Beirut, and they hesitated to come to the city. In contrast, the organizers of the concert continue the preparations and encourage citizens to attend, declaring their confidence in the role of the security forces and the Lebanese army. On the other hand, a security source confirms to “Lebanon Al Kabir” that security is under control in Tripoli, and says: “There is no fear for the attendees of the concert or the artists, and the security forces are present and following the details closely, and the celebration has not been canceled and will take place amid tight security measures.”
While some fear that there may be attempts to incite strife in the city, a source familiar with the security files in the north rules out that the movements are intentional or not innocent. However, the source does not rule out exploiting these movements to achieve political and security goals. He tells “Lebanon Al Kabir”: “I know Sheikh Ahmad Al-Shimali, who spoke in the name of Hizb ut-Tahrir, and he is a person concerned with the issues of Islamic detainees, and he has honorable positions in this regard. From my experience, I see that religious zeal is what prompted the youth to demonstrate, but I call on them to think with reason and logic, as the city is not limited to one identity, but is a symbol of diversity and acceptance of the other. And I believe that some of the statements were due to ignorance of the matters, and it is a simple outburst that will not expand, but I fear exploiting these events to drag the city again into scenarios with dire consequences.”
In fact, the people of Tripoli were divided between supporters and opponents of the concert. Tripoli circles indicate that the sit-ins “do not represent Tripoli, which loves the artist Fadel Shaker and his son,” and believe that other regions have enjoyed “long and wide” festivals, while the city does not witness any festival or support. She adds: “Tripoli is the source of creative artists and actors, such as Walid Toufic, or Salah Tizani “Abu Salim” the legend and others, but those who use Gaza as an excuse today should have supported it militarily in the war, but they did not even try, so how do they want to support it by preventing the concert? And how can they remain silent about the concerts that take place in Tripoli restaurants and major resorts? And who is moving or supporting this fossilized mentality that does not resemble the people of the city?”
While the opponents believe that supporting Gaza from the “fortress of Muslims” is a religious and human duty, and consider that any transgression of religious standards in it is a plan aimed at imposing values that contradict its identity, such as homosexuality, gender issues, civil marriage, and others.
Source: Grand
