News from Civsy, based on human monitoring, generative AI tools and retrieval-augumented real time data searchLaylat al‑Iḥsās (“Night of Emotion”) was a ticketed concert held at the Rashid Karami International Fair in Tripoli on 30 August 2025. The show featured Lebanese singers Mohammad Fadl Shaker and Salah Kurdi and was promoted as a mainstream entertainment event for local audiences.
Mobilization against the concert
On the day before the concert, members of Hizb al‑Tahrir and self‑described “defenders of Gaza and religion” mobilized to stop the event. They described the evening as a “night of debauchery and depravity” and argued that holding a concert was incompatible with the ongoing war in Gaza and with Islamic moral norms.
Street protests and calls to gather
Activists organized marches through parts of Tripoli and circulated calls for young people to assemble near the fairgrounds as audiences arrived. The aim was to apply public pressure on organizers and authorities and to signal that such entertainment activities should not take place under current political and moral conditions.
Role of religious authorities
Hay’at ʿUlamāʾ al‑Muslimīn fī Lubnān (Association of Muslim Scholars in Lebanon) issued a statement criticizing the concert as contrary to Islamic law and public morals. This statement added institutional religious backing to the campaign and strengthened the framing of the concert as a matter of faith and public morality rather than only taste or politics.
Security response and outcome
Despite the pressure, organizers did not cancel the show, tickets were sold out, and the venue was full on the night of 30 August. In light of threats and calls for protest, the Lebanese Army and security forces increased their presence around the venue, and no security incidents were reported during the concert.
References:
Commercial ticketing listing for “MOHAMED CHAKER – SALAH EL KURDI, 30 August 2025” at Rashid Karami International Fair, Tripoli (date, artists, venue, ticketing details).[flagsticketing]
Social media promotion and reels announcing Mohamad/Mohamed Chaker and Salah El Kurdi in Tripoli around 30 August 2025 (Tripoli concert / “peace” event context).[instagram]
Analysis of Hizb ut‑Tahrir’s use of the Gaza war to advance its agenda, providing background on the group’s discourse and mobilization frames.[thediplomat]
Religious‑freedom and Lebanon country reports referring to the role of conservative religious networks and clerical associations in public life, useful for situating the Association of Muslim Scholars in Lebanon.[churchinneed]
Mimeta article “Censorship and Harassment in Lebanon’s Arts Scene” for broader 2025 context on administrative censorship and harassment of artists and performances in Lebanon.[mimeta]
