"Destroy all churches in the Arabian Peninsula" - Saudi Grand Mufti

[wundermonk]

Story here.

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia has said that all churches in the Arabian Peninsula must be destroyed. The statement prompted anger and dismay from Christians throughout the Middle East.

Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah made the controversial statement in a response to a question from a Kuwaiti NGO delegation. A Kuwaiti parliamentarian had called for a ban on the construction of new churches in February, but so far the initiative has not been passed into law. The NGO, called the Society of the Revival of Islamic Heritage, asked the Sheikh to clarify what Islamic law says on the matter.

The Grand Mufti, who is the highest official of religious law in Saudi Arabia, as well as the head of the Supreme Council of Islamic Scholars, cited the Prophet Mohammed, who said the Arabian Peninsula is to exist under only one religion.
The Sheikh went on to conclude that it was therefore necessary for Kuwait, being a part of the Arabian Peninsula, to destroy all churches on its territory.
In February, Kuwaiti MP Osama al-Munawar announced on Twitter that he was planning to submit legislation that would remove all churches in the country. However, he later clarified that existing churches should remain, while the construction of new non-Islamic places of worship would be banned.

Another MP, Mohamemd Hayef, backed al-Munawar, saying the number of churches in the country was already disproportionate to the number of Christians.

As for Saudi Arabia, all religions other than Islam are banned and there are no churches, although a small minority of Christians is theoretically allowed to practice their religion in the privacy of their own home.

Peaceful coexistence thought for the day.

[PARAM]

Muslims will do anything to destroy others and other countries will not do anything to protect anyone from Islam, this is all for oil. A war against Islam is waiting, once the Europe stop depending on oil. Christians like Sonia and Rahul in India are also working for Muslim appeasement against Hinduism.

[ShivaIsLord]

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia is a nutjob. Well, most of Saudi Arabia is, to be honest. The majority of the country belongs to the Wahhabi sect of Sunni Islam.

I hope you don't let him represent all Muslims. Christians are given a high place in Islam. They are apart of the ahlul kitab (people of the book) and the following is said about them (as well as other non-Muslims) in the Qur'an:

Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. [2:62]

To you your religion, and to me mine [109]

Do not curse the idols they set up beside Allah, lest they blaspheme and curse Allah out of ignorance. [6:108]

So it's quite obvious from the Qur'an that what they are doing is wrong. Not to mention in the religious tradition, non-Muslims that live in Muslim lands are called Dhimmis. Dhimmis pay a special tax (which obviously they do if they live in Saudi Arabia) and the Muslims protect the religious minorities in exchange. So the Grand Mufti is actually being quite unislamic.

[Shuddhasattva]

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia is a nutjob. Well, most of Saudi Arabia is, to be honest. The majority of the country belongs to the Wahhabi sect of Sunni Islam.

I hope you don't let him represent all Muslims. Christians are given a high place in Islam. They are apart of the ahlul kitab (people of the book) and the following is said about them (as well as other non-Muslims) in the Qur'an:

Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. [2:62]

To you your religion, and to me mine [109]

Do not curse the idols they set up beside Allah, lest they blaspheme and curse Allah out of ignorance. [6:108]

So it's quite obvious from the Qur'an that what they are doing is wrong. Not to mention in the religious tradition, non-Muslims that live in Muslim lands are called Dhimmis. Dhimmis pay a special tax (which obviously they do if they live in Saudi Arabia) and the Muslims protect the religious minorities in exchange. So the Grand Mufti is actually being quite unislamic.

Namaste

I don't think this post is quite accurate. For as many quotes as you can find in the quran that seem to indicate tolerance - even of a very selective sort such as that limited to 'people of the book,' you can find more which exactly support the attitude taken by this nutjob.

The stark historical realities of Islam, even in the era of its birth, indicate that this is the norm, rather than the exception.

In order to be a grand mufti, he must have outstanding knowledge of the Quran, and the traditions of its interpretation. So rather than saying that he is going against Quran, he is in fact interpreting it in exactly in accord with the established traditions.

Namaste

[ShivaIsLord]

I don't think this post is quite accurate. For as many quotes as you can find in the quran that seem to indicate tolerance - even of a very selective sort such as that limited to 'people of the book,' you can find more which exactly support the attitude taken by this nutjob.

Have you ever read the Qur'an? The Qur'an allows violence, but only in very very specific circumstances. I could easily pick and choose verses from Vedic literature and talk about how Hinduism in horrible because of the caste system, and how unfair it is. But I try to avoid generalizing over a billion people at a time.

In order to be a grand mufti, he must have outstanding knowledge of the Quran

Not true. To be a grand mufti, you have to be wealthy, wahhabi, and well connected. Related to the royal family doesn't hurt either.

If all Muslims interpret Q'uran as you do, this world would have been free from so much bloodshed of the innocents ! May your tribe grow and prosper !
OM

Insh'Allah (god willing). If you actually look throughout history, you will find that 99% of all violence and hatred promoted by "islam" is actually promoted by Sunni extremists that wish to crush all opposition, so that they don't have to deal with other people pointing out facts. Try debating with a wahhabi, it is not possible. You can argue that the sky is blue, but they will find some way to argue that it is not because the Qur'an says so (even though it doesn't . . . )

[devotee]

Namaste Mumineen,

You present interesting viewpoint. I have read Qu'ran though I can't claim to be an authority in that scripture. The scripture gives scope of interpretation the way you do.

The problem is that Shias, Sufis etc. are themselves under attack from the hardliner Sunnis and we don't really know how long you people would survive ! So, who is goling to listen to your voice in the Muslim world ? I have been in a Muslim country with many of Muslim friends for quite some time. They are basically good people but the problem with Islam (Wahabi's version) is that you are not allowed to question the Mullah's interpretation of Q'uran. How many have the guts to disobey their fatwas and stay alive ?

On one hand they say that all Muslims are brothers and on the other hand they indulge in worst crime against the Shias, Sufis, the Bahais. Afghanistan where the Sufi tradition flourished is left with hardly any visible Sufis !

I don't know how this bloodshed in the name of religion and God is going to stop !

OM

[Believer]

Namaste,

Insh'Allah (god willing).

An iranian person that I worked with several years ago, was of the opinion that the Arabs came and looted them, raped their women and converted them to Islam. As such, he did not identify himself as a muslim and wore an ancient Zoroastrian symbol around his neck. What binds you to this so called religion that was forced upon your ancestors by the marauding holy warriors from mecca? Why is this alla, alla, your middle name?

Pranam.
-

[devotee]

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia is a nutjob. Well, most of Saudi Arabia is, to be honest. The majority of the country belongs to the Wahhabi sect of Sunni Islam.

I hope you don't let him represent all Muslims. Christians are given a high place in Islam. They are apart of the ahlul kitab (people of the book) and the following is said about them (as well as other non-Muslims) in the Qur'an:

Verily! Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in God and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. [2:62]

To you your religion, and to me mine [109]

Do not curse the idols they set up beside Allah, lest they blaspheme and curse Allah out of ignorance. [6:108]

So it's quite obvious from the Qur'an that what they are doing is wrong. Not to mention in the religious tradition, non-Muslims that live in Muslim lands are called Dhimmis. Dhimmis pay a special tax (which obviously they do if they live in Saudi Arabia) and the Muslims protect the religious minorities in exchange. So the Grand Mufti is actually being quite unislamic.

If all Muslims interpret Q'uran as you do, this world would have been free from so much bloodshed of the innocents ! May your tribe grow and prosper !

OM

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�


What possible good can come from this string ? The intent of this folder is to compare and contrast other views with that of sanātana dharma (hinduism). Not implied differences ( or similarities) , but those that allow one to gain a new perspective on how our sanātana dharma is contrasted to others.


Is this information news worthy ? Perhaps so, yet I can read this in the papers or in other headlines. I do not see HDF as a site that needs to restate or pass along news from other sources that do not meet the core needs of the forums area of interest.




praṇām

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: Originally posted 3 months back.. Only now there is a response?

Aum Namasivaya