JEDDAH: Sheikh Osama Khayyat, the imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, described calls for protests in the Kingdom as “devilish temptations” and urged people of faith to be aware of such calls.
“With false promises the devil strives to trap believers and drive them to acts of sedition, disagreement and dispute,” said the sheikh in his Friday sermon to pilgrims and locals.
“Countless media channels, information networks and websites are there to tempt people to participate in protest marches and sit-ins,” he said, adding that all of these channels are gateways to evil. “They are employed by the forces of darkness to awaken the sleeping sedition and lead people to chaos that will tamper with the security and ruin the welfare of people,” he said.
During his sermon at the Holy Mosque in Madinah, Sheikh Salah Al-Budair lamented the turmoil in the Muslim world. “Our hearts pain on seeing clashes in many parts of the Muslim world,” he said.
He said it was against Islam to rise against rulers who rule according to Shariah. Referring to calls on websites for protests on Friday, Al-Budair said it is the duty of Muslims to defend and protect the Kingdom, which is home to the two holy mosques. He reminded people of faith that those who call for rebellions against the ruler of Saudi Arabia, the land of monotheism, are serving the interests of the enemies of Islam. He appealed to Muslims to preserve the Kingdom’s security, stability and integrity, and asked them to look at and learn from the suffering of neighboring countries.
“In the Qur’an and Sunnah it is totally haram to rise against the ruler. You should advise him and if he refuses to listen, just be patient and supplicate against him,” said the imam of JamJoum Mosque.
The Imam, in his late 20s, read out the statement issued by the Supreme Council of Saudi Scholars in which the council also warned against demonstrations and described uprisings as haram.
The Imam, however, did not offer his usual supplication against Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi this Friday.