Saudi Fatwa of kufr against the Shi'a Ulama and Maraja',

Islamic Ideology

Saudi Fatwa of kufr against the Shi'a Ulama and Maraja'

By M. Abdullah

The leader of the congregation at the Grand Mosque (Masjid-ul-Haraam) in Makkah, Mr. Adel al-Kalbani shocked even his interviewer on BBC TV in May 2009

http://www.alforatt v.net/index. php?show= news&action=article&id=37369

when he declared that all the ‘ulama (religious scholars) of the Shi‘as are “kuffar” (non-believers) . This is not the first, and certainly, it will not be the last outburst by the clerics of the Wahhabi sect, expressing their blind hatred against the Shi‘as of Ahl-ul-Bayt (sacred family of the Prophet), despite the fact that many Shi‘a pilgrims innocently pray behind them the obligatory congregational prayers.

Mr. al-Kalbani was appointed by the King of Saudi Arabia in that position only last September. So his outburst may be seen as an attempt to secure his position by sending signals to the authorities that he is loyal to their mode of thinking. Although the Shi‘as in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia represent 15-20% of the total population, the Wahhabi cleric said in his interview: “As for repatriating the Shi‘as, we can possibly discuss it.” He claimed that the Shi‘as are not entitled to be represented in the Supreme Council of ‘Ulama, although they are supposed to enjoy the rights of citizenry in a country that has granted them its citizenship. Yet, they have to undergo discrimination because of their religious beliefs and culture.

“There are Shi‘as in the kingdom, but they are a minority and they should not be included in the Supreme Council of Ulama,” stressed Mr. al-Kalbani. He further claimed that they already have more rights than they should have. The Supreme Council was extended in February 2009 to include the other Schools of Sunnis (Maliki, Hanafi and Shafi‘i). It was exclusively formed in the past from members of the Hanbali School, to which the Wahhabi sect is affiliated. In recent months, the Shi‘as called for the establishment of religious pluralism and demanded an entry of Shi‘a ‘ulama to the Supreme Council. The Shi‘as suffer discrimination by being banned from holding key positions in military, diplomacy and security and from exercising their religious practices and cultural activities.

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