Shethri, member of the Council of Senior Ulema and of the Permanent Ifta (Edict) Committee for Saudi Arabia, in this interview with Al-Hayat Arabic daily, examines the issue of controversial edicts that have of late created fissures in Saudi society. Q: Edicts that brand others as defilers have sparked controversy of late. Should intellectual discord be dealt with through dialogue and argumentation or through branding others as defilers? And is every jurist entitled to brand others as defilers? A: This problem is quite precarious and is blamed on writers who take matters lightly and do not bother to consult with specialists before penning their articles. An idea may be valid but may be presented in an unusual way or based on feeble evidence. Consequently, some readers take these writings to be from trusted jurists who, in turn, incriminate the writers. This is where the rift begins in the nation. It is also feared that some overzealous Muslims may interpret this as permission to shed blood. If we follow the example of the pioneering Muslim clerics, we will find that they were fair and allowed others to discuss their thoughts. They even found excuses for those who committed errors when expressing their views and did not label them as sinners.Q: Some writers think that people get branded for provoking an argument because some preachers fail to find strong arguments for healthy debate. What is your view on this? A: Muslim clerics have strong arguments and patent evidence and they are most keen on debating with others. I endorse rational dialogue, impartial discussions of ideas and opinions and total awareness of the consequences of matters.Q: What is your opinion on the edict-programs on satellite channels, particularly since you have appeared as a speaker on a number of these? A: I find that these call-in shows may bring up undesirable issues. At times, one may find oneself unable to respond to the overwhelming queries spanning a wide array of various and unrelated subjects. Also, some of the callers may have malicious or personal intentions, such as advertising a certain company or slandering people or countries, all in devious ways. I have turned down many invites to appear on these shows – and I would have declined to appear on television altogether had I not been asked by illustrious figures to do so – because I fear that these shows may end up being hosted by individuals with no proper credentials.Q: Unusual debates have been taking place for some time now among members of the Senior Ulema Council in Saudi Arabia. How would you describe the nature of the relationship among these Ulema? A: The ethical values and virtues of Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him, serve as a role model for the Kingdom's Ulemas. Therefore, they only seek the welfare of others. It is a blessing from God the Almighty that Ulemas are bonded by love, appreciation and cooperation to achieve all that is good and virtuous and that they consult with each other.Q: What about their stance on the government's reforms? A: The relationship between the Ulemas and the government is one of respect, integration and cooperation.Q: All other Gulf countries have allowed the existence of churches on their territories. Frankly, is there any prohibition in the Shariah to allow the same in Saudi Arabia, naturally outside the boundaries of the two Holy Mosques? A: I cannot render an individual opinion or reach a conclusive decision on this matter as it is up to the decision makers who possess the necessary wisdom, religious background and interaction with the Shariah experts to do so. His Eminence the Mufti and the Senior Ulema Council are aware that non-Muslims have lived in the Arabian Peninsula since the era of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and that they performed their rituals of worship in a non-publicized manner. There was no restriction to this and no buildings were needed for the performance of the rituals – particularly since the stay of non-Muslims in this country is a temporary one. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to build something permanent for the sake of something temporary. Furthermore, every country has its own sovereignty and independent decision making, which is consistent with its regulations, interests and religious beliefs. Therefore, it is inappropriate to require a country to emulate other countries, as this would constitute an infringement on its sovereignty.Q: The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah was recently awarded the King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam. In the view of the senior Ulemas, what are the King's achievements that made him worthy of this prize? A: The King Faisal Award has become more prestigious than other awards or prizes such as the Nobel Prize due to the versatility of its subject areas, the soundness of the selection criteria and the successful selection of subjects. As for the personality of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, he has rare and influential attributes and he has used this influence worldwide to achieve considerable benefits for the entire human race. On the Muslim-world scale, King Abdullah has made commendable achievements in the political, scientific and religious spheres and has spared the world many conflicts. The Kingdom's fraternal stances and decisions have won it the hearts of not only all Muslims but also all human beings.Q: The word “challenges” is ambigous. What do these challenges refer to specifically? A: Terrorism is one example but it was addressed courageously by the Saudi leadership through preemptive security measures and candid discourse to introduce the world to the veracity of Islam. Q: In your view, is there a cultural challenge that the King has left a marked influence on? A: Certainly. The King has dealt with the cultural challenge through spreading the Islamic culture and our virtuous ethics to other countries while promoting the need to draw on the cultures and scientific knowledge of other nations. The National Dialogue was instituted by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and he has dealt with the challenge of social development. King Abdullah has also exhibited great wisdom in dealing with the greatest challenge of all, which is to restrain those who tried to harm a major power and preempt any reaction on the part of this power. __
