RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh expressed pride over the Kingdom's firm and honorable position on the Palestine issue, saying that this affirms the right of the Palestinian people to live within their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. In his opening speech at the 96th session of the Council of Senior Scholars at the headquarters of the General Presidency for Scientific Research and Ifta in Riyadh on Sunday, the Grand Mufti also hailed the great successes and achievements made by the Saudi Vision 2030 benefitting everyone in the Kingdom. The Council's Secretary General Sheikh Fahd Al-Majid and members attended the meeting. Addressing the first meeting of the newly constituted Council, Al-Sheikh noted the support of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for the Council of Senior Scholars, saying that this enabled the Council to carry out studies on all the topics referred to it and issuing appropriate decisions based on the Islamic Shariah. He also congratulated the members of the new council. "We thank God Almighty for the many blessings He has bestowed upon us in this good country. God Almighty established this country at the hands of King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al-Saud. The word was united, the ranks were unified, and everyone in the Kingdom enjoyed security, stability, and prosperity. This was consolidated at the hands of King Salman and the Crown Prince," he said. The Grand Mufti continued "We praise the many blessings enjoyed by the Saudi citizens and expatriates in the Kingdom such as security, stability, progress and advancement. We are blessed to enjoy the fruits of the wise leadership based on the Kingdom's firm and solid Constitution, which represents the source of its pride, strength and leadership: the Book of God and the Sunnah of His Messenger." Al-Sheikh specially mentioned the justice delivered to all in the Kingdom on the basis of the Islamic Shariah, as well as the Kingdom's service to Islam and Muslims, especially its honor to serve the Two Holy Mosques and caring for their visitors. He also lauded the humanitarian assistance extended by Saudi Arabia to all those who deserve it around the world. "We appreciate the tireless international efforts undertaken by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief). We also commend the high level achieved by the Kingdom in the standards of integrity, transparency and combating corruption," the Grand Mufti added. The Council's Secretary General Sheikh Fahd Al-Majid said that the agenda of the Council session included a number of topics referred to by the highest authorities, as well as government agencies and the private sector, and that these topics were studied by committees and experts specialized in the respective topics included in the agenda. The meeting reviewed scientific research studies and reports that were presented earlier to the members of the council.
