Sheikh, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance, has said that preachers who give too much attention to politics and not enough to knowledge are harming themselves and those they call to Islam. Speaking at Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh in the presence of the Kingdom's Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Aal Al-Sheikh, the minister said: “It is important for Islamic callers to be concerned with obtaining Islamic knowledge, knowing the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and the difference between Sunnah and Bida' (innovation in religion).” Minister Aal Al-Sheikh called on mosque preachers and khateebs (those who give sermons) to promote optimism and reduce fearful warnings. “In the Qur'an, “Aal Al-Sheikh said, “heaven is mentioned more times than hell, and the reward is mentioned more often than the punishment.” Citing verses from the holy Quran, Aal Al-Shiekh warned preachers against participating in the Islamic call for monetary reasons, and described a preacher's characteristics as including moderation. “The call that lacks this quality will not survive,” he said.
