THE CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES KING ABDULLAH BIN ABDULAZIZ RECEIVED AT AL-SAFA PALACE HERE TODAY SECRETARY GENERAL OF GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL ABDULRAHMAN BIN HAMAD AL-ATIYYAH. THE KING ALSO RECEIVED A DELEGATION OF SUNNI MUSLIM SCHOLARS COMMISSION IN IRAQ LED BY THE COMMISSION'S SECRETARY GENERAL SHEIKH HARITH AL-DHARI. THE MONARCH ALSO RECEIVED PRINCE DR. BANDAR BIN SALMAN BIN MOHAMMED AL SAUD, ADVISOR TO THE KING AND CHAIRMAN OF NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR MUSLIM CALL IN AFRICA; MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND 31 MUSLIM SCHOLARS FROM 29 AFRICAN COUNTRIES PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMITTEE'S 15TH FORUM ENTITLED IFTA (RELIGIOUS EDICT) DUE TO BE CONCLUDED IN MAKKAH ON SATURDAY. IN HIS SPEECH, KING ABDULLAH WELCOMED THEM, WISHING THEM ALL SUCCESS. THE MONARCH SAID, ''PRAISE BE TO ALLAH, I HERALD THAT THE ISLAMIC RELIGION REMAINS AND WILL REMAIN DEAR FOREVER HOWEVER IT MIGHT BE FOUGHT OR ATTACKED BY SEVERAL COUNTRIES. '' THE KING ADDED, '' HERE WE HAVE BROTHERS FROM IRAQ AND THEY ARE STRUGGLING FAITHFULLY, MANLY AND HUMANLY. THEY PROVE THAT ISLAM, HOWEVER IT MIGHT BE FOUGHT , WILL BE VERY DEAR IN SPITE OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS.'' I WISH YOU PEACE AND CALM IN YOUR COUNTRIES. NOW WE NEED PATIENCE, PEACE AND CALM TO KNOW EACH OTHER. YOU ARE BLESSED TO UNIFY THE RANKS OF YOUR CITIZENS IN PEACE AND TRANQUILITY. I WISH YOU ALL SUCCESS AND MANY HAPPY RETURNS, THE KING SAID. THE AUDIENCES WERE ATTENDED BY PRINCE NAWAF BIN ABDULAZIZ, SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE KING, A NUMBER OF PRINCES; MINISTERS AND SENIOR OFFICIALS. THEY ALL HAD IFTAR (BREAKING FAST) AT THE KING'S BANQUET.
