LETTER TO SAUDI EMBASSY

28 January 2010 19:07

In the name of Allah, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful  

The Honourable HRH Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf  

Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland  

Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  

30 Charles Street  

W1J 5DZ  

24 January 2010  

Dear Sir  

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.  

The Council of European Jamaats would like to express with deep sadness, our grave concerns about the recent distasteful statements by Shaykh Al-Ureifi, a prominent speaker in Riyadh and the despicable caricature in al-Watan, a newspaper headed by Prince Bandar Bin Khalid al-Faisal.  

We are particularly saddened that during these difficult times when Muslim unity is threatened, such derogatory statements about the Shia Muslims, the followers of Ahlul Bayt and the Supreme Religious Authority of the Muslims, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Hussaini al-Sistani (may God prolong his life) are not only inappropriate but risk the spread of hatred and enmity amongst fellow Muslims and only play into the hands of our enemies and ill intentioned ones. His Eminence is one of the most notable Muslim scholars, highly esteemed by millions of Muslims and many non-Muslims too, he is renowned for his scholarly status, his emphasis on unity and self-restraint.  

We feel it is our ethical and religious responsibility to highlight that it is unacceptable for individuals, particularly individuals in authority to use such derogatory references to accuse others of disbelief. Every sound-minded and conscious Muslim would agree this to be the case and urge tolerance amongst those of different belief and schools of thought.  

The custodians of the Holy Places should in the least, officially reprimand the individuals concerned and stop such transgressions and attacks upon that which is sacred and detrimental to Muslim unity.  

We await your official response on this serious matter  

May Allah protect us from disunity and may He guide us all on the Right Path. And may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.  

Yours faithfully  

Dr Husein Jiwa  

President