According to a statement from the Saudi Press Agency (courtesy IMRA), the Islamic Centers in Saudi embassies are not closing down — contrary to a Washington Post report. The Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance, Sheikh Saleh Bin Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh, “replying to a question on the Washington Post newspaper’s report on the Kingdom’s closure of religious cultural centers in its embassies, he noted that this news item is incorrect, adding that the centers are working and they are part of the Kingdom’s message.”
These Islamic centers have been discovered to be hotbeds of Islamic extremism. The one in Washington’s embassy openly espoused violence. According to a statement on its website, “the Muslims are Required to Raise the Banner of Jihad in Order to Make the Word of Allah Supreme in this World. . . . The Muslims are required to raise the banner of Jihad in order to make the Word of Allah supreme in this world, to remove all forms of injustice and oppression, and to defend the Muslims. If Muslims do not take up the sword, the evil tyrants of this earth will be able to continue oppressing the weak and [the] helpless…”
Sheikh Saleh also “pointed out that the eighth session of the Executive Council of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Ministers due to start here on Wednesday will focus on significant topics topped by terrorism and occupation of parts of the Arab and Muslim World. In an arrival press statement here today, he said that it is improper to attribute terrorism to Islam and other divine religions since Islam’s emblem is peace, indicating that all religions lay stress on mercy, peace and amicability. He affirmed that divine messages have nothing to do with any call for terrorism, extremism and violence, stressing that Islam calls for moderation.”
Great. I trust then that he will he renounce the theology of jihad as explained by a man who has served as Chief Justice of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh ‘Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Humaid. I quote him in Onward Muslim Soldiers. He says that for Muslims, fighting (with weapons, that is) is “obligatory” against “all those who worship others along with Allah.” In the Muslim view that includes Christians and Jews (cf. Sura 9:30: “And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they!”). It also, of course, includes virtually everyone else. Sheikh ‘Abdullah cites three chapters of the Qur’an in support of this view: suras 2, 3, and 9. What will Sheikh Saleh say to him?