By IINA
Riyadh : Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Alu Al Sheikh, who is also chairman of the Senior Scholars’ Commission and Ifta, stressed that Islam is fundamentally characterized by moderation, ease, tolerance and leniency and has no place for extremism. “The extremists’ positions cannot be considered part of religion, but against it,” he said. The mufti made these remarks in a press meeting on the sidelines of inauguration of the Prince Sultan Chair for Contemporary Islamic Studies at King Saud University here yesterday.
The Mufti said: “We hope this chair will encourage scholarly research based on moderation without excess or carelessness to glorify Allah and safeguard His law and to encourage specialists and researchers to go deep into this field and present strong arguments to confront the tides of extremism and alienation prevailing in the Islamic nation in this era. The Mufti stated that they should be confronted by verified Islamic knowledge based on Holy Quran and the Sunnah (Tradition Prophet) because these two contain guidance and enlightenment.
The Grand Mufti stated that the basis of this religion is moderation, ease, tolerance and leniency so there is no room in it for extremism and the extremism of those who are radical cannot be considered as part of the religion but rather it is against the religion even if it is dressed falsely as being part of the religion. As to those who deny the firm basics or fail to abide by them, the Mufti said, those people deviate from the course of moderation and the faithful, adding that the religion of Allah is in the middle between those who exaggerate and those who abandon it.
Sheikh Alu Al Sheikh said that this is what Allah prescribed for us adding that it is stated clearly in Allah’s book in where it is stated: “Thus, have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Apostle a witness over yourselves.” On the importance of the application of technology in Islamic studies, the Mufti encouraged the use of technology for the benefit of Islamic studies especially in the field of contemporary developments. The Mufti said the people in charge of this Chair are trustworthy and able to correctly judge the priority of studies, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The Mufti expressed thanks to Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz for his generous support for this chair. He said Crown Prince Sultan always supports charity work and efforts of public benefit. The Mufti prayed to Allah to reward the crown prince for this work.