Saudi cleric issues rare warning in call for reform

[Cheetah786]

(Reuters) - One of Saudi Arabia's leading clerics has delivered a rare warning to the government that it could face "the spark of violence" if concerns over detainees, poor services and corruption are not addressed.

The conservative Islamic kingdom avoided any major unrest among its Sunni Muslim majority during Arab Spring revolts elsewhere after King Abdullah pledged $110 billion and the powerful clergy backed a ban on protests.(its against Islam to protest against house of Saud )

Any signs of public opposition to the government are closely watched(and put down by force) in the world's top oil exporter and there have been increasingly frequent small demonstrations in recent months by the families of people held as suspected Islamist militants.

Sheikh Salman al-Awdah, a conservative who was imprisoned from 1994-99 for agitating for political change and has 2.4 million followers on Twitter, expressed his concerns in an open letter on the social media site.

He described a mood of stagnation which he said was caused by a lack of housing, unemployment, poverty, corruption, weak health and education systems, the plight of the detainees and the absence of any prospect of political reform.

"If revolutions are suppressed they turn into armed action, and if they are ignored they expand and spread. The solution is in wise decisions and in being timely to avert any spark of violence," he wrote.

The issue of the detainees has brought some Saudi Islamists and liberals to make common cause against what they see as a punitive approach to state security in Washington's closest Gulf ally.

A week ago two prominent human rights activists were jailed after years of campaigning about the issue.

The Interior Ministry's security spokesman had two days earlier warned that activists were using the internet to rouse up street protests by spreading "false information".

Most demonstrations on the issue of detainees have involved only a few dozen people, but in late February 161 protesters were arrested in Bureidah in the central Qassim Province.

Awdah wrote that Saudis "like people around the world" would not "always be silent about forfeiting all or part" of their rights, before adding "when someone loses hope, you should expect anything from him".

Saudi authorities tolerate little public dissent and the official Wahhabi school of Islam discourages political involvement.

Saudi cleric issues rare warning in call for reform | Reuters

 

[al-Hasani]

You are from Pakistan you guys have 1000 more problems with all due respect. Also do you write anything else than constant negative threads about Arabs and useless propaganda?

There have been a lot of reforms in the last 10 years and they are being dealt with in this very moment as well. Things could be worse or better but KSA is the biggest and most stable economy in the Middle East and the standard of living is extremely high compared to the regions overall standard. Moreover Saudis are the most positive people as seen in the latest pools.

Also dissent against the regime/unhappiness is nothing new. Always been there and will be regardless of the rulers. The Al-Saud family are not dumb rulers and King Abdullah is a very good ruler that has done a lot for the country and it's people and constant projects (from leading universities in the region, giant sport centers, libraries, stadiums, infrastructure, skyscrapers, research centers, better health care (already among the best for those who can afford it) and education.

We all know that you are a frustrated Shia but concentrate on the 4 majority Shia countries in the world (Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Azerbaijan) and hail them. Most Pakistani members already have denounced your nonsense and many even wrote it to you as late as yesterday when your tried to spread your propaganda and was caught.

 

[mehboobkz]

its against Islam to protest against house of Saud

Is it in Kuran, hadith?

 

[Cheetah786]

Is it in Kuran, hadith?

Then How did the House of Saud get in power second Its not in Qur'an.

 

[Silverblaze]

You are from Pakistan you guys have 1000 more problems with all due respect. Also do you write anything else than constant negative threads about Arabs and useless propaganda?

There have been a lot of reforms in the last 10 years and they are being dealt with in this very moment as well. Things could be worse or better but KSA is the biggest and most stable economy in the Middle East and the standard of living is extremely high compared to the regions overall standard. Moreover Saudis are the most positive people as seen in the latest pools.

Also dissent against the regime/unhappiness is nothing new. Always been there and will be regardless of the rulers. The Al-Saud family are not dumb rulers and King Abdullah is a very good ruler that has done a lot for the country and it's people and constant projects (from leading universities in the region, giant sport centers, libraries, stadiums, infrastructure, skyscrapers, research centers, better health care (already among the best for those who can afford it) and education.

We all know that you are a frustrated Shia but concentrate on the 4 majority Shia countries in the world (Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Azerbaijan) and hail them. Most Pakistani members already have denounced your nonsense and many even wrote it to you as late as yesterday when your tried to spread your propaganda and was caught.

Hold on. So everyone who criticizes your country, becomes a shia?

Face criticism positively. You may be good, but not the best. You have no reason to display such arrogance.

 

[mehboobkz]

Then How did the House of Saud get in power second Its not in Qur'an.

So how is it against the Islam to protest against the monarchs?

 

[SQ8]

So how is it against the Islam to protest against the monarchs?

It's not, he's pulling your leg.

Also, if members cannot get over their sectarian obsession then they should avoid posting.

 

[Cheetah786]

=al-Hasani;4047338]You are from Pakistan you guys have 1000 more problems with all due respect. Also do you write anything else than constant negative threads about Arabs and useless propaganda?

All of Pakistan's problems originate from Wahhabi in Arabia.

There have been a lot of reforms in the last 10 years and they are being dealt with in this very moment as well. Things could be worse or better but KSA is the biggest and most stable economy in the Middle East and the standard of living is extremely high compared to the regions overall standard. Moreover Saudis are the most positive people as seen in the latest pools.

Our economy is in downward spirals cause of Arabs direct involvements and support to terrorist and their sympathizers in pakistan.

We all know that you are a frustrated Shia but concentrate on the 4 majority Shia countries in the world (Iran, Iraq, Bahrain and Azerbaijan) and hail them. Most Pakistani members already have denounced your nonsense and many even wrote it to you as late as yesterday when your tried to spread your propaganda and was caught.

.The Pakistani member's you talk of are known as paudies and we call them this for a reason plus no one cares what terrorist or their supporters think.I am part of millions of Frustrated Muslim Pakistanis, cause of your open support to terrorist in my country

Our security forces are starting to hunt paudies, Plus the Americans predator takes them out with hell fire missiles appropriate names for the missiles.

Destruction of Islamic holy sites by Wahhabi is my propaganda published in western newspaper owned by house of saud is my propaganda.


you cant take me posting article publish in western newspapers against Saudi, But at the same time your country continues to publish anti Muslim bull crap and supports sectarian terrorist in pakistan and around the world.

What did u think people facing bombs and bullets will shower you with rose pedals and congratulate you on job well done.

So how is it against the Islam to protest against the monarchs?

Isn't that the question you should be asking house of saud or their clerics.

 

[King Solomon]

First, is there a need for revolution? Oh hell no! Maybe during the time when King Fahd used to rule, but not under King Abdullah. This king turned the country around in just about every way. Saudi Arabia's GDP surged about 3 times from the period 2000-present.

Second, revolution, what type of revolution? Syrian style where radical militants violently try to overthrow regime, destroying the country in the process? Libyan style where a foreign power has to intervene? Egyptian style with economic stagflation for 3 years?

I would say Saudi Arabia is doing fine without revolution.

And I think everyone should give it a break. Chances are this thread would turn into one where Saudis would be bashed unabatedly. I don't see anything factually wrong with al-hasani's post excepting (maybe) the last paragraph where he referred to Cheetah as Shia. It's a shame that he gets banned for this, while I've seen more severe offences go unpunished.

 

[Syrian Lion]

First, is there a need for revolution? Oh hell no! Maybe during the time when King Fahd used to rule, but not under King Abdullah. This king turned the country around in just about every way. Saudi Arabia's GDP surged about 3 times from the period 2000-present.

Second, revolution, what type of revolution? Syrian style where radical militants violently try to overthrow regime, destroying the country in the process? Libyan style where a foreign power has to intervene? Egyptian style with economic stagflation for 3 years?

I would say Saudi Arabia is doing fine without revolution.

And I think everyone should give it a break. Chances are this thread would turn into one where Saudis would be bashed unabatedly. I don't see anything factually wrong with al-hasani's post excepting (maybe) the last paragraph where he referred to Cheetah as Shia. It's a shame that he gets banned for this, while I've seen more severe offences go unpunished.

and yet they support those terrorists in Syria....
anyways, USA will protect its puppet, just like in Bahrain...

CIA have warned about this before http://www.defence.pk/forums/middle-east-africa/230842-cia-revolution-riyadh.html
and InshAllah it will happen and the puppet royals will be removed..

 

[somebozo]

Corruption is really epidemic in Saudi Arabia these days, until 2010 it used to happen under the table only but since the 2011 inflation hit hard it has now become norm of the day. Bribes are paid in broad daylight and neither party feels ashamed to pay or ask. Many of the people especially the top elite are losing faith in the government and see no future for the country post King Abdullah - it is very much feared that the country will ding-dong between reformist and conservatives as usual. So many are just stifling to hoard maximum wealth and shift it overseas.

So how is it against the Islam to protest against the monarchs?

As with any imperial religion, anything which goes against the monarch is against the religion.
People need to wake up to reality - Islam = Imperialism!

 

[somebozo]

First, is there a need for revolution? Oh hell no! Maybe during the time when King Fahd used to rule, but not under King Abdullah. This king turned the country around in just about every way. Saudi Arabia's GDP surged about 3 times from the period 2000-present.

Second, revolution, what type of revolution? Syrian style where radical militants violently try to overthrow regime, destroying the country in the process? Libyan style where a foreign power has to intervene? Egyptian style with economic stagflation for 3 years?

I would say Saudi Arabia is doing fine without revolution.

And I think everyone should give it a break. Chances are this thread would turn into one where Saudis would be bashed unabatedly. I don't see anything factually wrong with al-hasani's post excepting (maybe) the last paragraph where he referred to Cheetah as Shia. It's a shame that he gets banned for this, while I've seen more severe offences go unpunished.

I live in Saudi and to be honest - much of the GDP surge is not keeping up with income levels therefore a massive inflation has hit the market. Years of Islamist policies has lead to class division among Saudis. You have these 9-5 job holders struggling to make ends meet then you have these landlord classes who have sprung up tens of buildings and renting our apartments for a living. These landlord class are a beneficiary of Fahd regime during which the wahabi interpretation made any loans and financing "Haram" under the riba stature while people with connections hoarded massive wealth and erected tens of buildings.

Revolution is hard to come to Saudi as long as the oil wealth makes it way into citizen pockets as measly handouts but sooner the handouts will not be enough and there wont be enough oil money to full fill the demand leading to public implosion. The GDP surge is much of a credit to oil price hike rather than local industrialization.

Then is the political mood - a harsh imperialistic mindset also projected by members on PDF. You are with us or automatically against us.