Three days ago, the uproar sparked by the announcement of Sheikh Muhammad Al-Issa, Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, to deliver the “Arafah Day Sermon” in Saudi Arabia, did not subside for three days.
Opponents of the mandate say that Sheikh Al-Issa promotes normalization with Israel, while others believe that the man represents the “voice of modernization” and the values of “tolerance and enlightenment” and “moderate Islam”.
Posts circulating on social media show Al-Issa meeting with leaders of different faiths on several occasions. This tweeter wrote that Al-Issa’s meetings “with non-Muslims” are part of his work.
Taking pictures with non-Muslims or meeting with them. This is the role of Sheikh Muhammad Al-Issa by virtue of his work and position, and haters and stalkers exploit them to pass on malicious and distorting messages. #Arafa sermon pic.twitter.com/6k0iB1NNZj
– Abdul Malik (@aabbzz133) July 7, 2022
On the other hand, this tweeter lists the reasons for his opposition to Sheikh Al-Issa’s “ascension” to the platform of Arafa.
Muhammad Al-Issa prayed during the Holocaust, met with Jewish rabbis and supported the Diyaruna project, which considers the “Al-Baqi’ cemetery” in the city a Jewish heritage.. How can such a person ascend the pulpit of Arafa?#Descend_Al-Issa_from_the_pulpit pic.twitter.com/Q3yNPOVa0w
– Turki Al Shalhoub (@TurkiShalhoub) July 7, 2022
Analysts who spoke to Al-Hurra pointed out that the attribution of the “sermon on the Day of Arafa” to Sheikh Muhammad Al-Issa is in line with the direction of the Saudi leadership to establish a culture of tolerance, coexistence and openness in the Islamic world.
Political analyst Mubarak Al-Ati considered Al-Issa’s choice “a severe blow to the extremist organizations, and an affirmation of the country’s continuation of the approach to changing the religious discourse, and standing against all those who worked and sought to distort the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in serving the guests of Rahman.”
His Excellency the General President and the Presidency’s staff congratulate His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Muhammad Al-Issa for gaining the generous confidence in assigning him to preach the Day of Arafa this year.https://t.co/bC5g4Ld1PU#peace_safe #Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques pic.twitter.com/ABSNmkmsIe
– Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques (@ReasahAlharmain) July 5, 2022
moderate Islam
The Saudi political analyst, Turki Al-Qublan, says that the choice of “Sheikh Al-Issa to preside over the sermon and prayer on the Day of Arafa for this year, came to confirm that the kingdom, where Muslims qiblah, follows the foundations of moderate Islam.”
In an interview with Al-Hurra, he explained that “Al-Issa was able during the last period to translate moderate Islam on the ground, at a time when extremists are seeking to hijack Islam and present it as a religion of extremism.”
Users of social networks re-published pictures and clips of Sheikh Al-Issa performing prayers in memory of the victims of the “Holocaust” during his visit to the Auschwitz extermination camp.
In the video.. The Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, Saudi Muhammad Al-Issa, accompanied by his delegation, performs a prayer in memory of the victims of the Holocaust during his visit to the Auschwitz extermination camp. More than a million Jews were killed in this camp during the Holocaust pic.twitter.com/LngkXguboM
— Israel in Arabic (@IsraelArabic) January 23, 2020
The researcher, Hussein Abdel Hussein, was surprised by the “objection to appointing a preacher for the Day of Arafa because of his moderate views,” wondering: “Is the alternative to show extremism in the Islamic religion?”
Among the objections is that Hajj belongs to all Muslims and that choosing a person for this task is their right.
The day he recognized him, and the Hajj is not for Saudis, but for all Muslims, and we have the right to choose the person who will rise and put his feet in the place of the feet of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace.
How can we pollute the place of the Messenger and put someone like this to deliver a sermon on the day he recognized him to the Muslims? He will tell them: What do they confess to the Jews or pray with the Buddhists?! like what i do#Descend_Al-Eisi_from_the_pulpit pic.twitter.com/06kswfNbUN— ????Doaa Elsayed (@DoaaEls35538183) July 7, 2022
Reflects the vision of Saudi Arabia
Al-Qublan asserts that there are “many parties that fight moderation in Islam, and want to promote it as a religion that incubates extremism, and they consider religion as a means to achieve what they want.”
He went on to say that “the choice of Sheikh Al-Issa is in line with the Saudi vision that the king and his crown prince want, that the Saudi society will confront any extremist fundamentalist tendencies, and that the Islamic community must unite in one row with moderate Islam.”
Turki Al-Hamad, a former professor of political science at King Saud University, wrote: “The important thing is that in the new, renewed Saudi Arabia, no voice can be louder than the voice of modernization and the values of tolerance and enlightenment. The convoy of the future is on its way…”
The important thing is that in the new, renewed Saudi Arabia, no voice is louder than the voice of modernization and the values of tolerance and enlightenment. The caravan of the future is on its way.#Descend_Al-Eisi_from_the_pulpit
– Turki Al-Hamad T. Hamad (@TurkiHAlhamad1) July 6, 2022
The writer Abdul-Hussein notes that “the preachers reflect the official line and direction of the state in general, and in Saudi Arabia religion is considered part of the official institution, and this is why what we hear on the pulpit in the Kingdom reflects the official trends in particular.”
He believes that Saudi Arabia has “reinforced its centrist discourse”, including the emphasis on promoting “peace” in the region, of which “Israel may be a part”.
For his part, political analyst Ali Rajab told Al-Hurra that “Saudi Arabia chose the Secretary-General of the Muslim World League, emphasizing the Saudi role in leading the Islamic world,” adding that although there are “currents that reject the centrist approach within the Kingdom or even in Islamic countries, but Saudi Arabia is reproducing and presenting itself as the leader in promoting moderate Islam around the world.
Writer Waheed Al-Ghamdi defended Sheikh Al-Issa’s assignment and said on Twitter, “The speech presented by Dr. Al-Issa is very confusing for the extremist mentality, which for a long time has been trying to establish a monolithic discourse that creates hatred and ignorance, and sows the seeds of terrorism. The most important thing now is that the Arafat pulpit this year has a reflection on all platforms. other”.
#Descend_Al-Eisi_from_the_pulpit
The speech presented by Dr. Al-Issa is very confusing for the extremist mentality that for a long time has been trying to establish a monolithic discourse that creates hatred and ignorance, and sows the seeds of terrorism.
The most important thing now is for the Arafat pulpit this year to have a reflection on all other pulpits.
– Waheed Al-Ghamdi (@wa7eed2011) July 6, 2022
The US Ambassador to Combat Anti-Semitism, Deborah Lipstadt, had indicated in an exclusive interview with Al-Hurra channel that there is an “important political shift in Saudi Arabia’s behavior towards Jews, which may lead to opening a new era with Israel and the United States.”
“There was a lot of anti-Semitism in Saudi before, and watching that change is a good sign,” Lipstadt said.
She explained that “many changes are taking place, including a change in orientation towards the places specific to Jews in the region, and there is certainly a Jewish community in the city, and other places in the Gulf.”
This tweeter claims that Jesus “prays with the Buddhists.”
#Mohamed_Alissa Praying with Buddhists
How is he to lead Muslims in prayer on the Day of Arafat?
We get it… pic.twitter.com/N7v3TKj1E3– Al-Asiri.. (@AlAsary145) July 7, 2022
Political analyst Mubarak Al-Ati believes that choosing the Saudi leadership for Al-Issa is a well-deserved step. “The sheikh enjoys a scientific status that qualifies him to be a distinguished imam and preacher. He rose through the ranks of the judiciary to obtain the rank of Chief of the Court of Cassation, in addition to his high qualifications that qualified him to take over the Ministry of Justice in 2009, and to occupy the position of President of the Supreme Judicial Council in 2012.”