Dear Members of the 109th U.S. Congress:
With God’s Name, Who is the Most Merciful, the Dispenser of Mercy.
Since September 11, 2001, your distinguished body on many occasions has discussed the issue of “Wahabiism” and the threat it perceives to pose to the United States.[1] The desire to ensure the security of one’s nation is understood and admirable; however, I believe (along with many of my fellow countrymen) that in pursuing this noble objective, both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its religious teachings and practices have been unfairly misrepresented and maligned. It is in this spirit that I humbly submit this Open Letter to the Members of the 109th Congress.
I believe that in the interest of sound policymaking, I must provide you with our perspective on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and our religious practices in as concise and helpful means possible. My particular concern is that those who have testified before the various committees have included many whose opposition to so-called “Wahabi” doctrines is purely ideological and, more important, not grounded in fact.[2] This only deepens our suspicion that, in attempting to achieve your aim of national security, Congress is being manipulated by those who seek to further their own agendas even at the expense of the United States’ true national interest. And the attacks are not limited to the halls of Congress; unjustified attacks on both the Kingdom and its religion are now being published in your most prestigious media with the purpose that long-term public opinion be turned against Kingdom, its peoples, and religion.[3]
I believe that people in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should engage in an honest and candid dialogue with the citizens of the United States and their representatives. In this spirit I have written this letter. I hope to inform its readers and clear up any misunderstandings that they might have regarding the religious teachings in today’s Saudi Arabia.
Although I have addressed this letter from a Saudi “Wahabi,” I first must point out that nobody in this country’s religious mainstream would refer to themselves by this name. Indeed, such a term is often used as a pejorative and is considered offensive; instead, we refer to ourselves simply as Muslims. In the end, I hope that this open letter will be the start of a continuing and fruitful dialogue between our people.
History
Muslims believe that Islam is God’s final revelation to all of mankind sent via the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet was born in 570 CE in Mecca in what is now Saudi Arabia. This message of Islam was sent as a continuation of the message sent to all God’s Prophets and Messengers. The essence of that message is to worship God alone and do good to one’s fellow man. It is a message that should resonate strongly with Christians, for indeed the Bible reports that Jesus himself said, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”[4]
At the time that Islam was revealed, the Arabs were steeped in paganism, idolatry, and infanticide. As one of the companions of Muhammad had explained to the Christian ruler of Abyssinia: “We were a people in a state of ignorance and immorality, worshipping idols and eating the flesh of dead animals; committing all sorts of abomination and shameful deeds; breaking the ties of kinship; treating guests badly; and the strong among us exploited the weak.”[5] The companion then described what God had commanded His Prophet and Muslims to d “to worship Allah alone and to renounce the stones and the idols which we and our ancestors used to worship besides Allah. He commanded us to speak the truth, to honor our promises, to be kind to our relations; to be helpful to our neighbors; to cease all forbidden acts, to abstain from bloodshed; to avoid obscenities and false witness; not to appropriate an orphan's property nor slander chaste women; He ordered us to worship God alone and not to associate anything with him; to uphold prayer; to give alms and fast in the month of Ramadan.”[6] This message of Islam spread throughout Arabia and then throughout the world, has been embraced by people of all cultures and societies, and has brought forth one of the great civilizations of human history.[7]
Reform
As with all civilizations, there are periods of flowering and also decay. Two centuries ago, when America was in its infancy, the peoples of Arabia had fallen back into the paganism, ignorance, superstition, illiteracy, and societal oppression – conditions that were quite similar to the pre-Islamic days. At that time a religious scholar, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhab (d. 1762), began the task of religious and societal reform. His main message was that God alone should be worshipped and that Muslims should return to the teachings and practice of the Prophet Muhammad. He was joined in this task by Muhammad Ibn Sa‘ud (d.1765); with these events, the essential concepts underlying the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was born.
The modern Saudi state was actually formed some one hundred years after Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhab’s death The leading scholars of the Muslim world agreed to the custodianship of the Holy Places of Mecca and Medina by the Saudi state and to the soundness of the religious doctrines on which this state is based. For this reason “Wahhabism” is not a sect outside of main body of Islam; rather, it is merely a reform movement that has been recognized by the majority of Muslims.
Compatibility with Modernity
Like all developing nations, Saudi Arabia faces many challenges. We have social, economic, and political issues that need to be addressed. Our religious teachings, however, are not against modernity, progress, or development. Rather, this religious movement has led to a general renaissance in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic world as a whole.[8] In just 70 years, Saudi Arabia has developed a nationwide education system consisting of eight universities, 100 colleges, and 26,000 schools that provide free education to over 5,000,000 students. The teacher-student ratio of 1:12.5 is among the lowest in the world, with over one quarter of the annual state budget allocated to education.[9] There are currently 320 hospitals in the Kingdom consisting of 46,048 beds.[10] In the face of these facts it is difficult to understand how our religious beliefs could possibly be inherently anti-progress and anti-modernity.[11] Although we have much to improve, the achievements of the Kingdom thus far demonstrate that a modern society can be built upon core teachings and that progress is not hindered by an adherence to Islamic law.
Fundamentalism Defined
Religious fundamentalism is not unique to Saudi Arabia; it is a worldwide phenomenon. Just as many Christians are turning to their religion for guidance in the modern world, likewise so do many Muslims. Although the distinction has been lost, Islamic fundamentalism no more equates with extremism or violence than does Christian or Jewish fundamentalism. The fundamentalist lives his life within the strictures of his religious laws, whereas the extremist transgresses them. If Christian fundamentalism is tolerated at the highest echelons of the US government, then it is hypocritical to attack that the fundamentalism of Saudi Arabia. Unlike some of the fundamentalist movements in the Christian world, Saudi fundamentalism is not based on a dispensationalist theology that seeks Armageddon, nor does it involve attacks on Jesus or Moses – both of whom Muslims revere and love.
Today, millions of non-Muslims reside in the Kingdom where they live unmolested and are rewarded handsomely for the many services they provide. In stark contrast to the frequent claim that “Wahabis” deny “non-Wahabis” equality and justice,[12] the government of Saudi Arabia affords all citizens their rights under the law..[13]
Misconceptions on Jihad
The scholars of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have been among the most vocal opponents of religious extremism and terrorism in the Muslim world. Long before September 11, 2001, our scholars had warned against the dangers of extremism and spoken decisively against the spreading of civil strife and violence in the name of “jihad.”[14] All Muslim terrorism is both created by and reflects an ignorance of the tenets of Islam and a false belief in the meaning and rules of jihad. This can only be corrected by the scholars of Islam, and it is counter-productive for the United States to claim that it is fighting terrorism while targeting those most able to correct the ignorance in which such terrorism is born.
Jihad does not equate with terrorism or the spreading of civil strife; rather, jihad is a concept with which most of your citizens would agree if correctly understood. In Islamic belief, the greatest jihad is the struggle that each soul must wage against itself to live a pure and good life. At the same time, Islam empowers its adherents to defend their lives, property, and honor from attack. When injustice is present, Islam not only tolerates fighting, it is required. When, however, a Muslim is required to fight, his behavior is constrained by a detailed code of conduct that prohibits attacks on innocent civilians, the harming of the environment, the destruction of places of worship, and the harassment of priests and non-combatants. That said, Muslims do not seek war with our enemies. However we recognize, as does the West, that sometimes war is unavoidable.[15] The rules of engagement in Islam are well defined and Islam views the peaceful resolution of disagreement and conflict as being preferable to war.
Peace in the Middle East
The just resolution of the Palestinian issue is pivotal to solving many of the problems we witness today. The scholars of Saudi Arabia have always been concerned with the issue, and the Kingdom’s rulers have long sought to resolve the matter; Crown Prince Abdullah’s 2002 peace offer is the latest example.[16] Once the Palestinian issue is solved, the many other issues that separate the United States from the Islamic world will fade away.
Charities
Claims that Saudi charities either deliberately or inadvertently fund al-Qaeda ignore the fundamental tenet of charitable giving in Islam. “Zakat,” or charity, is one of the five pillars of Islam; it requires the giving of 2½ percent one’s assets that have been held for one year to be to a narrow class of needy persons. Due to its importance to the faith, Muslims and Muslim leaders strictly enforce where their charitable donations go.
Rather than work with Saudi and other Muslim charities to ensure transparency, accountability, and best practices, the United States has imposed counter-productive measures on Saudis beyond that which even their own citizens would tolerate. These measures include ending collection boxes for the needy, consolidating all charities and charity bank accounts into a single agency, the implementing rules that encourage if not require legitimate charities to consider going underground. Furthermore, the common United States practice of freezing charities’ and charitable officials’ bank accounts based upon secret evidence only serves to reinforce the image of ending faith-based giving rather than truly rooting out the evils of terror finance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to remind the American people and their representatives that for more than 70 years there has been a peaceful and mutually beneficial relationship between our two countries.[17] In the words of former President Ronald Reagan, “the friendship and cooperation between our governments and peoples are precious jewels whose value we should never underestimate.”[18] I believe that the Muslim world in general and people of Saudi Arabia people in particular genuinely desire to overcome the current tension and retain this precious jewel. The Muslims, and in particular their religious leadership, want only to develop and reform their societies; they do not seek a perpetual war of civilizations or World War IV.[19] Rather, we seek peaceful coexistence and an exchange that is mutually beneficial to both Muslim and non-Muslims alike.
Such a future can only be built on understanding and trust. In that spirit, we invite the members of the 109th Congress of the United States of America to an honest and open dialogue. Instead of attempting to form an opinion based on the testimony of others, invite the Islamic scholars of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to stand before your distinguished body and address your every concern directly. Instead of rushing into a hasty judgment on this nation and these people who have been your friend and ally for over 70 years, I suggest to the members of Congress themselves visit the Kingdom and observe first hand our religious systems and our way of life. True peace can only be based upon understanding.
Sincerely,
Soliman H. alBut'he
Box: 92684 Riyadh 11663, KSA
Email; soliman.albuthe@gmail.com
Notes
[1] See, e.g., Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Terrorism, United States Senate, September 10, 2003 ((http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=910);); “Terrorism: Growing Wahabi Influence on the United States”, June 26, 2003 (http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=827); Testimony of Matthew Levitt and Matthew Epstein to Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Terrorism, September 10, 2003 “Terrorism: Two Years After 9/11, Connecting the Dots” (http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=910); Testimony of Ambassador Dore Gold and Stephen Emerson to U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, July 31, 2003 (http://www.senate.gov/~gov_affairs/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID=106); Testimony of Ali al-Ahmad (http://www.house.gov/lantos/caucus/TestimonyAhmed060402.htm), June 4, 2002.
[2] See, e.g., Stephen Schwartz (“Terrorism: Growing Wahabi Influence in the United States”, June 19, 2003. Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Government Information) is a follower of Hisham Kabbani who is theologically at odds with mainstream Islam. In February 1999 a statement was issued by the major Muslim organizations in the United States denouncing Hisham Kabbani and demanding he apologize for making “false and defamatory allegations” against the Muslim community of North America in a presentation before the US Department of State (January 7, 1999). The statement was signed by American Muslim Political Coordination Council (AMPCC), American Muslim Alliance (AMA), American Muslim Council (AMC), Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), Ministry of Imam W. D. Muhammad and the Muslim Students Association of the United States and Canada.
Dore Gold, former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations and author of the polemical Hatred’s Kingdom, has also been called to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs regarding “Terrorism Financing: Origination, Organisation and Prevention”.
In this same hearing, Steven Emerson was invited to testify. Emerson is most well-known for his outspoken – and demonstrably false – accusations that Muslims were responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing (CBS News, April 20, 1995) and caused the tragic accident of TWA Flight 800 (Reuters, July 31, 1996). In addition, a May 1998 investigative report by Tampa’s Weekly Planet found that in 1997 Emerson had presented his own writings to two Associated Press journalists and claimed that it was a high-level FBI report. The report also found that Emerson had provided false information to a U.S. Senate Subcommittee in 1998During that testimony Mr. Emerson had claimed that US authorities had warned him that “radical Islamic fundamentalists” had been assigned to murder him and that he could enter the witness protection program. An FBI spokesman confirmed to the Weekly Planet that these allegations were untrue.
Reviewing Mr. Emerson’s book, The American House of Saud, The Economist (February 8th, 1986) wrote, “The conspiracy theory of history always finds believers – blame the Jews, or the communists, or the blacks, and thus seek absolution. Mr. Steven Emerson . . . blames the Arabs . . .” In a review of his book, Terrorist, The New York Times Book Review wrote that it was “marred by factual errors . . . that betray an unfamiliarity with the Middle East and a pervasive anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian bias” (May 19th, 1991)
[3] Schmidt, Susan. “Spreading Saudi Fundamentalism in the US”. Washington Post. October 2, 2003. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A31402-2003Oct1?language=printer
[4] Matthew 4:10
[5] These were the words spoken by the Prophet’s companion, Jaafar ibn Abi Talib before the just Christian king, the Negus of Ethiopia, who sheltered the fledging Muslim community in his lands from the persecution of the pagan Arabs of Mecca. In the same way, millions of Muslims have sought shelter and economic in your lands for more than a century. It is extremely disturbing to the more than one billion Muslims of the world that our co-religionists who live among you and were looked upon by their brethren in the Islamic world as enjoying full religious freedoms, educational, and economic opportunity to which we, in turn, benefited, are now objects of irrational fear and willful persecution.
[6] This is the second half of Jaafar’s speech to the Negus of Ethiopia, in which he explains the Islamic belief.
[7] The US Congress has itself recognised the importance of Islamic civilization. On the dome of the Jefferson Building in the Library of Congress are twelve seated figures that represent the twelve epochs of human civilization. Of these, one figure represents Islam; testifying as to the important role that Islamic civilization has played in the formation of the modern world (http://www.loc.gov/loc/walls/jeff1.html#mrr). On October 16, 1979, during the 96th Congress of the United States, Senate Concurrent Resolution 43 (SCR 43) was passed “honouring the Fourteenth Centennial of Islam”. The resolution recognized the contribution of Islam to humanity and pledged a congressional commitment to building and improving relations with all nations of the world.
[9] “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Information on Current Issues”, March 2003. Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington, DC.http://www.saudiembassy.net/publications/pdf/summary-Mar03.pdf
[10] http://www.saudinf.com/main/y6167.htm
[11] Writing in the National Review (September 11, 2003) Senator Jon Kyl claimed that Wahabiism “threatens the progress and security of many countries with substantial Muslim populations.”
[12] Alex Aliexiev, testifying before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security claimed: “Non-Wahhabi Sunni Muslims (syncretic Muslims, Sufis, Barelvis, Bahai, Ahmadis, etc) are still considered illegitimate, at best, while the Shia religion is particularly despised as a “Jewish conspiracy” against Islam.”
[13] The Kingdom is committed to maintaining unity and cohesion between the various groups that make up Saudi society. In supporting this, Crown Prince Abdullah convened a National Meeting for Intellectual Dialogue (June 15 to June 18, 2003). The meeting brought together key intellectuals from throughout the Kingdom, representing both Sunni, Sufi and Shi’ite communities, to discuss and reach a consensus on national vision and a program of social and political reform for the Kingdom. http://www.saudiembassy.net/press_release/03-spa/06-20-Islam.htm.
[14] It should always be remembered that Saudi opposition to terrorism did not begin with September 11 or with the bombings in Riyadh. Rather, the scholars of the Kingdom have been vociferous critics of all forms of extremism in the Muslim world and the political violence that it has given birth to. Writing many years before September 11, the late Sheikh Ibn Uthaimeen declared suicide bombings to be against Islamic law in Kayfa Nu’aalij Waaqi’un al-Aleem (page 119). He likewise declared those who use suicide attacks against civilians as “wrongdoers” and carrying out an action that has no benefit (Sharh Riyaadh us-Saaliheen, Volume 1, Pages 165-166). Asked about one of the Muslim extremist groups in Egypt in 1987, Sheikh Abdul Aziz ibn Baz, the late Grand Mufti of the Saudi Arabia, stated, “They are not to be co-operated with, nor are they to be given salutations. Rather, they are to be cut off from, and the people are to warned against their evil, since they are a tribulation and are harmful to the Muslims, and they are the brothers of Satan”. (recorded on tape 11 in the at-Taw’iyyatul Islaamiyyah collection, 1987). Since September 11, the Kingdom has aggressively sought to confront whatever extremist ideas may exist in the Muslim world. In doing so, the scholars have sought to clarify the position of Islam with regards to the events of September 11. The 17-member Council of Senior Scholars gave its support for the government crackdown on terrorists in the aftermath of the Riyadh bombings (“Council of Senior Scholars Back Government Crackdown on Terrorists”, 17th August, 2003. Arab News). In a public statement issued after the attack this council of senior scholars wrote referring to the harming of non-Muslim workers living in the kingdom: “Also from the lives that are protected in Islaam, are the lives of those (non-Muslims) who are given agreements, the dhimmees, and those who seek protection (from the Muslims)….the Prophet said, “Whoever killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims, shall not smell the smell of Paradise though its smell is perceived from a distance of forty years.” Sheikh Salih al-Fawzan wrote in al-Madina newspaper (31st May, 2003) regarding the perpetrators of the Riyadh bombings: “And this action of theirs was a result of their ignorance, their being deceived and their evil nurturing, and their breaking off from the society and their turning away from learning the beneficial knowledge, and taking it from those who (truly) possess it, and also restricting themselves to their own faulty understandings and their stagnant views.” Sheikh Saleh al-Lehaydaan, Chief Justice of the Saudi Arabian Judiciary, declared September 11 a “terrible crime”. He later described it as being completely rejected by Islam. On 15th September, 2001, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz aali-Sheikh stated: “Hijacking Planes, terrorizing innocent people and shedding blood constitute a form of injustice that can not be tolerated by Islam, which views them as gross crimes and sinful acts.” He also stated in the aftermath of September 11:
“That these matters that have taken place in the United States and whatever else is of their nature of plane hijackings and taking people hostage or killing innocent people, without a just cause, this is nothing but a manifestation of injustice, oppression and tyranny, which the Islamic Sharee’ah does not sanction or accept, rather it is expressly forbidden and it is amongst the greatest of sins.”
[15] “God forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for God loves those who are just.” Surah 60 Verse 8
[16] In March, 2002, Crown Prince Abdullah put forward the plan that the Arab world would recognize Israel in return for Israel withdrawing to its pre-1967 borders.
[17] As the US State Department report on the Kingdom has acknowledged, Saudi Arabia is one of the largest aid donors in the world. Between 1975 and 1987 alone, our country donated over US$48 billion, second only to the United States. This figure consists primarily of donations to humanitarian and developmental efforts and not purely religious projects.
[18] President Ronald Reagan during his welcome address for King Fahd ibn Abdul Aziz al-Saud upon his first official visit in 1985.
[19] On April 2nd, 2002, former CIA chief, James Woolsey said that the United States was engaged in World War IV and that it would continue for years. Singling out Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and the leaders of Saudi Arabia, he said, “We want you nervous. We want you to realize now, for the fourth time in a hundred years, this country and its allies are on the march and that we are on the side of those whom you -- the Mubaraks, the Saudi Royal family -- most fear: We’re on the side of your own people.” (Newsmax:http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/7/24/230153.shtml)
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