Saudi King: Don’t misuse Islam for terrorism

Some vested interests are tarnishing the noble image of Islam and using it to perpetuate terrorism across the world, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has warned.

In his Eid Al-Fitr address to the citizens, expatriates and the Muslims worldwide, King Abdullah said the Kingdom has taken several measures to root out the scourge of terrorism and to protect the country’s security and stability.

The Eid, he said, is an occasion to rejoice at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The King extended his best wishes for the Eid to world Muslims.

“The Muslim Ummah should steadfastly strive to defeat the forces who are maligning the noble and kind image of Islam and harming the believers and their sons,” the King said.

King Abdullah’s message was read on national television by Abdulaziz Khoja, minister of culture and information. The King said it is the duty of the Ummah to guide those deviants who have fallen prey to the guiles of those who have cloaked their real intention behind religion. “Islam has got nothing to do with these nefarious designs. God willing, we will have to collectively thwart the efforts of all those who want to transform security into fear and prosperity to poverty,” he said.

These people, the King said, are worse than open enemies of the Ummah. “We will guard our blessed country against the evil deeds of these deviant forces,” he said.

The King said his government is determined to uphold the Islamic values and ethos, away from extremism. “We pray to Almighty Allah to make us effective in warding off the devilish forces,” he said.

Paying rich tributes to King Abdulaziz, the founder of the Kingdom, King Abdullah said his vision and farsightedness enabled him to lay the foundation of a secure and stable nation.

“King Abdulaziz unified the country on the basis of peace, love, harmony and respect. The founder largely followed the teachings of Islam which preached moderation and rejected extremism in all matters,” King Abdullah said.