The Islamic Ummah is still paying a heavy price for 9/11

Confront deviant ideology: Abdullah Badea Abu Al-Naja I Arab News

MAKKAH: The Islamic Ummah is still paying a heavy price for 9/11 and is losing out more with every act of terror, said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah in a speech read out on his behalf by Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal at the Muslim World League's 10th annual Makkah convention. "Enmity from within, which is the most perilous, can be seen in attempts to kidnap moderate Islam by gangs of ignorant people who propagate rigidity out of fear of everything that is new… without any consideration for the rules of the religion," said the king in his opening speech at the convention titled: "Problems of Muslim Youth Under Globalization." "Despite the fact that the Kingdom practices moderation and came into existence under the banner of Islam, it has suffered a lot because of the devious politicized doctrine which has sneaked incognito into the country," he said. He pointed out that the Kingdom has been successful to a great extent in removing the deviant ideology and closing all doors to it. He was referring to the extremist ideology propagated by Al-Qaeda supporters. The king also referred to the recent incursion by infiltrators into the Kingdom's territory saying it was aimed at "confiscating our land and killing and injuring our unarmed people." He praised Saudi forces as well as civilians for their joint efforts to drive away the intruders. The king urged Islamic scholars and organizations to stand firmly against the deviant ideology in order to protect Muslim societies from its nefarious designs and prevent its further spread among Muslim youths. He said enemies of Islam and Muslims were mobilizing their political machinery and the media "to distort our image and create hatred against us." He blamed the irresponsible actions of a few for the anti-Islam campaign. King Abdullah urged Muslims to play an important role in rebuilding human civilization in this age of science and technology. "We have to pay more attention to human development and teach our youths contemporary sciences and technologies while giving utmost attention to Shariah subjects and remaining committed to the Islamic constitution," he said. "There is no harm in taking science and technology from others and molding them to suit our moderate Islamic pattern," he said. Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh, who is the chairman of the Constituent Council of the Muslim World League, said the topic of the convention is one of several issues facing the Ummah. "Youths have the intellectual, physical and innate readiness to achieve their aspirations by any means and Islam shows them the right way to do this and the right way to make use of their leisure time," he said.