Open letter to Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

Saudi Arabia should curb Wahhabi ideology to alleviate human suffering in the Muslim world

Dear King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz,

Assalamu-alaikum.

I am a 52-year-old Malaysian-born Muslim. I was raised in a harmonious interracial and interfaith society that accepted and respected other religious practices. The existence of different faith groups was viewed simply as different ways of connecting to the same God. Saudi Arabia started exporting its Wahhabi ideology in the 1970s, and it spread around the world, turning existing interpretations of Islam into one that is dogmatic and violent.

The result is a nearly unrecognizable form of Islam. It appears to get worse by the day. Murders, suicide bombings, sectarianism and religious hatemongering have become commonplace. We cannot continue on this path of religious-based mayhem in the name of Islam. The Muslim world needs a change. You are in the best position to take us out of this misery.

As a child, I remember celebrating Mawlid — the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday — with uplifting songs, prayers and even a parade. Now it is taboo to observe Mawlid even in America, and adherents to the Wahhabi brand of Islam would rather emphasize his death. The same clerics tell us we cannot critically engage with the Quran or use our God-given right to think in order to reconcile the contradictions that exist between the Quran and hadith, the collection of record of the prophet’s sayings that serve as a source of religious and moral guidance.

When I was growing up, weddings and community events were colorful and featured music and dance, without segregating the sexes. This is no longer the case in many Muslim communities. Music, dance and unsegregated gatherings are deemed haram, or forbidden. Artistic expressions must be Sharia-compliant, meaning no depiction of humans or animals.

http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/2/open-letter-to-saudi-king-salman-bin-abdul-aziz.html

[Ilsa]

1. I hope Ani Zonneveld survives to see real change. nt

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

2. I'm not very optimistic. But one can hope. nt

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Last time I checked she lives in the US, she's a musician.

So that's helpful. I'm sure it's the same person...unusual name.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

10. Duh! I completely misread the previous post. Yeah I think you and I found the same

person. What I'm not hopeful about is, her seeing this type of change in her lifetime.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Ani+Zonneveld&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&safe=on&gws_rd=ssl

[JonLP24]

3. This is important on so many levels

The US has far more influence but if they were truly interested in fighting terrorism they'd say the same thing to Saudi Arabia. While US calls for more sanctions against Russia -- Saudi Arabia currently has none.

In all those Islam discussions on Real Time, no one appears to be informed on the facts this writer mentions which are 100% true. One even said, "I'd like to see Saudi Arabia" have an active role in fighting IS but with the beheadings, Hisbah, etc. What difference does it make?

The closest was recent guest Cat Stevens. He mentions we are the sideshow to there war against Islam & explained it is how targeted with Boko Haram which he claimed the name meant "Book unclean", that may not be accurate but it is close to the several disputed translations. "Prohibited" is universally agreed part of it, some say the other part is "Western Education". In any case, in the petroleum export era they opened up religious schools, some of them nicknamed "Terrorist University". I know one is in a country that borders Russia. VICE had an interesting report, somebody seen leaving the school was kidnapped in a SUV & disappeared. Family is upset but shows how far some are willing to go to fight this Wahabbism exportation. The Republican to his left brought up the US citizen beheaded & nods -- the discussion went from there but we are the sideshow to all this.

The man in my sig line was sentenced to crucifixion by Saudi Arabia for non-violent opposition to the Saudi regime.

[Martin Eden]

4. but ... but ... the SAUDIS are our ALIIES!!!

Just because the authoritarian Saudi monarchy actively spreads the fundamentalist/intolerant/violent Wahhabi version of Islam that spawned al Qaeda & ISIS, doesn't mean we should criticize our good friend Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

7. Well, you wouldn't want to be rude :-P nt

[Rhinodawg]

5. Whaaaaaat ?

The result is a nearly unrecognizable form of Islam. It appears to get worse by the day. Murders, suicide bombings, sectarianism and religious hatemongering have become commonplace. We cannot continue on this path of religious-based mayhem in the name of Islam.

Never thought I would read that here.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

6. I never thought I'd be reading your bullshit here. But here we are.

[bullwinkle428]

8. Saudi Wahabbism + U.S. invasion of Iraq = Rise of ISIS.