Saudi Wahhabi Top Cleric Blasts Egypt Protests as Shameful

06 February, 2011 09:28

Saudi Wahhabi Top Cleric Blasts Egypt Protests as Shameful

The Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdel Aziz al-Sheikh, condemned the riots in Arab countries, calling it “chaotic acts” carried out by “enemies of Islam”, to “divide” the Muslim world, according to comments reported Saturday by the local press.

According to the Shiite News Correspondent Report,Saudi Arabia’s top Islamic scholar condemned anti-government protests in Egypt, Â Tunisia and elsewhere as a plot by enemies of Islam to spread instability, Saudi newspapers said on Saturday.

Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians marched peacefully in Cairo on Friday to demand an end to President Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule, but no end to the confrontation was in sight as the unrest entered its 12th day.

Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia has said it is worried that the unrest might lead to instability in Egypt, its main Arab ally. King Abdullah called Mubarak to express his support, Saudi state media said on January 29.

The protests in Egypt, Tunisia and other countries are plots by enemies of Islam to break up Arab Muslim nations, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Aziz Al al-Sheikh, who is close to Saudi government thinking, was quoted as saying.

“This chaos comes from enemies of Islam and those who follow them,” the daily Asharq al-Awsat quoted him as saying, adding that demonstrations led to bloodshed and theft.

Both Saudi Arabia, an Islamic kingdom ruled by the Al Saud family in alliance with clerics following an austere version of Wahhabis, and Egypt are key Arab allies of the US.