Grand Mosque imam: ‘It is time to act upon and confront challenges’

Imam and preacher of the Grand Mosque, Sheikh Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, urged Muslim heads of state and leaders to become more aware about their great responsibility toward God and their people, especially at a time when the Islamic nation is facing myriad challenges and crises.
In his Friday sermon at the holy mosque, Sheikh Saleh stressed that the upcoming Makkah Islamic summit would be a venue for transparent dialogue in order to restore the Islamic nation’s vitality and remove barriers.
“The success of the summit underlines in upholding basic values, broader interests and stand by just causes so as to strengthen the capabilities of the Islamic nation and unify its ranks, with a determination to uplift the Ummah and confront the challenges facing it. Beware that rigid ambitions and narrow interests would stand in front of broader interests, great hopes and the confidence of the Islamic nation,” he said.
Addressing the Islamic leaders, Sheikh Bin Humaid said that their first priority is to strengthen Islamic solidarity and make serious endeavors to realize unity, and keep away from fragmentation and disturbances. “Your people expect from you firm positions against campaigns being unleashed against Islam, the Prophet (peace be upon him) of Islam, and holy book of God. It is imperative for you to take firm positions against all those who link Islam with extremism and terrorism and forcing Muslims to pay a big price with their souls, dignity, economy, policy and relations,” he said.
Sheikh Bin Humaid also warned the leaders against abhorrent sectarianism, describing it as subversion and a snake that raised its head. The imam repeated the word Palestine three times, while calling it as the first and foremost problem facing the Islamic world. Drawing attention to the aggression being pursued by the Israeli occupation forces in Palestine, he called on leaders to take concrete steps to address this vital issue.
Sheikh Bin Humaid urged the leaders to take urgent action to halt massacres being perpetrated in Syria and Myanmar, in which innocent civilians, including women and children, are the victims. “It is essential to take decisive steps to protect these oppressed people and enable them to restore their rights to enjoy safety and freedom from injustices,” he said.
Bin Humaid, who is also former chairman of the Shoura Council and the Supreme Judiciary Council, called upon the Muslim leaders to explore the prospect of using the Islamic nation’s potential manpower and capabilities to work out plans and allocate resources for joint economic, industrial and military projects as well as for educational reform and achieving technical and educational excellence.