Shaykh Abdur Rahman Sudais Meets with Muslim Leaders and Ulema

Shaykh Abdur Rahman Sudais Meets with

Muslim leaders and Ulema

Dr. Mozammel Haque

His Eminence Shaykh Abdur Rahman al-Sudais, Head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques came to the United Kingdom in the first week of June 2015 and he led Friday Jumah prayers and delivered Friday Khutba at the Regents’ Park Central London Mosque on Friday, the 5^th of June and 12^th of June 2015. His Eminence also met with the representatives of the Muslim communities in London at the Islamic Cultural Centre and Regents Park Central London Mosque.

Meeting with Muslim leaders and

Ulema of the Muslim communities

While welcoming Shaykh Abdur Rahman al-Sudais Head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, Dr. Ahmad Al-Dubayan, Director General of the Islamic Cultural Centre, London, said, “Islamic Cultural Centre was so happy to receive His Eminence Shaykh Abdur Rahman Al-Sudais the Head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques. I am also too happy to have all our brothers, representatives of the Muslim communities and organisations who come today to listen to Shaykh Abdur Rahman. Of course, communications among us Muslims is very very important.”

Dr. Al-Dubayan also mentioned, “I think one of the most important is now to see Shaykh Abdur Rahman to talk about the situations in the Two Holy Mosques and get some of the information about projects there and also bringing Muslim together spreading the brotherly feeling from one another. I would like to thank Shaykh Abdur Rahman for this chance and thank to all the brothers who were attending with us.”

Summary of Shaykh Abdur Rahman’s Speech

Shaykh Abdur Rahman addressed the Muslim leaders and Ulema at the Islamic Cultural Centre and it was translated into English by Dr. Ahmed al-Dubayan. First of all, Shaykh al-Sudais welcomed everybody saying, he is so happy with this meeting and he is happy to see all the brothers who has gathered for the meeting from everywhere. He said, “Especially this meeting is very important nowadays particularly because Muslim communities and Muslims everywhere; our faith is facing lot of challenges, one of them is sectarianism and another one is extremism and we think going back to the Book of Allah the Almighty and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is always the security exit from all this Fitna everywhere in the world.”

Tawheed- the Main core of Islamic Faith

Shaykh Al-Sudais said, “I draw the attention of my brothers to give more care and special care for the Tawheed. Tawheed is the main core of the Islamic faith and every Muslim should actually give more attention and relate more and more to Tawheed, about the main faith of Islam.

Four Schools of Thought

While mentioning about different Madhayeb, Schools of Thought, Shaykh al-Sudais said, “Alhamdo lillah, we try our best from the Haramain to respect every Muslim to keep good relations and we also respect all scholars and we respect also all Madhabs and the four Imams of every four Madhabs and they were doing their best, of course, to explain religion for people. We know the differences, the small slight differences among the four Madhayeb is something very small and we should not give it that much important and we should ignore it and act together as one Ummah. The Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) themselves they had different opinions about many things happenings during their time but above all they had clean hearts, good hearts with each other and working together.”

You are Ambassadors of Islam here

Shaykh al-Sudais urged Muslims here to remember, “You are ambassadors and representatives of our faith, Islam. The way you deal with others, the good manners you have always taken, if we want or if we don’t want, as example of our faith, example of our Islam. So the good manners or the good behaviours should be our style; our habits or our duty with everybody, with Muslims and non-Muslims alike. We should be, in the United Kingdom, the best example of all people of our faith.”

Referring to the issues and problems within the Muslim communities in this country, Shaykh al-Sudais advised, “I would like to see that all the problems that you have;  I hope, the Muslim community can sit together with the spirit of dialogue, with the good intentions sit together to solve this problem. This sometimes happened in charity in some Muslim organisations. The Islamic Cultural Centre may give big help in this in solving problems; bringing all parties together, Insha Allah, with the spirit of Islam and with the spirit of Qur’an and Sunnah and to solve all these and to bring Muslims to be united and to be good members of the society.”

Expansion of the Two Holy Cities and Mosques

Shaykh al-Sudais said, “Dear brothers, there are something important I am coming here to give you actually to extend you the greetings of Saudi Arabia, the greetings from the land of Haramain, Makkah and Madinah, and the greetings from the holy sites and when we talk about holy sites we are talking about Makkah; we are talking about Qibla, the Ka’aba, where actually the hearts of all Muslims everywhere in the world are going and directing to when they pray; where all our hearts are attached to all the time and one of the graces which Allah the Almighty  has granted to Saudi Arabia and granted the opportunity to take care of Mosques, and of the Two Holy cities and the Two Holy sites and the expansion that is happening now in the Madinah and in Makkah never happened before in history. I would like to invite everybody, whenever you have a chance, Insha Allah, to see the expansion and the big leading projects happening especially in Makkah and Madinah.”

The Head of the Presidency of the Haramain also mentioned, “Alhamdo Lillah two weeks ago King Salman himself came to visit Makkah and Madinah and to see the projects and the progress of its expansion. This expansion, as I said to you, never happen all the history of the Haramain. Makkah Haram Sharif and Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah are built and expanded; are monitored and refurbished for all Muslims. Why; because we and the government of Saudi Arabia has put a target that there would be a chance for every Muslim to come. When Muslims come in big numbers, in millions; there will be a capacity for all of them. If the Haramain, the Two Holy Mosques remain in the old building; it would be too difficult for everybody, for the next generation to be accommodated in Makkah and Madinah.”

While giving details of the third expansion, the Head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques said, “Now the third expansion from the days of King Abdullah (May Allah shower him with His mercy) is proceeding to the end. The capacity of the new expansion, the Third expansion, is 1.3 million square metres with the old capacity of the Haram 1.7 million square metres. Alhamdo lillah, the result will be 3 million square metres in the Haram in Makkah. That will be 3 million the capacity of the millions of prayers and people coming.”

Giving details of the expansion of Masaa and Mataf, Shaykh al-Sudais said, “Now in Masaa, the old capacity of 50,000 people in one hour; now the capacity of 80,000 per hour. The Mataf also in the third phase of the project of the Mataf, Insha Allah, will start in this Ramadan. Now the capacity of the Mataf is 45,000 per hour; it will be, after the completion of the project, 105 000 per hour.”

Khutba Translation in seven languages

On the spot on the air directly

Shaykh al-Sudais also mentioned, “Alhamdo lillah, teaching in the Haramain are going and the Imams are doing their best in educating people about Hajj, about prayers. We have now a new project which is the translation of the Khutba (Friday Sermons), from the Haram directly on air and it is now the Khutba is translated in seven languages, We are going, Insha Allah, to increase the languages. Translations are happening on the spot on air directly. We want, Insha Allah, the government of Saudi Arabia want the Haramain to be the model of welfare and safety, of peace for everybody Insha Allah of the Muslims of everybody in the world.”

False news and rumours about Haramain

Head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques mentioned, “These projects are unfortunately sometimes targeted by some people who loves so much to create some confusion and fake news about the Saudi government, about Makkah and Madinah. For example, they say Saudi Arabia is destroying the holy sites; some people say: Saudi Arabia is decreasing the number of Hajjis and pilgrims. Saudi Arabia cannot do this at all. Sometimes this is a procedure just to for the project but Islamically, Muslim should not be prevented from coming to Makkah and Madinah.”

Every single project of the Haramain

Based on the Fatwa of scholars

Talking about every single project of the Haramain, Shaykh al-Sudais mentioned, “For your information, dear brothers, I would like to tell you that every single project, every step we do in the project of the Haramain is based on the Fatwa of scholars. We don’t do it like a project; we have to tell Mufti and scholars about what we are doing and they have to give us a Fatwa about. And we come back to the Supreme Council of Scholars of Saudi Arabia; we come back to the Council of Fiqh; the Council of Fiqh of the Rabita al-Alam al-Islami (Muslim World League) in Makkah; they have to check our project. They have to give a Fatwa before we start anything.”

“Insha Allah, within three years,  maximum, everything will come back normal in the Haramain You will see Insha Allah, I am sure you will be happy with all this expansion and you will thank Allah the Almighty first and you will thank those brothers and the King who is behind all these projects,”mentioned Shaykh al-Sudais. .

Mataf floors will be increased to six

Shaykh al-Sudais also informed about the development of Mataf and the air-conditioning of the Haram. He said, “One of the projects coming, Insha Allah; we are going to increase the floors of Mataf. The Mataf will be in different floors. It would be like five to six floors. Another of the projects is to have the whole Haram air-conditioned, Insha Allah. And Insha Allah, there will be electronically umbrella outside, even in the courtyards.”

Some fake news, bad rumours about Haramain

“Unfortunately, some people, the enemy of the Haramain and some of those who would like to confuse Muslim communities and Muslims around the world always repeat some bad news, some bad rumours some fake news about the Haramain. One of them is: they destroy the Holy sites. We don’t destroy this. The Haram must expand; otherwise, the next generation will never find a chance for Hajj or for Umrah. And you yourself will not be happy when you will see how people will be on each other; killing themselves in Hajj, without the expansion of the Haramain,” mentioned Shaykh al-Sudais. .

He also mentioned, “One of the fake things really I wonder how Muslims could believe such things when some people in the media repeated Saudi Arabia is going to remove the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) about some months ago.. This is unbelievable and this is islamically not allowed because Prophets themselves buried where they passed away. We know actually the purpose of all these rumours and fake news is just to make Muslims confused and to make separations among Muslim themselves using the media, using the TV channels and using the social media also.”

Development in Haramain for 

everybody’s security and safety

The Head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques said, “I have to repeat again what I have just said to you that is: always everything is done in the Haramain could not be done without a Fatwa first. Those who envy us or envy Saudi Arabia they are attacking the Haramain. Of course, they will never be happy when we are successful everywhere. I want Muslims to be sure and to be really very comfortable to put in their hearts that is the main target the main objective for all of us is to work what we are doing in Haramain is, from King Salman and before, for security and safety for everybody there. Those who actually spread this rumour or this news are the one who really create danger for the Haramain and you have seen recently the news of what is happening in the Middle East and confusing Muslims killing, supporting some Muslims against other and this is really the real threat for the Haramain and not the projects we are doing.”

Shaykh al-Sudais urged UK Muslims to remember the Haramain is targeted by those who hate Islam. He said, “I belief Muslim communities in the UK is very very important. It is one of the leading communities in the West; so I have to mention this to you and I take advantage of to make clear to all of you. Unfortunately, some Muslims believe whatever is said in the media; whatever is written in the internet; please make sure, don’t forget Allah the Almighty ask us to make sure whenever we hear something we have to use our minds; we have to follow what Allah the Almighty said.  We have to make sure about the source of the news and not just to believe in anything. Always remember that the Haramain is targeted by those who hate Islam, or hate the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and those who would like to have Muslims kill each other and fight each other.”

“Allah the Almighty decide the safety and security of the Two Holy Mosques and these challenges Insha Allah soon will be removed and Insha Allah everybody will be even happy,” said Shaykh al-Sudais.

Shaikh Abdur Rahman al-Sudais also mentioned that he is ready to help in training and help in supporting Muslim communities for the benefit of the societies.

Concluding his speech, Shaykh Abdur Rahman al-Sudais thank everybody for giving him the chance, “this chance to speak to you and I also really get benefit from the comments you have made. May Allah accept our efforts, help us to be good models and good followers of our faith and our Prophet (peace be upon him,” he made supplication.

After the speech, there was Questions & Answers when Brother Sir Iqbal Sacranie suggested having a statement for the media and to all Masajid actually talking about this meeting about this special press release for the media and he said he is going to write it.