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June 21, 2010 13:46:48
Posted By CaptiveMinds
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We strongly disagree with the Saudi authorities. Al Aqsa is the third holiest site for all Muslims; and we must show our presence and attachment to the mosque by visiting it. By visiting Al Aqsa and Jerusalem as Muslims we do not acknowledge the illegal occupation by Israel; however we show our attachment to Al Aqsa and show the importance of it to Muslims. Al Aqsa is one of the three mosques which we can have the intention to visit it. By choosing not to visit Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem, we are only helping the Zionist to keep the Muslims away for the holy mosque. Zionists are already spreading propaganda that the Muslims have no roots in Jerusalem or Al-Aqsa; we should not let this happen! It is our right as Muslims to visit Al-Aqsa no matter who is occupying the land. Only by being attached to Al-Aqsa will our children also be attached to it and the whole Muslim Ummah!! ---------------------- Saudi authorities: We will punish Al Areefi if he travels to Jerusalem "Traveling to countries on which a travel ban is imposed without obtaining a special permission from the authorities leads to penalization." The official spokesman of Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Passports, Major Badr El Malik, said that any Saudi who travels to a country on which the Saudi government imposes a travel ban will be charged and penalised accordingly. Commenting on the announcement made by Saudi preacher Dr. Mohamed Al Areefi that he intended to visit Jerusalem to shoot an episode of his show, El Malik said, "We won’t hold him accountable for statements he makes on TV since these could be sheer propaganda… But if the Ministry of Interior verifies that a Saudi citizen actually went to one of the countries on which the government imposes a travel ban, he will be penalized no matter who he is." In statements that El Malik made to the Saudi newspaper Al-Watan – which it published Wednesday, April 7, he said that "traveling to countries on which a travel ban is imposed without obtaining a special permission from the authorities leads to penalization." Sheikh Mohamed Al Areefi had announced, through Iqra satellite channel, his intention to travel to Jerusalem next week in order to shoot an episode of his show "Leave Your Fingerprint", although the Saudi authorities ban traveling to Israel. On his part, the former member of the Interior Ministry’s Advisory Committee, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Yaeesh, said in comments published in the same newspaper that Muslims around the world are eager to visit Al Aqsa Mosque but they don’t go there in protest of Israel’s control of it, as visiting Jerusalem is considered to be a form of recognizing Israel. Bin Yaeesh explained that warding off evil takes priority over bringing benefits, and that visiting Israel involves great evils, including breaking Muslim unity and accusing Saudi Arabia of standing behind the preacher’s visit to Israel. |