Riyadh (AFP) - Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh on Tuesday blasted Al-Qaeda and Islamic State jihadists as "enemy number one" of Islam, in a statement issued in Riyadh.

"The ideas of extremism, radicalism and terrorism... have nothing to do with Islam and (their proponents) are the enemy number one of Islam," the kingdom's top cleric said.

He cited jihadists from the Islamic State, which has declared a "caliphate" straddling large parts of Iraq and Syria, and the global Al-Qaeda terror network.

"Muslims are the main victims of this extremism, as shown by crimes committed by the so-called Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and groups linked to them," the mufti said, quoting a verse in the Koran urging the "killing" of people who do deeds harmful to Islam.

His stance reflects the Saudi clerical community's hostility towards IS jihadists, known for their brutality. The largely Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia favours an austere form of Islam. The two holiest places of Islam, Mecca and Medina, are both in Saudi Arabia.

IS jihadists, already well established in Syria, launched an offensive in Iraq on June 9 and rapidly seized control of vast swathes of Sunni territory there.

"In the circumstances the Islamic nation is living through,several countries have been destabilised" by extremists, who "divide Muslims" in the name of religion, the mufti said.

He warned: "In Islam, after heresy, dividing Muslims is the greatest crime."

The mufti urged "tolerance, which was at the origin of Islam's growth and longevity."

King Abdullah vowed on June 29: "We will not allow a handful of terrorists, using Islam for personal aims, to terrify Muslims or undermine our country and its inhabitants."

www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/saudi-top-cleric-blasts-al-qaeda-enemy-1-islam/

news.yahoo.com/saudi-top-cleric-blasts-qaeda-enemy-no-1-112547981.html

Rilwayne001: Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh on Tuesday blasted Al-Qaeda and Islamic State jihadists as “enemy number one” of Islam, in a statement issued in Riyadh.

“The ideas of extremism, radicalism and terrorism … have nothing to do with Islam and (their proponents) are the enemy number one of Islam,” the kingdom’s top cleric said.

He cited jihadists from the Islamic State, which has declared a “caliphate” straddling parts of Iraq and Syria, and the global Al Qaeda terror network.

www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/saudi-top-cleric-blasts-al-qaeda-enemy-1-islam/

tell us another thing. After condeming them he will later extend financial grants to them so as to live their country alone.

2cato: tell us another thing. After condeming them he will later extend financial grants to them so as to live their country alone.

I agree with your statement to certain extend. The problem though is Muslims and non-Muslim counterparts need to able to differentiate Saudi religious scholars' views on things from Saudi govt. Those clerics are not political decision makers. They do not fund those groups. They also get paid from govt. They are not happy with current situation either.

Saudi govt and the West are the culprits. Yes, he's correct. Those rags have nothing to do with Islam. They and their sponsors will eventually go down the lizard hole.

Anti-Islam would soon come here now.

2cato: tell us another thing. After condeming them he will later extend financial grants to them so as to live their country alone.

You should at-least have evidence to whatever allegations you are making and I don't mean wild conjectures.

vedaxcool:

You should at-least have evidence to whatever allegations you are making and I don't mean wild conjectures.

exactly