RIYADH, 21 February 2004 — Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Saleh Al-Sheikh has indicated that the ban on scholarships for Muslim overseas students could be lifted within a year.
His assurance came in response to a call from Dr. Saleh Al-Wohaibi, secretary-general of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY), who had urged the government to lift the temporary ban on transfer of funds for its activities in other parts of the world. The minister was visiting the headquarters of WAMY, where he discussed the need for a new strategy to promote dawah (preaching) activities.
Al-Wohaibi said the measure had caused hardship to scholarship students. “The situation has brought WAMY’s overseas activities to a halt,” he said.
The minister replied strictures on Islamic charities could be relaxed within a year.
Around 7,000 Muslim students from different countries were receiving WAMY scholarships.
Addressing members of the Trustees Council of WAMY, the minister stressed the need for a rethink of dawah work.
He said Islam had been harmed by some of its own followers, and the work of preachers had suffered as a result of the terror acts by a deviant group.
“It is the duty of the dawah worker to educate misguided elements, so that they work in line with the teachings of Islam,” the minister said, adding this meant both official and non-official bodies engaged in dawah activities.
Al-Sheikh said extremism had nothing to do with dawah work but was due to the inability of preachers to behave in accordance with Islamic teachings.
He said that if the activities of Islamic charities extend beyond their mandate, it would weaken their cause and be counterproductive.
“Our work should be carried out in an organized manner leaving no loopholes. Charities and preachers should work together to ... use legitimate methods to correct misunderstandings,” he said.
