JEDDAH/RIYADH, 6 August 2005 — Imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais yesterday urged Saudis and all Muslims to rally behind the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan for strengthening the country and countering domestic and foreign challenges.
“We renew and affirm this legitimate pledge of allegiance to our leaders, may God grant them success,” he added.
Delivering his Friday sermon Sudais also commended the great services rendered by King Fahd for Islam and Muslims all over the world. He spoke about the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques, which he said, would remain an outstanding landmark of King Fahd’s services to Islam and Muslims.
During King Fahd’s reign Kingdom spent more than SR70 billion on the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques and the development of Makkah and Madinah.
The imam also noted King Fahd’s contribution to the establishment of mosques and Islamic centers in major cities of the world and the distribution of millions of copies of Holy Qur’an and its translation in different languages.
In a voice filled with emotion, the imam prayed for King Fahd saying “may Allah grant him place in paradise.”
Sudais expressed his delight over the smooth transition of power to King Abdullah and said it has disappointed the enemies of Islam. He prayed for outstanding success for King Abdullah.
All foreign Umrah pilgrims who spoke to Arab News praised King Fahd for his services to Islam, especially the expansion of the Two Holy Mosques.
King Fahd supported Muslims all over the world whenever they faced problems, said Sajjad Ali, from Pakistan. He hoped that King Abdullah would follow Fahd’s example and take the Kingdom to new heights.
“We in Nigeria were shocked to hear the news of King Fahd’s death,” said Garba Masallachi, a businessman from Kano.
He said he believed Abdullah would do more for the welfare of Muslims and to strengthen Islamic unity.
Hussein Al-Asheikh, imam of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, said in the Friday sermon that King Fahd was a great leader full of wisdom and political acumen who helped Muslims all over the world and supported their causes. He was a great supporter of the Palestinian issue, the imam said.
He said that King Fahd complex for the printing of the Holy Qur’an is a remarkable project that Muslims will remember forever. Al-Asheikh said that swearing allegiance to King Abdullah is a legal and religious duty.
Imams, in their sermons in Riyadh mosques, also stressed the need to pledge allegiance to King Abdullah and support him for peace and the country’s prosperity.
Paying tributes to King Fahd they said he had rendered great services for Islam.
The imam at the Princess Noura Bint Abdul Aziz Mosque commended King Fahd’s services to Islam and prayed for him.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Saudi citizens from all walks of life continued yesterday to pour into local governorates or make the journey to Riyadh to offer their allegiance to King Abdullah.
