JEDDAH, 12 October 2007 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday called upon Muslims to strengthen their unity and solidarity inspired by the teachings of Islam as well as events like Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr.
“Fasting in Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr celebration are elements that promote unity and cohesion. They call for shunning reasons of disunity. Both events bring Muslims closer and remove the reasons for division,” the king said.
In a joint message on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr, King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan emphasized that Saudi Arabia would continue its efforts to strengthen the spirit of unity and settle conflicts between Arab and Islamic states.
The message, which was read out on Saudi Television by Saud Al-Muthami, state minister for Shoura Council Affairs and acting information minister, urged Muslims to review their present situation in order to change it for the better.
Eid Al-Fitr will be celebrated throughout the Kingdom today after the Supreme Judiciary Council confirmed the sighting of the Shawwal crescent yesterday evening by a number of credible witnesses in many parts of the country.
“We are a nation with a noble message in order to promote justice and peace without being influenced by fanaticism and extremism, thus reinforcing the pillars of coexistence and cohesion with other nations,” the message said.
King Abdullah and Prince Sultan received messages of Eid greetings from world leaders. They also received calls from prominent Arab leaders including King Abdallah of Jordan and Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The leaders exchanged Eid greetings.
Meanwhile, King Abdullah issued an order waiving loans of dead Saudis, which they had taken from the Real Estate Development Fund and Saudi Credit Bank. The royal gesture will benefit at least 40,000 Saudis, informed sources said.
According to an official statement issued on Wednesday night, the total value of waived loans amounted to more than SR5 billion, adding that the government would compensate the fund and the bank for the waiver. The king’s gesture came as an Eid gift for many Saudi families.
Finance Minister Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf congratulated the kin of dead Saudis who had taken loans from the two public lending institutions for the purpose of building houses and meeting social needs.
“The king’s waiver is an addition to his previous gestures of increasing the real estate fund’s capital to SR18 billion and of the bank to SR6 billion,” the minister said, adding that it would have double impact.
“The waver will reduce the financial burden of the families of the dead men and women while the compensation will help the two institutions to provide additional loans to citizens,” he explained.
Al-Assaf said the increase in capital helped the real estate fund to extend nearly 54,000 loans last year to build about 64,000 housing units across the Kingdom. “It also enabled the fund to increase loans by 10 percent,” he pointed out. Many Saudi families expressed their happiness over the king’s Eid gift.
“King Abdullah’s loan waiver came as a big blessing for our family as we did not know how to pay back the remaining 18 installments of the loan taken by my husband,” said Um Abdullah, mother of four children.
Faisal Al-Bishri said his family had to pay SR100,000 in nine installments.
“I was wondering how to pay back this huge amount because I am working as a hospital receptionist,” he said and thanked the king for his humanitarian gesture.
Hussam Mazeed, a civil servant, said his father died without paying 12 installments worth SR140,000 from a loan he had taken from the fund. “I am now looking after our family of five including four brothers. I was worried how to pay back this loan. Now the king’s decision to waive the loan has removed my worries,” he added.
King Abdullah has taken a series of popular decisions after ascending the throne in August 2005. He increased salaries of government employees by 15 percent and cut fuel prices by 30 percent. He ordered the release of thousands of prisoners across the country, including many expatriate workers, who were arrested for petty crimes.
Adel Abdullah Kaaki, chairman of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, praised the king for the decision, saying it came in the right time. “There are many families who cannot pay their loans after the death of their breadwinners.” He said the king’s decision covers all dead Saudis who had taken loans from the two institutions.
Muhammad Al-Quwaihes, a member of the Shoura Council, said the huge amount to be paid by the government to the fund and the bank, as compensation would benefit a large number of citizens seeking loans. Economist Huwaida Al-Asti said the king’s decision would solve the problems of many orphans and widows in the country and help them lead a stable life without worries.
