The symposium will cover seven themes. The first will address Salafism, an approach pursued by the state since its foundation and its connection to Islam.
The second highlights Salafism as an approach, the third focuses on misconceptions about the Salafi approach, the fourth addresses the Salafi approach and its connection with the modern religious discourse; the fifth tackles the relationship between the Saudi state and the Salafi approach in terms of originality and application, the sixth covers the link between the Salafi approach and school curricula in the Kingdom, and the seventh sheds light on doubts on the application of the Salafi approach and the response to these doubts.
The scientific committee of the conference has received more than 120 papers. There will be 62 lectures and 22 papers will be presented by postgraduate students.
Rector of the University Suleiman bin Abdullah Aba Al-Khail said the seminar aims to achieve several goals such as shedding light on the doctrinal teachings of the Salafist movement, clear misconceptions of Salafism, clarify the roots of Saudi government regulations and its rightful principles and lastly provide a clear image about the attitude of Islam toward non-Muslims.
The seminar aims to exhibit the role played by the Kingdom in fighting terrorism and maintaining international peace and security. The rector revealed the crown prince would also lay the cornerstone of a number of projects (constructions and technical) costing SR2.3bn.
Ahmed Al-Darwish, vice president for scientific institutes, called on members of scientific institutes and specialists in Shariah sciences to actively participate in the deliberations of the seminar. Al-Darwish said the country’s righteous ancestors adopted a moderate approach.
Abdurrahman Al-Nami, a faculty member and head of the media committee of the seminar, told Arab News that the objectives of this seminar were to clarify the reality of the Salafi approach representing the correct form of Islam adopted by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), to sanitize the concept from allegations made by some deviant groups claiming to be Salafi, and to reveal the essence of the ruling in the Kingdom which is based on proper moderate Islam.
It will also show the scope of the harmonious relationship between the rulers of the Kingdom and preachers in implementing the proper Salafi approach, to rectify misconceptions (extremism and exclusion) about the Salafi approach, to show the real position of the approach toward non-Muslims and that relations with them is based on justice, equality and realizing common interests, and to show allegiance to the country is a matter of instinct, reason, and religion.
He said the concept is the antithesis of some concepts such as tribalism, pan-nationalism, kinship, and other concepts that may come at the expense of religion and proper doctrine.
It also aims to refute all suspicions about the Salafi approach in terms of its impact on curricula and its alleged cause of extremism. The Kingdom’s position on crisis and natural catastrophe is well documented, he added.
“Salafism has many attributes, chief among them are denouncing doctrinal extremism and closure,” said Mohammed bin Hamad Al-Najdan. He said Salafism is neither a new invention nor new label. On the contrary, it is an old concept.
In his paper, “The Salafi approach: origin, continuity, and attributes,” Abdulwahid Al-Darwish refers to the position of Salafism toward other Islamic groups. He said the position of the Salafi group regarding other Islamic groups is similar to the position of any Muslim toward another Muslim. Al-Darwish touches upon the Salafists’ position on politics and collective work.
Ahmed bin Yousif Al-Darwish told Arab News that the objective behind holding this symposium was to clarify the proper meaning of Salafism that is based on both the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah.
“This kind of Salafism is based on moderation, rejecting terrorism, fighting corruption, fighting deviant and destructive thought, rejecting extremism and exploitation or dehumanization of others.”
He stressed the seminar aims to clarify that the Salafi approach adopted by the Kingdom is totally different from the kind of extremist Salafism that is not Islamic and does not express the essence of Islam. Correct Salafism is the one that renounces terrorism and murder and is not based on extremism or takfir, he added.
