Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat-Saudi religious figure, Dr Aaeed Al-Qarni announced Friday his return to preaching and the withdrawal of his decision to end his religious preaching and writing.

Al-Qarni told Asharq Al-Awsat that his return comes after the call of Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz, governor of Riyadh, who had urged the cleric to resume his religious role. He said that the prince, who met Al-Qarni recently upon his return from the Haj pilgrimage, had addressed the religious figure as “son of the state.”

Al-Qarni praised the rulers of Saudi Arabia, mostly Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz for “his interest in my affairs and his care since the publishing of my first poem. I asked the Prince to give me a month to consider my situation and I have now decided to return to my role in the religious field.”

He continued to say that he would recite a poem on Saturday, at the King Khaled Mosque in Umm Al-Hammam in Riyadh. The poem would carry a message for the Saudi leadership, scholars, media, extremists, women, dialogue, youth, fathers, those who denounce others as infidels and those who criticize the invariable principles.

With reference to reports of alleged attempts to keep the media spotlight focused upon him, Al-Qarni said, “I do not need fame or for people to know me to put myself in this kind of situation.”