Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Saudi Cleric Blasts Sudan’s Al Turabi | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat- Sheikh Abdullah al Manee, member of the Saudi Council of Senior Ulama, strongly criticized the suggestions made Dr Hassan al Turabi, the Secretary General of the Sudanese opposition Popular National Congress (PNC) party.

In response to al Turabi’s claims that Muslims assume and expect Laylat al Qadr to bring them blessings that he voiced during a seminar organized by the PNC, Sheikh Abdullah al Manee said, “this man is senile”.

In a telephone conversation with Asharq Al-Awsat, Sheikh al Manee stated, Wednesday, that he was not surprised by what al Turabi said, and hoped that God would guide him. He described the ideas of the Sudanese political leader as “distorted”. The Sheikh added, “I pray to God that he is shown the right path.”

Sheikh Abdullah al Manee considered al Turabi’s ideas inconsistent with religious objectives. He added, “Regrettably, al Turabi has deviated to [the extent that] his ideas do not correspond with the objectives of Shariah or with [the concept of] knowledge of the unseen. God praised his worshippers for believing in this since it is outside the limited realm of human thought.”

In response to al Turabi’s comment about Muslims and Laylat al Qadr, Sheikh Abdullah al Manee said, “The prophet (pbuh) aimed at seeking it [Laylat al Qadr] out in the last ten days of Ramadan, namely, on the odd nights of the last ten days and on the 27th night of Ramadan. All of this indicates that the exact timing is unknown, therefore every believing Muslim should seek it out just as the noble prophet himself once did.”