Saudi Arabia: Naif opens Takfir conference in Madinah

...[T]he conference aims to identify the reasons for the dangerous phenomenon of Takfir in order to find effective solutions to tackle it. He said prominent scholars from the Kingdom and abroad would present research papers on the topic.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Arab News | KSA
By Yousub Muhammad | September 20, 2011

MADINAH: Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior Prince Naif opened an international conference on "The Phenomenon of Takfir (branding opponents as infidels)...Reasons, Impact and Treatment" here on Tuesday.

Earlier on arrival at the conference venue, Prince Naif was greeted by Prince Saud bin Naif, adviser to Prince Naif and assistant interior minister for general affairs, Prince Abdul Aziz bin Majed, governor of Madinah, and other senior officials.


The conference is organized by Prince Naif International Prize for Sunnah and Contemporary Islamic Studies.

In a statement on the occasion, Assistant Minister of Interior Prince Muhammad bin Naif said Saudi Arabia was the first country that succeeded in combating extremist thoughts and ideologies.

"We achieved this through dialogue and presenting the true teachings of Islam," Prince Muhammad said, referring to the counseling program introduced by the Kingdom to change the mindset of militants.

He said the conference aims to identify the reasons for the dangerous phenomenon of Takfir in order to find effective solutions to tackle it. He said prominent scholars from the Kingdom and abroad would present research papers on the topic.

He said more than 200 Islamic scholars, psychologists and sociologists are involved in the counseling program benefiting prisoners all over the Kingdom.

Meanwhile, addressing a meeting of Madinah people Prince Naif announced that a number of new welfare projects would be implemented in Madinah to meet the requirements of its people.

"The government is not stingy toward its people. This is what we officials feel from the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah," he said.

Prince Naif highlighted the security and stability in Saudi Arabia in contrast to other countries in the region.

He highlighted the important position of Madinah in the minds of Muslims all over the world being the city of the Prophet (peace be upon him). "King Abdullah has given top priority for the development of Madinah," he added.

He said the Madinah governorate has worked out a number of new projects for the development of the region.

Prince Naif earlier chaired a meeting of the Madinah Provincial Council, which discussed a number of issues such as increasing prices of essential commodities and the measures taken to control prices as well as construction of low-cost housing units for the poor.

Madinah Gov. Prince Abdul Aziz bin Majed commended Prince Naif's efforts to empower provincial councils that play a significant role in boosting the Kingdom's social and economic development.

Prince Abdul Aziz explained the governorate's programs to protect towns and villages in the region from flashfloods by constructing rainwater drainage systems. He disclosed plans to establish new school buildings to replace rented ones, improve health services and expand infrastructure facilities in the region.



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