Saudis bow to clerics, reject U.S. appeal for curriculum reform
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Monday, October 28, 2002
ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia has refused to revise its educational curriculum as part of a U.S.-led campaign to halt the promotion of Islamic holy war against the West. The kingdome has come under pressure from leading clerics over the prospect of such reforms.
Western diplomatic sources said the United States has raised with the kingdom such issues as the Saudi educational curriculum and the blocking of funding to insurgency groups. About 1,000 victims of the Al Qaida suicide attacks more than a year ago have sued leading Saudi princes and institutions for more than $11 trillion.
But Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz dismissed the need for Saudi educational reform, Middle East Newsline reported. He said critics do not understand the Saudi interpretation of Islam.
"There are some who try to drive a wedge between Saudi Arabia and its friend, the United States," Prince Sultan said. "But our friendship will remain. We are not extremists, and there is no such thing as a Wahhabi sect. This is a movement that sought to reform religious concepts."
Sultan said Islam is composed of four schools of thought. He cited the Hanafi, Hanbali, Maliki and Shafi — failing to mention the Shia stream. There are an estimated three million Shi'ites in the kingdom.
In Riyad, 56 Saudi Wahabi clerics issued a statement that warned the government against revising policy in the fields of Islamic education and religious institutions. The statement was signed by Sheik Abdul Rahman Al Barak, regarded as the most influential Sunni clerics in the kingdom.
Prince Sultan said the United States has not requested that the kingdom revise its curriculum in schools. Sultan said Riyad would reject any such request.
"We do not plan to change our educational policy and no one asked us to do so," Prince Sultan said. "All that has been said about one country or another asking us to amend our [education] system is unfounded. In any event, it would be unacceptable since this is a sovereignty-related matter."
On Tuesday, more than 1,000 Islamic scholars will participate in the ninth international conference organized by the World Assembly of Muslim Youth in Jedda. The government-sponsored conference will be opened by Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and will last until Friday.
Organizers said the conference will focus on Islamic indocrination among youngsters and the impact of globalization and the brain and capital drain from Muslim countries. The parley will also discuss information technology and its role in spreading Islam.
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