Head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques’ Affairs Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais said the king’s invitation to hold the emergency Islamic solidarity summit is a result of his feeling of great responsibility and follows Allah’s directives in the Qur’an: “Hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited.”

The sheikh said the invitation represents the king’s keenness to serve Islam and Muslims and unite their lines, especially at this critical time. He said the king wants the Ummah to unite to face the dangers of fragmentation and fitna (subversion).

Al-Sudais stressed that the conference is a first step to stimulate the Ummah’s mettle and a road map that puts us in the right path.

“This step should help us arise and get over our crises and tragedies. This initiative from the king is not strange; he is following in his father’s footsteps of taking care of the Ummah’s issues by inviting Muslim countries to the first Islamic solidarity conference since 1926 in Makkah. King Abdullah is renewing his father’s invitation,” said Al-Sudais.

The sheikh said it is not secret that the Ummah is living now in difficult times.
Meanwhile, British Muslim parliamentarians, scientists and academicians have lauded King Abdullah’s call to convene the summit. Among them are Lord Adam Patel, member of the Council of Lords; Lord Mohammed Altaf Sheikh; Khalid Mahmoud, member of the British House of Commons and former secretary-general of the British Islamic Council; Farhan Nizami, chairman of Oxford Center for Islamic Studies; and Mohammed Abdulhameed, director general and supervisor of King Fahd Chair at the University of London.

They said the call is designed to unite the ranks of Muslims against the current challenges facing the nation, describing it as a sincere gesture from a sincere leader.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency, they lauded the pioneering role of Saudi Arabia in the Islamic world due to its religious and political status, noting that it was always a forerunner to call for what unites Muslims and protects their interests.

They confirmed that the Kingdom had turned the concept of Islamic solidarity into tangible reality, not only through its support for Islamic causes but also in supporting Islamic organizations and institutions, in addition to its achievements including the expansion of the two holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah and the rehabilitation of mosques inside and outside the Kingdom.

They noted that the Kingdom followed balanced policies at different regional and international platforms, and that its leadership enjoyed the respect of others due to its prudent and transparent political views and its credibility with all countries and peoples.