MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE CONFERENCE CITES EXTREMIST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 001573 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP JHARRIS AND JBERNDT E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/23/2019 TAGS: KISL KPAO PREL PTER PGOV SA SUBJECT: MUSLIM WORLD LEAGUE CONFERENCE CITES EXTREMIST IDEOLOGY AND MEDIA CULTURAL INVASION AS BIGGEST CHALLENGES REF: A. RIYADH 1532 ¶B. RIYADH 651 RIYADH 00001573 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador James B. Smith, Reasons 1.4 (b and d) SUMMARY: -------------- ¶1. (U) In remarks delivered on behalf of King Abdullah, Mecca Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal urged Muslim scholars "to stand firm in the face of extremist ideology to prevent it from corrupting Muslim youth." He called for Muslim scholarly societies and the media to inspire youth with cultural and educational programs designed to instill the spirit of moderate Islam, and for teaching youths contemporary sciences and technologies while remaining committed to the Islamic constitution. The King's remarks were prominently featured in Saudi media as part of the SAG's ongoing campaign to combat religious extremism. The conference agenda suggests that in part this battle has been won, as the major focus is on social and economic problems. End summary. ¶2. (U) From November 21 through November 23, the Muslim World League (MWL) is holding the 10th Makkah conference under the title "Problems of Muslim Youth in the Age of Globalization." On November 21 Prince Khaled Al-Faisal delivered the opening remarks on behalf of King Abdullah, under whose auspices the conference is taking place, urging Muslim scholars "to stand firm in the face of extremist ideology to prevent it from corrupting Muslim youth." The King emphasized that Saudi Arabia was resolved to fight those expressing deviance and/or extremism and to dry up their resources. He said such individuals were forces holding back the advancement of the Muslim Ummah. Referring to KAUST, he said more attention needed to be paid to human development and to the teaching of contemporary sciences and technologies while remaining committed to the Islamic constitution. ¶3. (U) MWL Secretary General and member of the Kingdom's Board of Senior Scholars, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Turki, cited the "media cultural invasion" as being responsible for less religious young Muslims and their lack of motivation to learn Arabic, the language of the Qur'an. He also viewed it as the source of unrefined manners and behavior, unemployment, poverty, and illiteracy. Al-Turki said Muslim youths face two enemies: the first was abroad and responsible for distorting the image of Islam "with irresponsible actions" and the second was within and was "an attempt to hijack moderate Islam." Al-Turki said he hoped the conference would send out a direct message to relevant youth groups addressing "moderation and balance" and to "avoid extremism, immoderation, and those seeking to divide Muslims from others." ¶4. (U) As to the purposes of the Makkah conference, Sheikh Al-Turki said the gathering was to address the challenges facing Muslim youth in the contemporary age, specifically "the cultural and social currents foreign to Muslim society." According to Al-Turki, the challenges call for increased Islamic efforts and media cooperation to direct the younger generations and immunize them from various behavioral and intellectual deviations." In a press statement, he said the family, the mosque, and school had an important role to play in this regard. ¶5. (U) The Makkah conference is divided into four sessions: (1) intellectual issues such as "poor religious affiliation in some youths, cultural estrangement and imitating the other" as well as low interest in reading; (2) social and psychological issues including marriage, drugs, alcohol, violence, extremism, the rejection of values and family disintegration; (3) economic issues focusing on the predominance of material expressions and consumerism, emigration to the west, and poverty and unemployment; and (4) finding solutions to issues facing Muslim youth and protecting them from the "ills of the age" and enabling them to confront the challenges posed in the age of globalization. The conference will conclude on November 23. ¶6. (C) COMMENT: The King's remarks, widely publicized as part of the SAG's ongoing campaign to combat extremism, focused on the ills of extremist ideology. However, a glance at the conference sessions suggests a good news/bad news story: youths in Saudi Arabia, at least, appear to be less attracted to extremist ideologies, the topic of the first session. However, economic and social problems coupled with increasing assertiveness and willingness to flout authority have resulted in a host of other ills, which are examined in RIYADH 00001573 002.2 OF 002 sessions 2, 3, and 4. MWL Secretary General Al-Turki's complaints about the "media cultural invasion" suggest his own and other Muslim youth organizations' continued struggle with how best to adapt to globalization. It is worth noting that the Saudi satellite media responsible for the cited corruption are owned (with only one exception) by senior members of the Al-Saud family and what is broadcast on these channels is a deliberate attempt by King Abdullah, Prince Salman Al Waleed bin Talal and others to open the minds of young Saudis to moderating outside influences (reftel A). The King's sharp criticism of extremist thought and his emphasis on combining the teaching of contemporary sciences and technology with the more moderate tenets of Islam reflects the greater intellectual debate within the Kingdom concerning the status of KAUST and how it can stand up to the conservative religious establishment (reftel B). End comment. SMITH