DRL-IRF OFFICER FINDS GREATER TOLERANCE BUT NO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000822 SIPDIS FOR DRL-IRF OFFICER ZAIBACK AND NEA/ARP HARRIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/09/2019 TAGS: PHUM SCUL SA SUBJECT: DRL-IRF OFFICER FINDS GREATER TOLERANCE BUT NO OFFICIALS IN RIYADH RIYADH 00000822 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: CDA Ambassador Richard Erdman, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) SUMMARY - - - - ¶1. (C) DRL/IRF Officer Abdelnour Zaiback visited Riyadh on May 5 for meetings to discuss religious freedom in Saudi Arabia. The Filipino Ambassador stated that economic incentives and the prospect of lenient legal treatment encourage Filipino expat workers to convert to Islam. A Sunni religious scholar opined that a return to "pure" Islam would lead to greater religious tolerance. Expat Christians cited restrictions in their ability to worship privately, but noted overall greater tolerance. Zaiback's did not meet with any Saudi government official, an indication of the SAG's continued sensitivity on the subject of religious freedom, notwithstanding the King's Interfaith Dialogue initiative. End Summary. PHILIPPINE AMBASSADOR: ECONOMIC NECESSITY PROMPTS RELIGIOUS CONVERSIONS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- ¶2. (SBU) Philippine Ambassador, Antonio Villamor, told Zaiback that labor issues, especially problems facing domestic employees, are more pressing for Filipino workers in the Kingdom than religious freedom. However, there is a connection, the Ambassador commented, because many Filipinos convert to Islam for economic reasons. There are more job opportunities for Muslims, especially in Mecca and Medina as well as better financial incentives for Muslim workers than for non-Muslims. Ambassador Villamor did not cite any cases of forced conversion, but mentioned that Islamic centers and Muslim religious groups across the Kingdom sponsor events targeting the Christian minority where translated Islamic religious materials are readily available. Ambassador Villamor also mentioned that many jailed Filipinos convert to Islam because judges may be more lenient, and crime victims' families more forgiving, with a fellow Muslim. (Note: Under Saudi law, prisoners can shorten their sentences or earn early release by memorizing the Quran.) SUNNI REFORMER: THE QURAN IS THE WAY TO TOLERANCE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶3. (C) On a visit to the home of Sunni religious reformer Hassan al-Maleki (STRICTLY PROTECT),al-Maleki told Zaiback he called for religious tolerance, which he believed was supported by numerous Quranic verses. The problem, al-Maleki argued, is that Islam in Saudi Arabia is no longer about the words found in the Quran, but instead is about preserving the interests of the Saudi government through the politicization and militarization of the Quran and numerous hadiths. There are many ways of interpreting the hadiths and therein lies a major problem, claimed al-Maleki. Al-Maleki believes that if Islamic scholars and Muslims can return to the Quran, the "pure, unfiltered foundation of Islam," then the political authority in Saudi Arabia will be forced to uphold a more tolerant and liberal rule of law, especially with regard to religious freedom. Al-MALEKI: HISTORICAL OVERVIEW - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶4. (C) Three months before the Prophet Muhammad's death, he signed a treaty with Christians, began al-Maleki. This treaty demonstrated that the Prophet wished for national unity, not religious unity. In essence, the treaty symbolized tolerance among different religions which is now missing in Saudi Arabia. The Quran states that no one can be forced to convert to Islam and that non-Muslims may go to paradise if they do not know about Islam, but that liberal Quranic passages such as these have been all but forgotten by the political authority in the Kingdom. In fact, al-Maleki continued, ever since the time of Omar, the second Caliph, Islam has been politicized to enable Arab rulers to govern with religious as well as political authority. This same political authority encourages memorizing rather than understanding the Quran, which only helps preserve the authority and self-interest of those in power. Muslim rulers, concluded al-Maleki, wear a "political hijab" that prevents them from seeing the true message of Islam. RIYADH 00000822 002.2 OF 002 LOCAL CHRISTIANS: INCREASED TOLERANCE FOR PRIVATE WORSHIP - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¶5. (SBU) Zaiback attended an Embassy-hosted luncheon for Bishop Paul Hinder, the Vicar Apostolic of the Arabian Peninsula, who was visiting from his seat in Dubai, and other guests active in the Riyadh Christian community, especially the Catholic Church. Attendees included Philippine Ambassador Villamor, Mexican and Spanish diplomats, and, U.S. citizens living in the Kingdom. Before saying grace, Bishop Hinder expressed his gratitude to the Embassy for continuing to support the pursuit of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia. ¶6. (C) Participants actively discussed issues surrounding private church services, euphemistically referred to as "meetings." Usually held on a Thursday or Friday, attendance at "meetings" is usually limited to 35 people so as to stay under the Saudi government's radar. However, larger "meetings" are hosted by some of the bigger embassies. For example, Embassy Riyadh hosts a weekly "meeting" attended by about 260 people, the maximum that can be accommodated in the multipurpose room, with an additional 200 people on a waiting list. Sporadically questioned by the guards at the entrance gates, meeting participants are possibly subject to surveillance: two members indicated witnessing an unknown person occasionally writing down the license plate numbers of vehicles in the Embassy parking lot during Friday morning meetings. On a positive note, no guest mentioned having recent difficulty transporting religious objects/materials into the country, as opposed to years past when the same religious materials were confiscated by customs agents. COMMENT - - - - ¶7. (C) Despite the interfaith dialogue, scrutiny of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia continues to be a highly sensitive subject for the Saudi government, as demonstrated by the SAG's refusal to approve Zaiback's official meetings in a timely manner. Al-Maleki's view that the Quran expounds religious tolerance shows that reformers and conservatives in Saudi Arabia disagree over Quranic interpretation, not over the issue of being more or less religious. ¶8. (C) NOTE: A few days after Zaiback's visit, a court of cassation upheld the Ministry of Education's (MOE) decision to fire al-Maleki seven years ago, as a result of his "extreme" religious views advocating tolerance. A year and a half ago, a lower court overturned the Ministry's decision to terminate him, ruling that he must be returned to his workplace and be granted all of his employment rights. Post believes the timing of Zaiback's meeting with al-Maleki and the recent court decision to be coincidental. End Note. ¶9. (U) Mr. Zaiback cleared this telegram. ERDMAN ERDMAN