SANAA,
April 4, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Before concluding his week-long
visit to Yemen, prominent Muslim preacher Amr Khaled was keen to meet
with a number of young Yemenis jailed on links with Al-Qaeda.
He
exhorted them to denounce violence and to work instead for the
development and the welfare of their country, official sources told
IslamOnline.net on Monday, April 4.
The
prominent preacher also explained to the jailed youth “the dangers
and negative effects of extremism on the religion, country and the
course of life”.
“Fearing
God and deep-rooted faith require us to accept one another and work
for the unity and security of our countries,” the sources quoted
Khaled as saying.
He
further urged the youth to show their mettle in development fields,
each in the area that suits his education and skills and to compete in
serving their country.
The
jail meeting was arranged at the request of Yemeni President Ali
Abdullah Saleh and attended by Minister of Awkaf (religious
endowments) and Guidance, Hamoud Abbad.
It
came a few hours before the prominent preacher wrapped up his visit
that saw several lectures and sermons attended by thousands of
Yemenis.
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Welcome
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Saleh
expressed his admiration of Khaled's preaching experience.
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President
Saleh received the prominent preacher Sunday and expressed his
admiration of Khaled's preaching experience.
The
Yemeni leader also emphasized the importance of the role played by
preachers in steering people towards moderation.
Khaled
arrived in the Yemeni capital on Monday, March 28, to deliver sermons
in a number of the cities and is due to leave the country on Tuesday,
April 5.
In
Sanaa alone, at least 60,000 Yemenis assembled to listen to four
lectures delivered by the young preacher, including one in Sanaa
University.
On
Saturday, April 2, as many as 15,000 people attended Khaled’s
religious lessons in Aden University and in the Hadhramaut
governorate.
The
young preacher also gave two lectures to thousands of Yemeni police
and army officers.
The
visit coincide with fierce clashes between Yemeni security forces and
militant groups.
Criticism
Khaled's
visit, nonetheless, was criticized by some.
An
imam of a Sanaa mosque focused his sermon on Friday, April 1, on what
he termed as “negative aspects of Khaled's preaching style”.
Others
criticized imposing entry fees for some of the prominent preacher’s
religious classes and lectures.
Writing
in the official Thaqafya newspaper, Abdul Rahman Al-Hmaidy
accused Khaled of “frowning at the poor”.
His
colleague Mansour Mohamed also echoed the same position, comparing
Khaled’s 1000-riyal sermons to theatrical shows.
The
prominent preacher has, however, asserted that he did not receive any
money in return for his religious classes in Yemen.
Sheikh
Yehia Nagar, the secretary of the Awkaf (religious endowments) and
Guidance Ministry, said the revenues of attendance fees would be
entirely allocated to cancer centers.
