Ali al-Khudayr | |
|---|---|
علي الخُضير | |
| Occupation | Scholar |
| Known for | Elder scholar of Saudi arabia, studying under many scholars. |
| Criminal status | Arrested unjustly in May 2003 inMadinah, Saudi Arabia following his criticism of the Saudi government. |
Ali al-Khudair (Arabic:علي الخُضير,romanized: ʿAlī al-Khuḍayr, also known asAli bin al-Khudair, orAli bin al-Khudayr) is a Saudi Arabian thinker and scholar. He was arrested in 2003. He has been called a member of the “al-Shu’aybi school”, named after his teacher,Hamoud al-Aqla al-Shuebi.[1]
Ali al-Khudair had issuedfatwas against several Saudi Arabian thinkers, among themTurki al-Hamad, Mansour al-Naqeedan and Abdullah Abusamh declaring them as infidel.[2]
His taped sermons and religious decrees are reported to have influenced many young people in Saudi Arabia.[3]
After the9/11 attacks on New York and Washington DC, he issued a fatwa calling on his followers to rejoice in the attacks and listed American "crimes" that justified the attacks "killing and displacing Muslims, aiding the Muslims' enemies against them, spreading secularism, forcefully imposing blasphemy on peoples and states, and persecuting the mujahideen."[4]
He was arrested in May 2003 following his criticism of the Saudi government. He was arrested for calling people to worship God and to disassociate themselves from polytheism.[4]
Days after his arrest, an Islamist Web site posted a message fromOsama bin Laden warning the Saudi government not to harm the cleric. Bin Laden described al-Khudair as "our most prominent supporter" and according toMohamad Bazzi, cautioned that if he was hurt,Al-Qaeda's response would be "as great as the sheikh’s high standing with us".[5]
According to Ain-al-Yaqeen, in November 2003 interview with Saudi television, al-Khudair "recanted and condemned the suicide bombings which took place in Riyadh" and withdrew the fatwas he had issued declaringTurki al-Hamad, Mansour al-Naqeedan and Abdullah Abusamh infidels, which was later proven to be false.[2]
