‘One of the gates of terrorism’: Saudi Arabia bans Tablighi Jamaat, calls it ‘danger to society’

Saudi Arabia has decided to ban the Tablighi Jamaat, which is a transnational Sunni Islamic missionary movement, in the country. The Saudi administration termed the Jamaat as a “danger to society” and “one of the gates of terrorism.”

The country’s Minister of Islamic Affairs made an announcement on social media directing the mosques to warn people against associating with them during the Friday sermon.

“His Excellency the Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr.#Abdullatif Al_Alsheikh directed the mosques’ preachers and the mosques that held Friday prayer temporary to allocate the next Friday sermon 5/6/1443 H to warn against (the Tablighi and Da`wah group) which is called (Al Ahbab)," tweeted Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs.

The Saudi government also asked mosques to inform people about the danger that Tablighi Jamaat poses to society.

Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Al-Sheikh also directed that the concerned authorities should include a declaration of the "misguidance, deviation and danger of this group" and note that it is one of the "gates of terrorism, even if they claim otherwise."

In addition, it should mention their "most prominent mistakes", that they are a "danger to society" and issue a statement that "affiliation with partisan groups, including (the Tablighi and Da`wah Group) is prohibited in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia."

Tablighi Jamaat, notably, is a transnational Sunni Islamic missionary movement that focuses on exhorting Muslims and encouraging fellow members to follow the pure form of Sunni Islam.