Did Imam Of Medina Grand Mosque Prayed ‘To Protect From Protests And Revolutions’” (Image: HaramainRecordings)
The Imam of Grand Mosque of Medina sparked controversy on social media. The Imam, Sheikh Salah Al Budair came under scrutiny after video of night prayer at the mosque started to circulate. In the video, Al Budair was heard praying to protect Muslim countries from ‘revolution and protests”.
Many social media users questioned the Imam’s decision to offer the supplication as Muslims across the globe are on street protesting against Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, pledging solidarity with the Palestinians.
Al Budair prayed, “Oh God protect the Muslim countries from disputes and conflicts and wars and revolutions and protests. God protect the Muslim countries from wars and trials, from evil and trails, from conflicts and revolutions and from protests”
One angry social media user responded to the video and wrote on X (formerly twitter) that, the Sheikh should have continued the prayer like this, “and allow the Saud to become more corrupt and may Netanyahu be pleased with us and make us so shameless that our conscience feels nothing when we see Palestinians suffering or see starvation and genocide in Gaza”.
Another one wrote the Imam should have prayed for the stability and unity of the Muslim communities and to grant them the righteous leaders. The user took a jibe at the Imam and added that “respect is earned not forced”.
Another one called for the resigning of Al Budair from the Prophet’s mosque. The user said, “Imam should resign from his post. This is not what he should be praying for. Unity peace and prosperity for all the Muslim people and the world is the proper supplication”.
Saudi Arabia banned protests in March 2011. Any public protests or acts of dissent were banned in the country after public protests were held across the country. In a statement released, the Kingdom’s interior ministry said, “regulations in the kingdom forbid categorically all sorts of demonstrations, marches and sit-ins, as they contradict Islamic Sharia law and the values and traditions of Saudi society”. Many citizens who participated in protests after March 2011 were arrested.
It may not be wrong to say that the Arab leaders are afraid of public protests, especially after 2011. It is a marked year in the history. The Tahrir square of Egypt and Jasmine revolution or the Arab Spring still lie fresh in hearts of millions. It is in 2011, the Arab nations proved once again that protests can bring down autocratic rulers.
The protests in Cairo’s Tahrir square which led to the stepping down of President Hosni Mubarak, who has been at the helm of the country for 30 years, started with marches, demonstrations and civil resistance. It stemmed from a Tunisian uprising that protested against corruption, poverty, and political repression. The uprising in Tunisia forced President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to step down from his position.
The uprising then spread like a wild fire across Middle East and North Africa, and popularly came to known as the Jasmine revolution or the Arab Spring, though not all who participated in the protests were Arabs. The Tunisian uprising became the root of Egyptian Uprising, Yemen Uprising, Libyan Revolt and Syrian Civil War. It also reached Jordan, Algeria, Iran, and Bahrain.
Though a military coup in 2013 rolled back most of what was gained by the Tahrir square protests, the uprising remains a cherished memory and source of inspiration, whereas the leaders view it as a deadly weapon that could burst at any moment popping their bubble of power.
Praying to protect from protests is a key to controversies, given the situation where Arab leaders are heavily criticised for not doing enough to stop Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians and not demanding the West to step back from supporting the genocidal war. Saudi Arabia is under spotlight as reports emerge which alleges that the country held talks on normalisation of ties with Israel despite the latter’s bloody war against Palestinians majority of whom are Muslims.
