The Egyptian people have demonstrated their warm love and respect for the well-known Saudi preacher Sheikh Mohammad Al-Arifi because of a Friday sermon that he had delivered at a mosque in Riyadh. The sermon was devoted to the praise of Egypt, its people and its important position in ancient and modern history. In the sermon, he said: “I am extending a certificate of appreciation to a country, which is mother of the world and the land of prophets, and whose name is explicitly stated in four places in the Holy Qur'an and mentioned, though not explicitly, in 30 other places.” Sheikh Al-Arifi praised the people of Egypt and their kindness, love and generosity to those who visit their country. He also commended the great women of Egypt, including Hajera, the wife of Prophet Ibrahim and mother of Prophet Ismail, and Maria Al-Qibtiyya, wife of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and mother of the Prophet's son Ibrahim. These revered women, the sheikh said, also include the mother of Musa (Moses) and Asiya, wife of the Pharaoh who ruled Egypt during the time of Musa, and who supplicated God to build her a house in Paradise and save her from Pharaoh and his work. The sheikh also praised the women of Egypt as the most tender women in the world. He also drew attention to the words of the renowned Islamic scholar Imam Shafie who reportedly said that one who did not marry an Egyptian woman was not really married. Sheikh Al-Arifi praised Egyptian Copts saying that the Prophet (pbuh) asked Muslims to be fair with them. The Prophet told his companions: “Once, you conquer Egypt, the Copts will be helpful to you then. So treat them well.” In the sermon, the sheikh also drew attention to the fact that Abdullah Bin Amr Bin Al-Aas mentioned that Egyptian Copts are “uncles” of the Quraish and praised the harmony between Egypt's Muslims and Christians. The preacher noted that the second Caliph Omar Bin Al-Khattab ordered the governor of Egypt to make the cover (kiswa) of the Holy Kaaba in Egypt, and accordingly it was manufactured there. The manufacturing of the kiswa in Egypt continued for more than 1,000 years. Sheikh Al-Arifi continued by explaining the sublime position of Egypt in Islamic history: The mosque built by Amr Bin Al-Aas was the first of its kind in the African continent. He also mentioned in the speech that those who wish to learn Qur'an and recite it with intonation should go to Egypt. “If anybody wants to learn the Arabic language with its art of eloquence and rhetoric, he should go to Egypt. Similarly, for those who want to learn modern sciences and those who want to learn poetry and literature, there is no better place than Egypt.” The Egyptian media gave prominent coverage to the sermon and many television channels aired the sermon repeatedly. Several prominent Egyptian figures such as the minister of information, the Sheikh of Al-Azhar, and the Egyptian presidential spokesman phoned Sheikh Al-Arifi to thank him for the speech. Even secular channels that often attack Islamists commended the sermon. One month later, Sheikh Al-Arifi visited Egypt where he repeated the same sermon at Amr Bin Al-Aas Mosque. There also he received a tremendously warm response. However, media analysts and critics have cited some reasons that may have prompted this handsome and eloquent preacher to shower accolades on Egypt. Some say that his aim was to win the pleasure of Islamists who swept to power after a long period of suffering and hardship at the hands of political and military forces. Others say that the sheikh wanted to gain popularity in the largest Arab country. This is in addition to his rising popularity among the Saudi younger generation, especially through the use of social media such as Twitter, where the number of his followers has swelled into the millions. These supporters confront the secularists, modernists and liberals who have criticized the sheikh because of some unusual comments that he has reportedly made in some speeches and television programs. These comments included his intention to go to Jerusalem and deliver a sermon there and his claim that he can convince non-Muslims within minutes to embrace Islam. There has also been criticism of his sermon about Egypt and his trip to Egypt. Critics said that Egypt is full of talented scholars and that it sends scholars to various parts of the world for teaching and propagation purposes. They also say that Sheikh Al-Arifi is not one of the eminent scholars and outstanding preachers in the Kingdom and hence he does not deserve the praise and publicity he is now receiving. It was also claimed that the information contained in his sermon was taken from a paper prepared by an Egyptian researcher about the good qualities of Egyptians as mentioned in the Holy Qur'an and from articles written by Saudi researcher Muhammad Mousa Al-Sharif. Some critics have even accused the sheikh of plagiarism because he did not cite the sources on which he relied for his information in his sermon that praised Egyptians and their country. — Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi is a former Saudi diplomat who specializes in Southeast Asian affairs. He can be reached at [email protected]
