RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif Al-Sheikh has urged his counterparts in the Gulf Cooperation Council member states to work toward disseminating good Islamic principles, including moderation, and call for tolerance, mercy, and co-existence, on a priority basis. Al-Sheikh also warned against the exploitation of youths by terrorist organizations and groups that manage to lure and push them toward violence, extremism, and terrorism. The Saudi minister made the remarks during the opening session of the sixth meeting of GGC ministers in charge of Islamic affairs and endowments. In the virtual session which was chaired by the United Arab Emirates, Al-Sheikh lauded the fruitful coordination among the ministries in charge of Islamic affairs on enhancing the principles and protection of the youngsters from deviation and anti-Islam intellectual trends. "We are meeting at a time when the world, including our Islamic world, is facing unprecedented challenges as extremism, terrorism and sectarianism have become a global scourge, seeking to undermine the very foundation of the nation-state, tear apart the social fabric, threaten national security and regional security, and affect international peace and security, the Saudi minister said. He added: "It is no secret that our countries are facing separate dangers that seek to undermine our sovereignty and security, making it imperative for all of us — ministers and officials responsible for Islamic affairs in our country — to stand against it by rationalizing the understanding of religious discourse, and directing preachers and imams of mosques, preachers and guides and to urge people to be prudent in dealing with such events."
