Sheikh Abdullah Suleiman Al-Mane'e, a member of the Board of Senior Ulema, has reiterated the strong relations between King Abdullah and the Board and commended King Abdullah University of Science and Technology as a step towards “the Islamic World to recovering its leading role in science”. Speaking to Okaz newspaper in an article published today Thursday, Al-Mane'e praised the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for the creation of KAUST and described it as a “scientific body worthy of being commended, admired and blessed”. “King Abdullah is regarded as a pioneer and great leader not only in the Islamic World but in the entire world,” Al-Manee' said. “He feels his responsibility to his sons and the world and is fully aware that the Islamic Ummah once led the world in advancements in medicine, engineering, law, physics and jurisprudence, something which bestowed great honor on the Ummah in the past.” “By setting up the university following 20 years of planning King Abdullah seeks to restore the Islamic World to its leading role in science, bringing to its sons progress and development,” Al-Mane'e said. King Abdullah, Al-Mane'e said, has “made the dream a reality by supporting the creation of the university and opening its doors to talented and creative students who will serve the scientific movement in the Kingdom and the Arab and Islamic worlds”. “We therefore fully agree with the King and support and bless this project, and we pray to Allah that it is dedicated to the glory of Islam and Muslims. We call on everyone to support the university to make it a center of brilliance for science and progress for the entire world,” Al-Mane'e said. Al-Mane'e continued by addressing the role of the Board of Senior Ulema, describing it as a body that “issues edicts and statements on purely jurisprudential matters based on the Holy Qur'an and Prophet's Sunnah”.“These issues usually focus on righteousness, piety and religious observance, and the Board follows the principle of counseling in all its work which is at the core of the Islamic religion,” Al-Manee' said. “This principle governs cooperation and coherence between the judicious leadership and the scholars in the country.” It is, he said, a relationship based on “piety and righteousness” with its roots in the Qur'anic Verse (Verse 2 Surat Al-Ma'ida): Help ye one another In righteousness and piety, But help ye not one another In sin and rancor: Fear Allah: for Allah Is strict in punishment. Al-Manee's remarks come in the light of television comments late last month by Sheikh Sa'ad Bin Nasser Al-Shithri on the issue of coeducation at Kaust which provoked critical response from the national press as columnists came out in full support of the university. King Abdullah issued a royal decree on Oct. 4 relieving Sheikh Al-Shithri of his duties as a member of the Board of Senior Ulema.
