JEDDAH: A number of members of the Board of Senior Ulema and Imams of mosques stressed the importance of the speech by Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Premier and Interior minister, about the dangers of drugs. They stressed that drugs, which they said are more destructive than terrorism, strip people of their minds and souls and pointed out that they can be directly responsible for crimes such as rape and theft. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Aal Al-Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom and Chairman of the Board of Senior Ulema said, “The comments made by Prince Naif reflect his rich knowledge about the issue, defects and shortcomings in the society and his keenness to ensure its safety and security. He diagnosed all the aspects and dimensions of the problem.” He said Almighty Allah has bestowed on His human creatures the blessing of the mind, which differentiates it from all other creatures, but drugs destroy it. “Our religion orders us to preserve the mind and protect it from anything that may harm it, such as drugs and liquor, because they strip people of their will and dignity,” he said. The harms of the drugs extend to the society's security and its economy, which explains why the government is determined more than ever to combat and uproot this menace, he added. He urged all segments of society to work hand-in-hand and use their full potential to clean the society of these corrupt people because nothing deters their whims and lust for money. Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, Imam and Khateeb of the Holy Haram in Makkah, described drugs as the cancer of nations and pointing out that they deprive people of their minds, the dearest thing they possess. Drugs also destroy users' health and behavior, he said, and eventually turn them into useless and helpless people. He pointed out that drugs are a prime cause of cardiac diseases, destroy the digestive and respiratory systems and weaken the body's immunity. They are also responsible for psychiatric diseases such as hysteria, hallucinations, depression and bipolar disorders. Dr. Al-Sudais called upon the Khateebs and Imams to shoulder their responsibility by continuing to enlighten people in all their sermons about the harms of narcotics, which turn people into ghosts. He urged them to join hands with the security authorities to combat this menace. Dr. Saleh Bin Ghanim Al-Sadlan, a professor of Higher Studies at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University in Riyadh, said Prince Naif's speech came at a delicate time. He said the Islamic Shariah, Holy Qur'an and Sunnah have referred to this issue, for it is thought to be a major cause for all social and moral problems facing the society. Almighty Allah has bestowed people with the honor of preserving their bodies from all harms especially those that threaten the mind and the brain, he said, and if the mind is gone, people will behave like animals. If people kill themselves, they will be a fuel for the fire. If they harm their minds, they will be severely punished in the Hereafter, he said. Dr. Al-Sadlan stressed the importance of launching massive campaigns to enlighten the youth against this menace.
