Saudi Arabia: Free Saudi Scholar Dr Mohammed Alabdulkareem

Dr Mohammed Alabdulkareem. Image from his Facebook fan page

Saudi Dr Mohammed Alabdulkareem was arrested after publishing an article on the effectiveness of the political regulation among the royal family [Ar]. The scholar holds a PhD degree in Islamic Regulations, and teaches at Al-Imam Muhammed ibn Saud Islamic University. And the article was not his first, as he had written several others discussing political issues within the Saudi community.

The Arrest

According to Dr Alabdulkareem's Facebook fan page, he had expressed his expectations to be arrested to his friend Abdullah Almalki, after publishing the article and prior to his arrest.

Reporters Without Borders notes that Dr Alabdulkareem was arrested at his home by four men with no warrant on December 5, 12 days after posting the article.

Free Dr Alabdulkareem

As a reaction to the arrest, social media was filled with calls to release the scholar. Two fan pages was created in response to the arrest on Facebook. They are: “Free Dr.Alabdulkarim” and “We are all Mohammed Abdulkarim.” Moreover, on Twitter the hashtag #FreeDrAbdulkarim was used to call for his release. Many blog entries were also written with calls for his release. Below are some of the reactions.

The blogger Talaf poses questions about his country:

فهل علمتم عن بلد ما قرر عقاب أحد من أبنائه لمجرد أنه ينادي بوجوب حمايته والحفاظ عليه !!
Have you ever heard of a country that punishes one of its own sons just because he asked to protect and preserve that country!!!!

From Twitter, Abdulrahman Alnasri, is willing to be arrested for standing up for his country too:

رسالة للذين اعتقلوا الدكتور العبدالكريم: أنا وكثيرين غيري نؤمن بكب كلمة قالها الدكتور في مقاله، فهل ستعتقلوننا أيضا؟ #FreeDrAbdulkarim
To those who arrested Dr. Alabdulkareem: I, and many others, believe in every word Dr. Al-Abdulkarim said in his article. Are you going to arrest us too?

From the scholar's fan page, Khaled Alhojoori comments:

لم لا يسجنون يده التي كتبت ؟ لم لا يسجنون القلم الذي خط؟
لم يعطونهم هامشا من الحرية ثم يعتقلون هذا الهامش؟
لقد أصبحت حياة الناس تبعا لأمزجة البعض ،، تضيع سنوات من عمرك لا بأس بذلك ،، فهي ليست ملكا لك ،، هي ملك لغيرك
كان الله في عونك أخونا محمد ,, فنحن لا نملك غير الكلام ، وأخشى أن يصادر
Why don't they arrest his hand or his pen for writing?
Why do they give them a small margin of freedom, and then take this margin away?
Many lives now depend on the moods of some. It is fine to waste years of your life, because it isn't yours, it belongs to others.
May Allah be with you brother Mohammed. We have nothing to offer but our words, and we are afraid that even this may be taken away.

Finally, Nofah wondered about Dr. Alabulkareem's fate, and whether he will spend the rest of his life in jail, like many other political prisoners:

أخشى ما أخشاه أن يصبح الدكتور كمن سبقه من أصحابه الأحرار وأن يمكث في السجن سنين عديدة دون تهمة أو جريرة، تهمته فقط قول الحق من غير مراء
My worst fear is that Dr Alabdulakreem becomes like his predecessors who stayed in prison for many years without charge or fault. Their only charge was telling the truth without doubt.

1 comment

  • moulana saleem ebrahim

    Salaam . I am not surprised at this . There are many laws that are not Islaamic but rather they are Wahabi laws . For example, women in Islaam are held in high esteem , such as the wife of the Holy Prophet , Ayesha [ra] , who traveled but camel but today women are prohibited from driving and if they do then that would be on a special designated ‘RED”road . This not Islam but rather it is Saudi /Wahabi laws. Secondly the Ulama have already enjoyed their position under the Saudi family , a partnership between the royals and ulama , how ironical ,they are now being sent to prison .Does Islam actually recognize Kingship of human beings ? What does Surah Fatiha say about Allah as the King? Did Muhammad[saw] say/consider himself as a king ? These Saudis speak and oppose shirk aggressively but why do they name their country with their family name , when we know in Islaam that all belongs to Allah Almighty. This is tribalism and this is kufr and shirk itself . Islam supports freedom of speech , which does not entail lies , profanities ,vile/abusive words ,slander,spying,false pretext, false testamonies ect . The freedom of speech that Islaam promotes is what they Holy Prophet did , standing up and saying something about oppression /dhulm. So if we speak about Saudi royals and imprisoned for that , then that is not Islamic.

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