Asharq Alawsat‘s Editor-in-Chief Tariq Alhomayed welcomes the fatwa issued by the Saudi Arabia’ Grand Mufti that tells young Saudis to avoid leaving the country to take up the banner of jihad. In his edict, he also warns Saudis against funding terrorism, even inadvertently.

MEMRI, the Israeli-focused Middle East Media Research Institute, also points to Saudi media coverage of the fatwa.

Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti
Tariq Alhomayed

Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz Bin Abdullah Bin Mohammed al Sheikh, did well when he issued an explicit and unambiguous fatwa [religious edict] prohibiting Saudi youth from traveling abroad under the pretext of jihad.

The sheikh was absolutely clear in his words and distinctly said that Saudi youth have become, “a tool in the hands of foreign forces that manipulate them [Saudi youth] in the name of jihad, whilst fulfilling their shameful goals and objectives in foul operations that are far removed from religion so that our youth have become a commodity to be bought and sold.”

Credit and gratitude are due to the sheikh for saying that our youth have become a commodity to be bought and sold; unfortunately, this has become a tangible reality that manifests everywhere we look. Many were tricked and exploited while the instigators never hesitate to employ all kinds of pretexts and pretenses. Today, the redeeming factor is that these words belong to the Grand Mufti of Saudi.

…The Mufti’s fatwa stated things as they are, it was neither slanted nor hesitant; however most importantly, it hit on an important nerve in terrorist operations; its funding. The sheikh explicitly said, “I advise caution to those with financial means so that their money does not end up harming Muslims.” This is particularly more pronounced because it coincides with the time of giving Zakat [during the month of Ramadan], and scores have been deceived into financially backing the merchants of death and destruction.