This article from the UAE’s The National exemplifies sloppy journalism, in my book. The writer focuses on the push-back to the King’s sacking of a cleric critical of the social rules to be followed at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Specifically, he criticized the co-educational nature of the campus and, in a program broadcast over the Qatari religious TV channel Majd, raised concerns about the possible teaching of evolution, something about which conservative Muslims (as some conservative Christians) have strong feelings.

The article quotes several Saudis who see his removal from his appointed positions as the result of an ‘organized media campaign’. I suggest no such thing is necessary. The cleric’s views—which he has absolute freedom to express—differ radically from the King’s vision of the university. As the sheikh’s position on the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars and on the Ijma Committee (which issues fatawa) is through the grace of the King, it doesn’t take a conspiracy to realize that the sheikh was being stupid. He was biting the hand that fed him. He was free to speak, but he was not free of the consequences of his speech.

Holding a royal appointment is not a human right, contrary to what Walid abu al Khair, identified as a Saudi human rights activist may believe. Sheikh Al-Shethri was not jailed for his speech; he was not exiled. His human rights were not curtailed. He was removed from government-provided positions because he no longer held the confidence of the King.

Freedom of speech, in its absolute form, means that one can say anything without being punished under the color of law. It does not mean that one speaks with no consequences, however. Those consequences can run the gamut from social ostracization to, as here, losing a government-appointed job.

Sheikh’s sacking unites opponents

JEDDAH // King Abdullah’s decision to relieve a senior scholar of his duties has disappointed intellectuals and rights activists, and raised questions about both the level of extremism in the Saudi liberal stream and the place of secularism in the ultra-conservative Islamic kingdom.

King Abdullah issued a royal decree on Sunday relieving Sheikh Saad al Shethri, a young university professor who was appointed this year to the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars, of his duties as a member of the council and the fatwa-ruling body.

The king’s decision came a few days after liberal newspapers and writers condemned Sheikh al Shethri for his controversial statement last week on the al Majad Islamic TV channel questioning the appropriateness of co-education at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaust) and calling for a Sharia committee to monitor the compatibility of studies being conducted at the international university with Islamic law.
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