Yemeni scholars stress need to combat extremist ideology

Yemeni scholars and preachers who met in Aden Saturday (November 18th) stressed the need to combat extremism and the ideological deviation of terrorism, and to spread the values of moderation.

The meeting, organised by the Ministry of Religious Endowments and Guidance, aimed to highlight the dangers of targeting extremist ideology and efforts needed to protect scholars and preachers so that they can continue to do their job.

Meeting participants said that all those who resort to terrorism and violence are criminals who must be condemned and prosecuted using all possible legal means.

Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr urged the scholars to continue to play their role in combating terrorist ideology in spite of the difficulties facing them.

"You have said, and are still saying, the word of truth, and this has made you a target, while some of you have already been threatened and killed," he addressed the scholars saying.

"However, they should not intimidate us, and as long as we are right, we will definitely be victorious," he added.

"The scourge of terrorism has no religion, geography or boundary," he said, adding that putting an end to the Houthi coup and combating terrorism are the top priorities of the government.

"The meeting was held to stress the importance of the enlightening role of scholars and preachers in combating extremism and terrorism, which have targeted and killed two preachers in Aden [in October] and failed to kill a third in another operation," said Sheikh Mohammed al-Wali, director-general of the Office of Religious Endowments and Guidance in Aden.

"It is the duty of scholars towards their community to criminalise terrorism and its perpetrators and expose this extremist ideology, which has nothing to do with Islam," he told Al-Mashareq.

Despite the threats against them, scholars are carrying on with their duty to eradicate extremist ideology, he added.