The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia has recently released a big announcement, in which he has promised to move the country in the direction of liberal Islam. That means he wants to see Saudi Arabia with a new and settled Islamic vision, with a spirit of generosity and smooth relations. During an interview, the influential heir to the Saudi throne criticized the ultra-Orthodox state, describing it as “not normal” for the past 30 years. He attributed the societal rigidity to the Iranian revolution, stating that successive leaders didn’t know how to address it.
As the Crown Prince stated, “They are trying to make people see Islam their way.” But no one is really arguing with them or fighting with them. In such a situation, they are getting a chance to spread their extremist views. For this reason, extreme extremist terrorist organizations were formed in both Sunni and Shia groups.
Expanding on his comments at an investment conference, at which he announced the launch of an ambitious $500bn (£381bn) free economic zone spanning Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt, Prince Mohammed said: “We are a G20 country. The economy of the country is one of the largest in the world. We are in the middle of three continents. Making Saudi Arabia better means changing the region as well as the world. Our goal is to accomplish that. And we hope that we will get support from everyone.
Earlier Prince Mohammed had said: “We are simply practising what we preached – a liberal Islam that is open to the world and all religions. 70% of Saudis are under the age of 30, honestly, we will not waste 30 years of our lives fighting extremist ideas, we will destroy them right now and immediately.
The crown prince’s comments are the most forceful he has made during a six-month reform program that has introduced cultural reforms and economic stimulus unimaginable in recent decades, during which the kingdom was accused of promoting a brand of Islam Which promotes extremism.
