DOHA: Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has given marching orders to a celebrated Kuwaiti Islamic scholar and motivational speaker who headed his famous religious channel Al Risalah, apparently for his links to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Alwaleed said in a communication addressed to Dr Tariq Suwaidan (pictured) that the satellite channel was launched to propagate moderation and not to be affiliated with any ideology or group — a veiled reference to the Brotherhood.
He said in the letter: “I am highly disappointed by what you have written in the social media, which shows your inclinations and contradicts the goals of Al Risalah.
“Not only this, in a lecture in Yemen you announced that you are one of the leaders of the Brotherhood.”
The prince, as Chairman of Al Risalah’s board of trustees, said he had repeatedly warned him against political affiliation.
Dr Al Suwaidan reacted sharply to the letter and tweeted he was nobody’s slave except that of Allah’s and stressed how he had made Al Risalah a great success. “My mind, my freedom and my principles are not for sale.
After the cleric (who has a large number of Twitter followers) was fired, his angered supporters launched a campaign boycotting Al Risalah.
But Al Suwaidan has urged them to withdraw their Twitter campaign saying: “Al Risalah is so dear to me”.
The Peninsula
