230:"more often than not", the government does "as it likes and then seeks approval after the fact". According to Christopher Boucek, the influence of the Council and ulema in general varies according to how "secure" the royal family feels. Great levels of royal confidence lead to less disregard shown to, and greater control over the religious establishment. Unlike other ulema, Saudi scholars do not have income-generating lands or endowments to fund them and are dependent on government salaries.
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of the historically close relationship between the House of Saud and the dominant Salafi version of Islam in the kingdom. In theory, a danger exists that the ulama will be independent in its judgment and issue a fatwa bequeathing leadership outside the normal line of succession, but this has never happened. The ulama issuing the fatwa comprises members of the
Supreme Religious Council, appointed by the king.
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Abd el-Wahhab's doctrine lays down that people are subject to the absolute authority of the sovereign in return for the sovereign's absolute obedience to the law of God ... The sovereign's fidelity to his commitment must therefore be verified by a body of `ulema` whose role is to examine his politics
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The ulama must then declare the new king an imam (Muslim leader).The declaration can only be made on the basis of a fatwa indicating that the decision is legitimate. The approval of the nation's religious leaders not only authenticates the succession on religious grounds but also serves as a reminder
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The
Council is often used to provide religious support for government edicts. For example, in 2011 it issued a fatwa ruling against protest demonstrations calling them "deviant intellectual and partisan connections". Demonstrations "and anything that leads to disunity and fragmentation of the nation"
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It is rarely in opposition to government policy, and when it does disagree, the
Council generally expresses it by silence. Observers differ as to how much influence the Council has. Many believe the government generally consults the Council prior to issuing legislation, while other believe that
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were not allowed under Sharia (Islamic law). Reform could only come from giving advice and counsel, "and not by issuing and collecting signatures on intimidating and incendiary statements that violate what God the most High has commanded" (sura 4, aya 83, of the Koran were cited in support).
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49:'s highest religious body, and advises the king on religious matters. The council is appointed by the king, with salaries paid by the government. As of 2009, the council was made up of 21 members. Saudi
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upon which "the absolute authority of the sovereign" over the Saudi population rests. However, in practice the council "virtually never expresses opposition to any proposal from the royal family".
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decreed that only officially approved religious scholars would be allowed to issue fatwas in Saudi Arabia, primarily the members the
Council of Senior Scholars. At least one Islamic fatwa website
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Bligh, Alexander. 1985. " The Saudi
Religious Elite (Ulama) as Participant in the Political System of the Kingdom." International Journal of Middle East Studies 17, no. 1, 37-50
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pressured seven members of the Senior Ulema into retirement after they failed to sign a letter condemning conservative attacks on the al-Saud family. In 2009, another member—
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According to Simon
Henderson, the council must give a fatwa of approval before a new king is crowned. Although, as is evident by the crowning of
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whose membership is drawn from the Senior
Council. The members of the Senior Council are appointed to four year terms. In 2010, Saudi
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114:). Despite the newfound diversity, observers note that the scholars continue to hold very similar positions in regard to
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continued the precedent set by earlier kings of meeting weekly with
Council members who resided in the capital,
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The Senior
Council assists in reviewing requests for fatwas prepared by the four (or five) member
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189:, only thirty to forty of the most senior scholars "exercised substantive political influence".
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While the ulama of Saudi Arabia and the
Council are sometimes used interchangeably (for example
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Islamopedia: "Standing Committee for Scholarly Research and Issuing Fatwas, (Saudi Arabia)"
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decreed that only members of the Council and a few other Islamic Scholars could issue
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510:"Saudi Arabia: The Regime Invokes Sharia Law to Prevent Public Protest"
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hold power over the royal family is lacking in evidence. According to
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The Senior Council and the Permanent Committee issue fatwas, the
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Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice
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expanded the Committee to include scholars from the other three
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Al Arabiya: "Saudi Arabia blocks 'Islam Question and Answer'" (
94:(school of Islamic jurisprudence). On 14 February of that year
575:(Fatawa of Council of Senior Scholars), retrieved 9 March 2014
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an associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
333:"Saudi Fatwa Restrictions and the State-Clerical Relationship"
335:| by Christopher Boucek| Carnegie Endowment| 27 October 2010
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Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Issuing Fatwas
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The Senior Council of Ulema, KSA's highest religious body
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Prior to 1971, the council met informally, headed by the
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to verify that they conform to the principles of Islam
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Saudi Gazette: "Council of Senior Ulema reconstituted"
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Until 2009, the body was restricted to members of the
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Hoteit, Lamis; Courtney C. Radsch (4 October 2009).
302:"Saudi Arabia: The Coming Storm" By Peter W. Wilson
573:General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta'
247:King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
546:"Saudi cleric sacked over co-ed university spat"
448:"After King Abdullah Succession in Saudi Arabia"
84:issued a royal decree establishing the Council.
407:22 June 2013| (list of members of the council)
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38:هيئة كبار العلماء, also known as the
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609:Government agencies of Saudi Arabia
589:1971 establishments in Saudi Arabia
490:Olivier Roy; Antoine Sfeir (eds.).
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102:schools of Islamic jurisprudence (
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239:Sheikh Saad bin Nasser al-Shithri
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147:run by Saudi Islamic scholar
123:As of 2022, the Grand Mufti,
82:King Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz
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384:February 26, 2012, at the
162:communicate them, and the
125:Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh
32:Council of Senior Scholars
516:. Library of Congress, US
358:"Council of Senior Ulama"
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166:enforces their rulings.
36:Hay'at Kibar al-‘Ulama -
47:Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
18:Senior Council of Ulema
388:retrieved 22 June 2013
264:Islam in Saudi Arabia
360:. globalsecurity.org
259:College of Cardinals
221:Support for monarchy
274:Assembly of Experts
203:Mohammed Bin Salman
149:Muhammad Al-Munajid
464:on 26 January 2019
446:Henderson, Simon.
403:2012-09-15 at the
205:the idea that the
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245:at the new
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75:Grand Mufti
583:Categories
281:References
419:in Arabic
235:King Fahd
193:Oversight
120:(creed).
51:King Fahd
45:) is the
520:18 March
468:19 March
401:Archived
382:Archived
364:11 March
304:p. 26-27
253:See also
233:In 1992
179:Archived
145:Islam-QA
117:ʿAqīdah
104:Shafi'i
89:Hanbali
69:History
604:Fatwas
131:Fatawa
112:Maliki
108:Hanafi
92:madhab
55:Riyadh
462:(PDF)
451:(PDF)
207:Ulema
170:Ulama
160:imams
100:Sunni
63:fatwa
42:Ulama
557:2014
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470:2014
366:2014
176:here
110:and
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