As part of efforts to ensure stability and harmony among people, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has ordered religious authorities to dedicate the Friday sermons to warn against the Tablighi and Da’wah groups, which are called Al Ahbab ‘the Beloved’, reported BBC Urdu.

The directive was issued by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance in a series of tweets on December 6.

“The preachers of mosques and mosques in which Friday prayers are temporarily held, by dedicating the next Friday sermon 6/5/1443 AH to warn against (the Tablighi and Da’wah group), which is called (the Beloved),” read the English translation of the Arabic tweet quoting Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Asheikh.

The minister also directed the sermon include the following topics: “1. Explanation of the misguidance, deviation and danger of the group [Al Ahbab], and that it is one of the gates of terrorism, even if they claim otherwise. 2. Mention their most prominent mistakes. 3. Mention their danger to society. 4. A statement that affiliation with partisan groups, including (the Tablighi and Dawah Group) is prohibited in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Following this announcement, Friday sermons included a caution against the actions of Al Ahbab.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was running on a single party and single path, some groups came from outside and tried to divide the people following this existing system of one jamaat and one religion in order to tear apart the brotherhood of Saudi Arabia citizens. Out of such popular groups, there is also a Tablighi Jamaat that calls itself Al Ahbab in Saudi Arabia.

The origin of this party is India (subcontinent). The group [Al Ahbab] opposes many ways of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him)’s Islam. This group without any knowledge goes out for an invitation [Dawaat]. This is against the ways of Almighty Allah and Prophet Muhammad PBUH. This is a Tablighi Jamaat out of which terrorist groups were born. Followers of such people being deprived of knowledge also fall prey to excommunicated parties.

For the same reason, a probe was conducted against terrorist groups’ people, held in Saudi Arabia jails. They learned the arrested terrorists were the first part of Tablighi Jamaat. This country’s fatwa issuing committee has declared that it is not permissible to associate with Tablighi Jamaat or Al Ahbab.

"It is bound upon us to not accept their invitation. This group and other similar groups will tear apart our brotherhood. This is not acceptable under any circumstance,” read the Friday sermon announced at a grand mosque in Saudi Arabia. Similar sermons were also announced in other grand mosques upon the directives of the religious ministry.

The Tablighi groups in Pakistan refused to comment on the development. However, the Darul Ulum Deo Band India had condemned such directives and denounced such “baseless allegations.”

An official associated with Saudi Arabia’s religious authority told the news service that political and religious parties are not allowed to work under their laws. Moreover, the official added that “there is no entry for preaching ie no such visa or iqama is in place for such permission.”

The Tablighi Jamaat started in India, it reported, adding that the Tablighi Jamaat nomenclature is used in the whole world but in Saudi Arabia, it is called Al Ahbab because the kingdom does not allow any group to work with the name of Tableeghi Jamaat. According to a Dawn's article, Tablighi Jamaat’s roots pre-date the partition of South Asia and every year it attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees to their congregation in Raiwind, Nizamuddin, India and Tongi, Bangladesh.

Apparently, the official said the name Al Ahbab is used to remain safe from the authorities because such a name is frequently used in normal conversation. The official was of the view that every year preaching group people use different techniques to enter the kingdom.