Saudi king hosts Muslim scholars close to Brotherhood

Saudi Arabia is hosting the International Union for Muslim Scholars as a participant in the Islamic Conference called for by King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz, Jordan’s Al-Sabeel newspaper reported on Monday. Sources from the union affirmed that its Secretary General, Professor Ali Mohiuddin Qaradaghi, had arrived in Saudi Arabia in response to the king’s invitation.

The scholars’ union is headed by Shaikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi and is well known for its close links to the Muslim Brotherhood. Observers believe that the invitation signals a shift in the Saudi position towards the movement and related bodies.

The UAE blacklisted the International Union for Muslim Scholars last year and called it a terrorist organisation along with more than 80 other international organisations and individuals. Most of those on the list are regarded generally as Islamists.