The International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) has condemned the reported arrest of Muslim preachers and scholars in Saudi Arabia, urging Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz to order their release.
Salman al-Audah, a prominent Muslim preacher and member of the IUMS's board of trustees, and more than 20 others were arrested on Sunday, according to social media postings.
Salman al-Audah, a prominent Muslim preacher and member of the IUMS's board of trustees, and more than 20 others were arrested on Sunday, according to social media postings.
The Doha-based IUMS said in a statement on Monday that the scholars "should not be used as pawns in political disputes", referring to the crisis between Qatar and four other Arab states -- Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.
"In regards to the crisis (with) the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) member states, al-Audah has done nothing but call for unity between these brotherly countries," the statement read, noting that his last tweet urged GCC members to "come together for the sake of their people".
The IUMS is an organisation of Islamic theologians headed by chairman Yusuf al-Qaradawi, and headquartered in Qatar.
About 90,000 Muslim scholars are connected through the union, which claims to bring together Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Ali Qara Daghi, IUMS secretary-general, was quoted in the document as saying that al-Audah was known for his "moderate positions".
Saudi Arabia is yet to issue any official statement regarding the reported arrests.
The incident came to light on Twitter after Khalid bin Fahd al-Audah tweeted on Sunday that the Saudi authorities had arrested his brother Salman. He did not elaborate on the time of the arrest or the possible reasons behind it.
On Monday, activists reported on social media that the Saudi authorities had detained more than 20 Muslim preachers and scholars for unspecified reasons.
Alongside al-Audah, those reportedly detained include prominent Saudi preachers Aaidh al-Qarni and Ali al-Omari.
According to reports, the arrests appear to be a crackdown on Islamists seen as critics of the conservative kingdom's absolute rulers.
In one of his last postings on Twitter, al-Audah welcomed a report last Friday suggesting that the three-month-old row between Qatar and four Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia may be resolved. Hopes for a breakthrough were quickly dashed when Saudi Arabia suspended any dialogue with Qatar, falsely accusing it of "distorting facts".
Like al-Audah, al-Qarni had also expressed support for reconciliation between the siege countries and Qatar.
The Gulf crisis that their arrests are linked to broke out on June 5 when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar.
"In regards to the crisis (with) the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) member states, al-Audah has done nothing but call for unity between these brotherly countries," the statement read, noting that his last tweet urged GCC members to "come together for the sake of their people".
The IUMS is an organisation of Islamic theologians headed by chairman Yusuf al-Qaradawi, and headquartered in Qatar.
About 90,000 Muslim scholars are connected through the union, which claims to bring together Sunni and Shia Muslims.
Ali Qara Daghi, IUMS secretary-general, was quoted in the document as saying that al-Audah was known for his "moderate positions".
Saudi Arabia is yet to issue any official statement regarding the reported arrests.
The incident came to light on Twitter after Khalid bin Fahd al-Audah tweeted on Sunday that the Saudi authorities had arrested his brother Salman. He did not elaborate on the time of the arrest or the possible reasons behind it.
On Monday, activists reported on social media that the Saudi authorities had detained more than 20 Muslim preachers and scholars for unspecified reasons.
Alongside al-Audah, those reportedly detained include prominent Saudi preachers Aaidh al-Qarni and Ali al-Omari.
According to reports, the arrests appear to be a crackdown on Islamists seen as critics of the conservative kingdom's absolute rulers.
In one of his last postings on Twitter, al-Audah welcomed a report last Friday suggesting that the three-month-old row between Qatar and four Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia may be resolved. Hopes for a breakthrough were quickly dashed when Saudi Arabia suspended any dialogue with Qatar, falsely accusing it of "distorting facts".
Like al-Audah, al-Qarni had also expressed support for reconciliation between the siege countries and Qatar.
The Gulf crisis that their arrests are linked to broke out on June 5 when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar.
