A video clip claiming that a Saudi cleric announced recognition of the Shiite sect went viral on social media. The accompanying comments stated that Saudi Arabia had finally recognized the Shiite sect officially. However, the clip was extracted from an old video attacking the Shiites’ demands in Saudi Arabia. The cleric in the video is seen reading a text in front of him and enumerating decisions, including recognizing the Shiite sect, announcing it officially in the state apparatus, and establishing a unified religious curriculum. Shiites make up between 10-15% of Saudi Arabia’s population and have long complained of marginalization. The clip has nothing to do with recent developments between Riyadh and Tehran, and it is excerpted from a longer video titled “The Shiite Scheme in the Land of the Two Holy Mosques.” The sheikh’s speech listed points as “Shia demands that they want to achieve in our country” and put them within what he sees as a conspiracy that he warns against.
Recently, a video clip was circulated on social media that was said to show a Saudi cleric announcing “recognition of the Shiite sect”, in the midst of the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran after years of estrangement.
The accompanying comments read, “Saudi Arabia recognizes the Shiite sect,” or “Finally, Saudi Arabia officially recognized the Shiite sect.”
However, the clip is extracted from an old video attacking what it considers to be the demands of the Shiites in Saudi Arabia.
And it appears in what appears to be a cleric reading a text in front of him, enumerating, “Recognizing the Shiite sect, announcing it officially in the state apparatus, and establishing a unified religious curriculum…”, which suggests that he is reciting decisions.
Shiites, who have long complained of marginalization, make up between 10 and 15 percent of Saudi Arabia’s population of 33 million.
Many of them say that they are a victim of the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran, but while Riyadh and Tehran signed an agreement to resume diplomatic relations that allows for the reopening of the embassies of the two countries by mid-May and the implementation of economic and security cooperation agreements signed more than 20 years ago, these publications appeared that talk about “Saudi recognition of the Shiite sect.” “.
the truth
In fact, the clip was published many years ago, and it has nothing to do with the recent developments between Riyadh and Tehran, except that it is excerpted from a longer video, the context of which is completely different.
The original video Available on YouTube Eight years ago, the publication on Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Zubaidi’s channel was titled “The Shiite Scheme in the Land of the Two Holy Mosques.”
When examining the content of the sheikh’s speech in it, it can be seen that he listed these points as “Shia demands that they want to achieve in our country (…) just as they have achieved them in neighboring countries.”
It can be seen that he put these points and others within what he sees as a “conspiracy” that he warns against, in contrast to what is understood from his short words in the circulating passage.
In conclusion, the video clip that has been circulating on social media, claiming that Saudi Arabia has recognized the Shiite sect, is not true. The clip is old and taken out of context from a longer video that attacked what the speaker sees as the demands of the Shiites in Saudi Arabia. While there has been a recent rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, this has no relation to the false claims about the recognition of the Shiite sect. It is important to always verify facts before sharing information on social media to avoid spreading misinformation.