Saudi Arabia faces scrutiny after Sheikh Arkam was detained in Mecca, raising concerns over sovereignty, Hajj diplomacy, and alleged conspiracy.
Saudi Arabia’s detention and questioning of All-Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama Secretary General Ash-Sheikh Arkam Nooramith in the holy city of Mecca has triggered a serious political and diplomatic storm in Sri Lanka, going far beyond what many would consider a routine religious matter.
The incident, involving a Sri Lankan religious leader reportedly targeted in the Mina valley while performing the sacred Hajj pilgrimage under official arrangements between two countries, has now raised disturbing questions about whether Sri Lanka’s internal state decisions were betrayed through a disgraceful conspiracy.
Was this an act of interference by Saudi Arabia in Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and administrative process? Or was the Saudi state machinery used by certain individuals to settle narrow personal scores?
The Complaint Behind The Controversy
At the centre of this troubling episode is an individual of Sri Lankan origin who now holds Saudi citizenship and presents himself as a guardian of Sri Lankan pilgrims in Mecca.
According to the allegations surrounding the incident, this individual had lodged a complaint with Saudi authorities that directly challenged a decision connected to the Sri Lankan government.
The complaint reportedly accused Sheikh Arkam of being primarily responsible for Sri Lankan customs authorities detaining religious books and copies of the Holy Quran sent from Saudi Arabia to Sri Lanka.
However, the reality is that Sheikh Arkam serves as an official member of the Islamic Book Review Committee attached to the Ministry of Muslim Religious Affairs.
Sri Lanka has the sovereign right to examine religious material and ideologies entering the country, particularly when national security, religious harmony, and social stability are involved.
By attempting to portray an official duty performed within Sri Lanka as a crime in another country, the complainant appears to have turned a Sri Lankan state decision into the basis for foreign action against a Sri Lankan citizen.
The same complainant is also alleged to have labelled Sheikh Arkam as a “Sufi” ideologue opposed to “Wahhabism,” claiming that he had promoted ideas among pilgrims against Saudi ideology. It is further alleged that the complaint requested Saudi Arabia to exile or imprison him.
Questions Over International Law
Under the official Hajj quota granted to Sri Lanka through the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, serious concerns arise over whether Saudi authorities had any moral or international legal basis to question a Sri Lankan citizen who had entered the country with a valid visa, particularly over official duties performed inside Sri Lanka.
The issue is no longer limited to one religious figure. It touches directly on the dignity of the Sri Lankan state.
If a member connected to a Sri Lankan government advisory process can be detained and questioned abroad because of a decision taken within Sri Lanka, that becomes a direct interference in the internal political and administrative affairs of another country.
The detention of a member of a Sri Lankan government-linked advisory council, even if temporary, stands as a silent insult to the state of Sri Lanka.
Colombo Must Act Immediately
Although Sheikh Arkam has since been released, the diplomatic damage caused by this incident cannot be dismissed lightly.
The Sri Lankan government and political authorities must respond firmly and without delay.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs should immediately summon the Saudi Ambassador in Colombo and formally convey the government’s strong protest and displeasure over the incident.
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Amir Ajwad, and the Consul General in Jeddah, former Court of Appeal Judge Lafar Tahir, should also be instructed to submit a full report to Colombo on the circumstances behind the questioning and the alleged conspiracy that led to it.
There must also be legal and political pressure from Muslim Members of Parliament in Sri Lanka and the Muslim Lawyers’ Association. They should jointly demand justice and diplomatic-level compensation for Sheikh Arkam, who was acting in connection with an official state-related responsibility.
A Warning For Sri Lanka
The holy city of Mecca cannot become a private arena for political revenge or personal score-settling. Saudi security forces cannot be allowed to act against Sri Lankan religious leaders based on accusations made by individuals who hold Saudi citizenship but are alleged to be working against decisions taken by the Sri Lankan government.
If the Sri Lankan government fails to stand firm and lodge an official protest with Saudi Arabia, this incident could set a dangerous precedent.
Tomorrow, any Sri Lankan official performing a legitimate state duty may face similar treatment in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere.
This is why the matter must not be treated as a minor religious dispute.
It is a question of sovereignty, diplomatic dignity, religious leadership, and the protection of Sri Lankan citizens who travel abroad under official arrangements.
This reminds me of the case where an innocent Girl CHILD Rizana Nafik was Murdered by the Barbaric Saudi Arabian Regime based on false compaint made by guilty conscious Saudi Woman accusing Rizana of killing her sick toddler baby while she was galavanting with her friends.
The Sri Lanka Government of the day did nothing except lip service while some opposition members of parliament made representations to the Saudi regime and voiced opposition to regime sanctioned murder.
LAND LIKE NO OTHER!