Saudi Arabia to Host Int’l Islamic Conference on Moderation, Extremism, Terrorism, Tolerance, Coexistence

Aerial View of Makkah City Center with the Grand Mosque (AP)
Aerial View of Makkah City Center with the Grand Mosque (AP)
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Saudi Arabia to Host Int’l Islamic Conference on Moderation, Extremism, Terrorism, Tolerance, Coexistence

Aerial View of Makkah City Center with the Grand Mosque (AP)
Aerial View of Makkah City Center with the Grand Mosque (AP)

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance is organizing an Islamic conference in Makkah. The two-day conference titled “Engaging with Religious Affairs, Fatwa, and Clerical Administrations Worldwide and Their Implications,” is set to take place on August 13-14.

The convening of the conference was approved by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

The conference brings together 150 scholars and clerics representing 85 countries. Among them are esteemed religious leaders, heads of Islamic associations and institutions, thinkers, and academics from various global universities.

Over the course of two days, they will engage in seven working sessions, delving into topics of moderation, extremism, decay, terrorism, tolerance, and coexistence among nations.

The conference aims to strengthen communication and collaboration among religious affairs, fatwa, and clerical administrations worldwide.

Its overarching goal is to uphold the principles of moderation and balance, promoting values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence among diverse populations.

The event seeks to underscore the pivotal role of these institutions in adhering to the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet’s Sunnah, serving Islam and Muslims, fostering Islamic unity, combating extremist ideologies, safeguarding societies from atheism and moral decline.

The conference also highlights the unique experiences of Saudi Arabia in spreading mercy and preserving values while simultaneously advancing in all fields for societal progress and development.

Moreover, the event encompasses seven key themes. The first theme examines the efforts of religious affairs, fatwa, and clerical administrations worldwide in serving Islam and Muslims, as well as enhancing Islamic unity.

The second theme explores the current state and desired future of communication and integration among these entities.

The third theme highlights their endeavors to promote values of tolerance and coexistence among different populations.

The fourth theme underscores the fundamental commitment to the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah, both in terms of foundational principles and practical efforts.

The fifth theme delves into the concepts of moderation and balance within the context of the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah, examining their roots and practical applications.

The sixth theme addresses the roles of these administrative bodies in combating extremism and terrorism.

The seventh and final theme focuses on their contributions to safeguarding society from atheism and moral decline.

The organization of this conference falls within the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to establish the principles of moderation and balance.

These efforts entail constructive collaboration with global religious leaders, aiming to contribute to the reduction of violence and animosity among the world’s populations.



Trump Administration Backs Saudi Arabia’s Right to Defend Itself against Houthis

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press before boarding a plane en route to Iceland at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on October 5, 2026. (AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press before boarding a plane en route to Iceland at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on October 5, 2026. (AFP)
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Trump Administration Backs Saudi Arabia’s Right to Defend Itself against Houthis

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press before boarding a plane en route to Iceland at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on October 5, 2026. (AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to the press before boarding a plane en route to Iceland at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on October 5, 2026. (AFP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stressed on Monday that Washington understands the steps taken by the Saudi-led Arab coalition against the terrorist Houthi militia in Yemen.

The Trump administration is determined to meet its bilateral security commitments with the Kingdom in confronting threats from the Iran-backed group.

“The United States has a defense and security agreement with Saudi Arabia and we intend to live by it. I won’t discuss details further than that,” Rubio told a press conference before departing on a European trip that includes Iceland, Greece and Portugal.

“As far as our view of it, well, I think it’s – the Saudis and Yemeni forces clearly are not in favor of the Houthis controlling that territory close to the – to the [Bab al-Mandeb] strait there,” he added.

“It is territory that was gained as a result of a Houthi offensive, and this is the counter to it. We expected that would happen and that’s what’s happening,” he remarked.

“So obviously the Saudis have come under Houthi attack and see the threat that that poses, and they have a right to defend themselves. And obviously the Yemeni forces are going to try to retake territory that they were ousted from,” Rubio added.


Under Royal Directives, Saudi Arabia to Regularize Residency Status of Yemeni Nationals

The Ministry of Interior said that holding a valid Yemeni passport is an essential prerequisite for regularizing legal status. (Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen)
The Ministry of Interior said that holding a valid Yemeni passport is an essential prerequisite for regularizing legal status. (Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen)
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Under Royal Directives, Saudi Arabia to Regularize Residency Status of Yemeni Nationals

The Ministry of Interior said that holding a valid Yemeni passport is an essential prerequisite for regularizing legal status. (Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen)
The Ministry of Interior said that holding a valid Yemeni passport is an essential prerequisite for regularizing legal status. (Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen)

Under the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and in response to a request submitted by Chairman of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council Dr. Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced on Monday that the status of all Yemeni nationals residing irregularly in the Kingdom will be officially regularized.

The ministry is carrying out the initiative with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and Saudi Data and AI Authority, as part of the Kingdom's continued fraternal and humanitarian support for the Yemeni people.

The Ministry of Interior said that holding a valid Yemeni passport is an essential prerequisite for regularizing legal status.

The start date and applicable regulations will be announced through the official accounts of the General Directorate of Passports and other relevant authorities.


Saudi Arabia Strongly Condemns Houthis' Continued Targeting of Civilian Facilities

Saudi Arabia Strongly Condemns Houthis' Continued Targeting of Civilian Facilities
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Saudi Arabia Strongly Condemns Houthis' Continued Targeting of Civilian Facilities

Saudi Arabia Strongly Condemns Houthis' Continued Targeting of Civilian Facilities

Saudi Arabia strongly condemned on Monday the terrorist Houthi militia’s continued targeting of civilians and civilian and economic facilities in the Kingdom.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement said Saudi Arabia also condemned “the Houthis’ blatant and repeated attacks against the holiest sites on earth - Makkah and Madinah - the capital Riyadh, and the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, Najran, Taif, and Yanbu, as well as its targeting of Saudi vessels in the southern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.”

The Kingdom stressed that, since the terrorist Houthi militia’s coup against Yemen’s legitimate government in 2014, Saudi Arabia “has made sustained and tireless efforts to support a comprehensive and lasting political solution in Yemen.”

“However, consistent with its rejection of peace, the terrorist Houthi militia has instead chosen continued military escalation, dragging Yemen and the brotherly Yemeni people into further humanitarian and economic suffering that serves - and is in pursuit of - external agendas,” it added.

“The Kingdom reaffirms its inherent right to defend its territory, resources, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens and residents, and to take all necessary measures to protect its security in accordance with international law,” it continued.

“It also renews its full political and military support for the Presidential Leadership Council, the Yemeni government, and the brotherly Yemeni people to end the coup and restore the state and its institutions from the control of the terrorist Houthi militia,” it went on to say.

“The Kingdom reiterates its call on the international community, particularly the permanent members of the UN Security Council, to fulfill its responsibilities, implement the relevant Security Council resolutions, and provide full support to Yemen’s legitimate government in confronting the terrorist Houthi militia and ending the threat it poses to Yemen, the region, and the world,” it urged.