Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has urged the country’s media houses to report responsibly and ensure that they carry patriotic messages aimed at the youth.

King Salman made the comments at a meeting with senior intellectuals, newspaper editors, writers and journalists at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh. Those present included Crown Prince Mohammed bin Naif, deputy premier and interior minister, and Minister of Culture and Information Adel Al-Toraifi.

King Salman said journalists must criticize constructively, which should be in the interests of the country, especially now that the Kingdom is the focus of many people.

He said everyone has this responsibility, including other leaders in government. He said Allah would have mercy on those “who point out my faults” and that the leadership was available on the telephone and through various councils for citizens to raise concerns or speak about challenges in their lives.

He said that Saudi Arabia was the “Qiblah of Muslims” and that the media should reflect that its governance follows the directives contained in the Qur’an and the sayings of the Prophet, peace be upon him.

He said Muslims bow toward Makkah five times a day because it is the place where parts of the Qur’an was revealed and the message of the Prophet, peace be upon him, was spread. It was important for the country’s intellectuals to understand the important role being played by the country in the lives of Muslims, he said.

“Haj and Umrah pilgrims and visitors travel to Makkah and Madina in peace and security. They come from destinations along the Red Sea and the Gulf, from south and north. This is grace from Allah for which we should be thankful,” he said.

Al-Toraifi, speaking on behalf of the journalists and intellectuals present, thanked King Salman for the meeting. He also thanked the crown prince and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, second deputy premier and defense minister.

Al-Toraifi said that it was under the guidance of King Salman that the Kingdom has remained a leading nation in the Arab and Muslim world. It would use culture, arts and literature to strengthen national unity and fight terrorism and extremism, he said.

It was important for the Kingdom to become an example of how nations and communities can live peacefully with one another. He said the king would support more cultural and artistic projects to boost patriotism in the country.

Al-Toraifi said journalists and intellectuals have to teach young people about the history of their ancestors, so that they can understand how the country was built into the nation that it is today.

Al-Toraifi slammed sections of the foreign media, labeling them liars and enemies of the Kingdom, who were envious of the Kingdom’s success. However, there were only a few foreign journalists behaving in this manner, and they would not be able to undermine the country’s unity and peace.

Al-Toraifi said that under the king, the country has established and supported several cultural and media institutions, which should carry the message that the Kingdom is the land of the two holy mosques and the unifying force among Muslims worldwide.

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