Saudi King Removes Cleric Who Challenged New University's Liberalized Policies

Last month, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) was dedicated. (See prior posting.) Long the dream of King Abdullah, KAUST is a co-educational graduate university, freed somewhat from the religious influences that dominate in other Saudi universities. Nipping a challenge to the University in the bud, Sunday King Abdullah issued a royal decree removing Sheikh Saad al Shethri from the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars, according to UAE's The National. Shethri, a young university professor who was just appointed to the Council this year, drew criticism from liberal media after his recent appearance on al Majad Islamic TV. In that appearance he questioned the appropriateness of co-education at KAUST and called for a Sharia committee to monitor the KAUST curriculum for its compatibility Islamic law.