A Statement about what should be done toward our Syrian emigrants and refugees and the honorable stance of KSA in their relief

بيان ما يجب نحو إخوتنا المهاجرين واللاجئين السوريين

والموقف المشرف للسعودية في إغاثتهم

A Statement about what should be done toward our Syrian emigrants

and refugees and the honorable stance of KSA in their relief

By Khalid ibn `Abdur-Rahman Alshaya`

All praise be to Allah in all circumstances, and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his Companions, and his family.

It is not hidden the tyranny, criminality, and aggression which our Syrian brothers suffer at the hands of Bashar al-Assad, the tyrant of the Levant, and his guerilla and those who colluded with him in that aggression, especially Iran and Russia, which forced many of our Syrian brothers to leave their homes and go to neighboring Countries, and migration to other countries they can reach.

European countries were the destination of many Syrians, where they embarked humble boats to reach these countries and we witnessed with pain and sorrow the drowning of dozens of them.

However, most European governments hesitated to receive them and set barbed wire to stop their flow, in addition to the procedures which were accompanied by humiliation and violation of human dignity that are not in conformity with Europe human rights care.

The children and women of those emigrants nor the bad conditions they used to live in Syria did not move the feelings of European countries.

In the midst of what mass media broadcasts from sad pictures to the conditions of our Syrian brothers who escaped from the tyranny of Al Asad to face unfortunate fate either by drowning in the sea or facing humiliation at the borders of countries. Here, we have four important pauses:

First, there is no doubt that the reason of displacement and asylum is the negligence of the international community to Bashar, the tyrant, where he was given the chance to kill civilians using air force, missiles, and explosive barrels. The United Nations, the Security Council, and the International Community did not stand against these criminal practices prohibited in all divine codes and international laws. Moreover, the cunning of the international politics has founded those who justify these barbaric actions, so civilians could not find any chance but to keep away to survive and to maintain their lives and the lives of their children and women.

Second, the governments of all countries must show mercy, kindness, and benevolence to this helpless Syrian people. If the International Community let them down and did not rescue them from their tyrant president, it is not possible to repeat their letting down to them by refusing to grant them asylum in quest of salvation and life. Accommodating and relief is the right of all humans without discrimination based on color, religion, sex, or something else. Allah (may He be Exalted) says in the Glorious Qur'an: "Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwâ (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 2]. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "If anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 32].

The first who should exert efforts to help in this regard is Muslim countries and all their Islamic and Arabic organizations, particularly, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League.

It is obligatory to establish a work cell to manage this crisis and coordinate the efforts of housing, help, and relief, and offering all types of support.

Likewise, rich Muslims must offer money to their Syrian brothers from the wealth Allah granted them. So, they must hasten to specialized and credible relief agencies to support them so as to free themselves from guilt and can answer the questions of Allah on the Day of Resurrection as was reported in the Divine Hadith: "Did you not know that such and such a slave of Mine asked you for food but you did not feed him? Did you not realize that if you had fed him, you would certainly have found (its reward) with Me?" [Reported by Muslim].

Allah promised His Servants of the great reward for doing so, Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And those who believed, and emigrated and strove hard in the Cause of Allah (Al-Jihad), as well as those who gave (them) asylum and aid." [Surat Al Anfal: 74]. The Ayah included praise from Allah to the people of these attributes, of which are giving asylum and aid: This was the action of the Ansar (the Supporters) who opened their hearts to the emigrants and received them in the best manner where they inhibited them in their houses, gave them of their money, preferred them to themselves, and provided them with victory over their enemies; and today we are in dire need to follow their track because of the many calamities that hit the Muslim nation.

Third, we appreciate the stances of some European politicians who adopted honorable human attitudes toward Syrian refugees, but the Syrian crisis revealed a bad racism of some European authorities and persons, showing that they lack the simplest human principles in the middle of crises and war. Our Syrian brothers have subdue to humiliation at the borders of some European countries as evidenced by media cameras, and they were treated on racial and religious basis, which many human rights organizations have warned against. The Human Rights Watch said: The refugees camps in Hungary are terrifying, and authorities treat them as animals.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has warned the European countries of treating the Syrian emigrants on racial and religious basis due to what has been evidenced in some countries in this crisis which confronts the principles of human rights.

Fourth, some people have tried to accuse KSA of negligence toward our Syrian brothers, but this claim is false where KSA is still stretching hands to Muslims in general and to the displaced in particular whether on its land or in countries that receive the displaced. So, the service of the Kingdom to Islam and Muslims in all countries of the world is on the top of its priorities, therefore they offered generously all types of support which benefited most Arabic and Islamic countries.

According to International bank, the KSA is the most generous in offering humanitarian aid during all the past four decades.

United Nations' statistics indicate that the ratio of the KSA's aid and support exceeded 6% from its total national income occupying the first world rank in the field of unrecovered aid.

As for the Syrian issue, the KSA treated our Syrian brothers since the first moments of their affliction in the best manner politically and on the relief level.

750.000 Syrians live on the Saudi soil, and when the Syrian escaped from the tyranny of Bashshar, the KSA received 500.000 Syrians as visitors not refugees, where they were granted the right of residence, and temporary visas were granted to applicants as well as medical care for many of them, and their children were accepted in free education in the KSA's schools for boys and girls (100.000).

Likewise, Saudi citizens are competing with their government in exerting efforts toward their Syrian brothers.

As for the Saudi national campaign for the relief of our Syrian brothers, it is a sublime model in providing humanitarian aid to peoples damaged from the brunt of wars. The campaign also included securing the basic needs of Syrian refugees such as heating equipment, food rations, health services, and sheltering and housing the displaced. All these are offered with loving souls without harming them and without seeking reward of praise except the Lord of the world. Therefore, the KSA did not regard these actions a field of political marketing or others, so the sublime goal of the KSA, government and people, is that our Syrian brothers enjoy security and stability and to get rid of those who used killing and displacement against them.

Regardless all these effort, our hope is in Allah to relieve our Syrian brothers soon. With this distress rise high, a believer expects relief overnight as the Lord (Glory be to Him) says: "So verily, with the hardship, there is relief, *So verily, with the hardship, there is relief." [Surat Ash-Sharh: 5 - 6].

Allah is the Only One sought for help, and there no might nor strength save in Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted). And peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad.

Riyadh 25 Dhul-Hijjah AH 1436.