Mohamad al-Arefe

{{Infobox person

| honorific_prefix =

| name = Muhammad al-Arifi

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| image = Mohammed Al-Arefe.jpg

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| native_name = {{lang|ar|محمد العريفي}}

| native_name_lang = Arabic

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| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1970|7|15}}

| birth_place = Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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| nationality = Saudi Arabian{{Cite web|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2014/06/25/Controversial-cleric-al-Arifi-banned-from-UK-|title = Britain bans controversial Saudi cleric al-Arifi|date = 25 June 2014}}

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| occupation = scholar

| years_active = 1990-2018

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Muhammad bin Abdul-Rahman Al-Arifi ({{langx|ar|محمد بن عبد الرحمن العريفي}}, born 15 July 1970) is a Saudi Arabian author and Da'i. He is a graduate of King Saud University, and member of the Muslim World League and the Association of Muslim Scholars.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/sunni-vs-shia-in-gerrards-cross-new-mosque-highlights-growing-tensions-among-british-muslims-8671969.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220515/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/sunni-vs-shia-in-gerrards-cross-new-mosque-highlights-growing-tensions-among-british-muslims-8671969.html |archive-date=15 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Sunni vs Shia... in Gerrard's Cross: New mosque highlights growing tensions among British Muslims|last=Milmo|first=Cahal|date=24 June 2013|work=The Independent|accessdate=25 June 2013}}

Social media popularity

As of 2016, Al-Arifi had over 20 million followers on Twitter.{{cite news |last=Yahya |first=Nasidi Adamu |date=19 July 2016 |title=Yadda Malamai ke wa'azi a shafukan zumunta |url=http://www.bbc.com/hausa/news/2016/07/160718_social_media_religious_propagation |newspaper=ABC Hausa }}

Muslim Brotherhood affiliation was denied for Al-Arifi and Adil al-Kalbani by al-Kalbani, saying that they are affiliated with the Union of Muslim Scholars.{{cite news |date=19 August 2013 |title=تتصفح الآن: الكلباني : أنا عضو في اتحاد علماء المسلمين ولست إخوانياً .. والعريفي ليس إخوانياً |url=http://www.an7a.com/115868/ |newspaper=صحيفة أنحاء الإلكترونية |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214102112/http://www.an7a.com/115868/ |archive-date=14 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}

He said that Syria jihad is incumbent and did apologia for al-Nusra, visiting the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque in Qatar.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/qatar/11125897/The-Club-Med-for-terrorists.html|title=The 'Club Med for terrorists' |newspaper=The Telegraph|date=27 September 2014|last=Gilligan|first=Andrew}}

Al-Arifi had a discussion with Saudi Deputy crown prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud (MBS)and then tweeted and posted a photo of them smiling together.{{cite news |date=25 April 2016 |title=أخبار 24 | العريفي ينشر صورة له برفقة الأمير محمد بن سلمان بعد إعلان |url=http://akhbaar24.argaam.com/article/detail/277576 |newspaper=أخبار 24 }} The discussion was held on the same day as Saudi Vision 2030 began.{{cite news |date=27 April 1438 |title= العريفي ينشر صورة له برفقة الأمير محمد بن سلمان بعد إعلان "رؤية السعودية" |url=http://saabag.com/news-action-show-id-14808.htm |newspaper=صحيفة سابق الإلكترونية }}{{cite news |last=عيسى |first=عمر |date=25 April 2016 |title=العريفي" يشكر ولي ولي العهد السعودي لهذا السبب |url=http://www.cairoportal.com/story/542570/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%B4%D9%83%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%84%D9%87%D8%B0%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A8 |newspaper=بوابة القاهرة }}{{cite news |date=25 April 2016 |title= العريفي يلتقي مع بن سلمان بعد ساعات من إعلان رؤية 2030 |url=http://alkhaleejonline.net/articles/1461609992083616200/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%8A-%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%A8%D9%86-%D8%B3%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%AF-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A5%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%A4%D9%8A%D8%A9-2030/ |newspaper=الخليج أونلاين |location=الرياض }} He asked God to bless MBS and posted his thanks.{{cite news |first= |title=العريفي ينشر صورة له برفقة محمد بن سلمان بعد إعلان "رؤية السعودية" |url=https://al-marsd.com/33645.html |newspaper=صحيفة المرصد }} Al-Arifi met with MBS again and talked with him and posted the photo of them smiling together on Twitter.{{cite news |date=22 December 2016 |title=الشيخ العريفي ينشر صورة جمعته بـ محمد بن سلمان.. ويكشف ما دار بينهما |url=http://mz-mz.net/686775/ |newspaper=مـزمـز }} They talked about the future of the Islamic world and of the Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia).{{cite news |date=22 December 2016 |title=الشيخ "العريفي" ينشر صورة جمعته بـمحمد بن سلمان .. ويكشف ما دار بينهما |url=https://al-marsd.com/91951.html |newspaper=صحيفة المرصد |accessdate=25 January 2017}}

King Saud University employs Al-Arifi.{{cite web |url=https://www.gulfinstitute.org/saudi-deputy-crown-prince-meets-obama-after-welcoming-an-isis-supporter/ |title=Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Meets Obama after Welcoming an ISIS Supporter |author=IGA Staff |date=17 June 2016 |website=The Institute for Gulf Affairs }}

Al-Arifi's Twitter account was suspended in 2018.{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.com/arabic/trending-46709762 |title= تساؤلات بعد إيقاف حساب الشيخ السعودي محمد العريفي على تويتر |date=29 December 2018 |website=BBC }} In February 2021 it was reported that Al-Arifi was under watch by Saudi government authorities and that his moves and actions were being followed using spy devices and a tracking knee band.{{cite web |url=https://www.elnashra.com/news/show/1483843/%D9%85%D8%AC%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%AF:-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%81%D8%B3%D9%8A-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%B4%D9%8A%D8%AE-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A1-%D9%88%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AA-%D8%AD%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%A7 |title= مجتهد: الوضع النفسي للشيخ العريفي سيء وصودرت حساباته على مواقع التواصل |date=14 February 2021 |website=El-Nashra }}

Sanctions

In May 2013, Al-Arifi was banned from entering Switzerland for a period of 5 years, for holding extreme views, Switzerland said.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=27 May 2013|title=Madhur temple undergoes massive renovation|url=https://www.arabnews.com/news/452987|newspaper=Arab News}}

In March 2014, he was banned by the Home Office from returning to Britain after a series of sermons in Cardiff, Birmingham and London. A Home Office spokesperson said: "We can confirm “Al-Arefe” has been excluded from the United Kingdom, The Government makes no apologies for refusing people access to the UK if we believe they represent a threat to our society. Coming here is a privilege that we refuse to extend to those who seek to subvert our shared values."{{cite news|title=Banned preacher under scrutiny over links to young Cardiff men fighting with Isis in Iraq and Syria|url=http://www.itv.com/news/2014-06-23/banned-preacher-under-scrutiny-over-links-to-young-cardiff-men-fighting-with-isis-in-iraq-and-syria/|date=23 June 2014|work=ITV|accessdate=26 December 2014}}{{cite news|title=Father of Cardiff jihadists says his sons were radicalised in 'pop-up' schools|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/23/father-jihadists-sons-radicalised-cardiff-popup-schools|date=23 June 2014|work=Guardian|accessdate=26 December 2014 |first=Steven |last=Morris}}

Denmark banned him from entering the country for two years in May 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/Words-and-concepts/US/Religious-workers/Religious-preachers-with-entry-ban/?anchor=7C5D2D143D284E4EB2829BA5F0F04837&callbackItem=8ADE78BB86084E60B9A89B35BDDCDDAE&callbackAnchor=8ADE78BB86084E60B9A89B35BDDCDDAE|title=Den nationale sanktionsliste - Religious preachers with entry ban|website=www.nyidanmark.dk|language=da|access-date=2019-02-14}}{{cite web |last1=Jensen |first1=Teis |title=Denmark bans six 'hate preachers' from entering the country |url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-denmark-security-religion/denmark-bans-six-hate-preachers-from-entering-the-country-idUKKBN17Y1N9 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129051248/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-denmark-security-religion/denmark-bans-six-hate-preachers-from-entering-the-country-idUKKBN17Y1N9 |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 November 2018 |publisher=Reuters |accessdate=13 April 2019 |date=2 May 2017}}